The Biden Administration’s requirement that all federal employees, including the employees of the Farm Service Agency, be vaccinated against COVID-19 will not cause FSA offices to close or farmers to receive a less-than-usual level of service. The Hagstrom Report says Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made that statement last week during a House Agriculture Committee hearing. Representative Vicki Hartzler of Missouri …
Signup Deadline for Pandemic Livestock Program is Tuesday
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind livestock producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing, the signup deadline for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) is October 12, 2021. PLIP provides payments to producers for losses of livestock or poultry depopulated from March 1, 2020, through December 26, 2020. Here is Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator …
October USDA Deadlines Approaching
Covid-19 has impacted many agricultural and forestry operations across the country, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering financial assistance for farmers and ranchers and even timber harvesters and haulers. But USDA reminds those interested the signup deadlines are coming up next week. The signup deadline for three pandemic assistance programs are: · Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 – October 12 …
Immunity Still a Consumer Priority
Consumers are continuing to seek out foods and beverages that provide immune support during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Jackie Hopkins with Edible told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) at its Sept. 22 meeting. That search for immunity is a benefit to the orange juice (OJ) industry, since numerous reports indicate consumers link OJ to immunity. Edible is a marketing agency …
ERS Study Shows Meatpackers Role in COVID Spread
A study from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shows the role meatpacking plants played in the spread of COVID-19. In what ERS describes as a working paper, the study outlined 49 U.S. non-metro counties in which 20 percent or more of employment is in meatpacking, defined as meatpacking-dependent counties. This represents 41 percent of all nonmetro counties with employment in …
FSA Administrator Explains Details of PLIP
USDA announced late last week that sign-up deadline for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) has been extended to October 12th. PLIP is for swine, chicken and turkey producers who had to depopulate due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux provides some details of the program. For more information, contact your local USDA Farm …
Signup Deadline for Pandemic Livestock Program Extended
The original signup deadline for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) was today, September 17. But, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they have extended that deadline until October 12, 2021. This extra time will allow livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing to apply for the PLIP. Producers can still apply for …
Livestock Pandemic Assistance Signup Ends Today
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind livestock producers interested in signing up for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) that today, September 17th, is the deadline to do so. PLIP is designed to help livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic due to insufficient access to processing. You can apply for assistance for those losses …
Pandemic Assistance Available for Livestock Producers
It was two months ago when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP), designed to help livestock and poultry producers that suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic due to insufficient access to processing. You can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. This is a reminder the deadline to …
NPPC Asks Congress to Address Agricultural Labor Shortage
With a scheduled vote in the U.S. House set for Monday, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is calling on Congress to include in a budget reconciliation bill language to expand the existing H-2A visa to year-round agricultural workers. Like many sectors of the economy, the U.S. pork industry is faced with a severe labor shortage. But even before the …