Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined other G7 agriculture ministers Friday morning in a virtual meeting with Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Roman Leshchenko. Following that virtual meeting, Vilsack took the stage at Commodity Classic in New Orleans to give the keynote address, then met with a small group of agriculture journalists, where he shared more of what was discussed in that virtual …
CDC Says Extension Service Helping Rural America Get Vaccinated
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is expressing gratitude to the nation’s Cooperative Extension Service for helping address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in rural America. Extension educators have worked to raise awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. “Rural America continues to get hit hard by COVID, and the lives of families and communities continue to feel the impacts,” …
UGA Expert: I Hope Fertilizer Prices Have Peaked
By Clint Thompson Fertilizer prices may be at an all-time high but that shouldn’t automatically compel row crop producers to try to cut back on certain nutrients. This is important to consider since commodity prices remain advantageous for farmers, says Glen Harris, University of Georgia (UGA) Professor and Extension Agronomist in Environmental Soil and Fertilizer. “Everybody wants to know where …
AgNet Media Interview with US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on COVID-19 in Rural Areas
National leaders are telling rural America to brace for the Omicron surge. While many rural areas have not yet faced a surge like urban areas, it’s likely to happen within the next few weeks. AgNet Media National Correspondent Sabrina Halvorson spoke with US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy about how the surge is affecting rural areas compared to urban. Halvorson: …
Farmers Continue to Expand Cover Crops
Farmers continue to plant more cover crops. Reuters says those include everything from grasses like rye and oats to legumes and radishes. Some of them get converted to biofuels or fed to cattle, but most aren’t harvested because they’re more valuable when they break down in the soil. Rob Myers of the Center for Regenerative Agriculture estimates cover crops grew …
Agriculture Waits for Big Decisions on Supreme Court Cases
This first week of 2022 could be a big one for several agricultural groups and stakeholders. The Supreme Court will likely hear several high-stakes cases that could affect America’s farmers and ranchers. A DTN report says the court recently distributed three of four agriculture cases scheduled for a January 7 conference. Those high-profile petitions include challenges to California’s Prop 12, …
Efforts to Address Rural Mental Health Issues
Concerns about increased stress and mental health problems in rural America have prompted various farm organizations to develop resources and programs to address this issue. Rod Bain has more details. Those interested are encouraged to learn more about the campaigns from the American Farm Bureau Federation and from the National Farmers Union. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Funding Crucial For Forage DevelopmentMay 22, …
A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer
As we celebrate Christmas this year, Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman brings back an old favorite, “A Cowboy’s Christmas Prayer” written by S. Omar Barker. A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PRAYERby S. Omar Barker (1895-1985) I ain’t much good at prayin’,and You may not know me, Lord —For I ain’t much seen in churches,where they preach Thy Holy Word.But you may have observed …
2022 National Ag Day Activities Announced
The Agriculture Council of America has announced that National Agriculture Day will be held on March 22, 2022. This will mark the 49th anniversary of National Ag Day, which is celebrated in classrooms and communities across the country. The theme for National Ag Day 2022 is “Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.” On March 22, 2022, ACA will host a virtual …
Deadline Extended to Apply for Pandemic Support for Organic Operations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week announced they have extended the deadline for agricultural producers who are certified organic, or transitioning to organic, to apply for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP). The deadline to apply for 2020 and 2021 eligible expenses was Jan. 7, 2022 but it’s been extended to Feb. 4, 2022. OTECP …