UGA Tifton to Host Vaccine Clinic

Clint Thompson Coronavirus, Georgia

By Clint Thompson The University of Georgia (UGA) Tifton campus is providing a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic this Friday, July 16 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. The event is open to all those interested in receiving the Moderna vaccine, which will be administered by pharmacists from the local Wal-Mart Marketplace. Any UGA and U.S. Department of Agriculture faculty, …

alabama

Alabama Rep. Barry Moore on Pandemic and Estate Taxes

Dan Alabama, Coronavirus, Economy, Education, Legislative

The COVID-19 pandemic affected many aspects of our lives, including how certain things are looked at now in rural areas. Alabama Rep. Barry Moore (AL-2), a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, believes the pandemic revealed a significant need in rural America. Rep. Moore also addresses estate tax concerns that many in agriculture have right now.

dairy checkoff

Lawmakers Seek Reimbursement for Dairy Farmers

Dan Coronavirus, Dairy, Economy

A group of lawmakers calls on the Biden administration to reimburse dairy producers for losses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and market-related losses. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the 24 lawmakers say, “We strongly urge you to ensure our producers are reimbursed for as much of the roughly $725 million in foregone Class I skim milk revenue as …

covid

Next COVID Casualty Could be Coffee

Dan Coronavirus, General, Specialty Crops

COVID-19 shockwaves could create a round of trouble for the coffee industry, according to Purdue University. Starting in the 2011-12 growing season, a powdery orange fungus called coffee leaf rust spread throughout Latin America and Central America, damaging crops on 70 percent of farms and causing more than $3.2 billion in damage. Coffee crop management programs helped growers mitigate the …

USDA Signup for Covid-19 Assistance Program Ends Friday

Dan Coronavirus, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a couple of months ago the availability of more than $330 million to help agricultural producers and organizations in the food supply chain recover from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, and includes $169.9 million for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) …

Georgia

GDA Produce Safety Alliance April Virtual Training Session

Dan Coronavirus, Field Crops, Fruits, Georgia, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) wants producers to know they have scheduled another 2-day virtual Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. According to GDA Produce Safety Education and Outreach Coordinator Maggie Brown, sign up for that virtual training is underway. This Grower Training Course satisfies the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement that requires at least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have …

modifying

Vilsack: Modifying CFAP to Get Help to Folks

Dan Coronavirus, Economy, General

Back on March 24th, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced an expansion of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2). It’s part of a larger effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reach a greater share of farming operations and improve USDA pandemic assistance. Secretary Vilsack told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman they’ve been looking at ways to expand assistance to producers. Vilsack …

farmers

Alabama Poultry Producers Receive Relief through CARES Act Funds

Dan Alabama, Coronavirus, Economy, Poultry

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected many facets of agriculture, including the poultry industry. In Alabama, commercial poultry production employs more than 86,000 workers industrywide. For this reason, Alabama Extension professionals helped develop and execute a plan to put poultry producers on the map when Alabama CARES Act funds were distributed in the agricultural sector. According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension …

georgia counties

After Identifying Gaps in Previous Aid, USDA Announces ‘Pandemic Assistance for Producers’ to Distribute Resources More Equitably

Dan Coronavirus, News from Our Sponsors, USDA-FSA

USDA Reopens Program Sign-Up to a Larger Share of Producers with Plans to Expand Outreach and New Programming (USDA/FSA) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of …

farmers

CFAP 2 Reopening and Expanding

Dan Alabama, Coronavirus

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) was reopening for enrollment on April 5th. COVID-19 continues to impact Alabamians, especially farmers, so this updated program is designed to help replenish some of the financial loss. According to an article written by Mary Leigh Oliver, with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), the first …