International Marketing Efforts for Florida Citrus

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) described its 2020-21 international marketing efforts at last month’s meeting of the Florida Citrus Commission, which governs the FDOC. Katie Bruce, international marketing manager, discussed the FDOC’s past-year programs in the United Kingdom (UK), France, Japan, South Korea and Canada for fresh grapefruit and orange juice. Bruce also presented an overview of preliminary 2021-22 plans. UNITED …

Agricultural Guestworkers, the Pandemic, and Vaccinations

We’ve all heard stories of how disruptive the impacts of COVID-19 have been on the U.S. agricultural system. While they have been broad and varied, the pandemic has been a big issue when it comes to ag labor. As Rod Bain reports, farm guestworkers and their employers have really been impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, especially when it comes to vaccination …

Pandemic Assistance Heading to Poultry, Livestock Contract Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Thursday they are starting to issue some $270 million in payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry who applied for Pandemic Assistance. Earlier this year, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) identified gaps in assistance including in the initial proposal to assist contract growers. “We listened to feedback from producers and stakeholders about impacts …

Almost Half of U.S. States Lost Rural Population in 2010-2020

From 2010-2020, the USDA’s Economic Research Service says 24 states lost population in nonmetropolitan or rural areas. Sixteen of those states lost population overall or showed slow population growth of less than five percent. Data from the 2020 U.S. Census shows the U.S. population grew by 7.4 percent from 2010-2020, slower than the 9.7 percent growth from the previous decade. …

Stay Vigilant on Handwashing and Hygiene

If you visited any public building or restroom during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have noticed an increased focus on handwashing and hygiene principles reflected in an abundance of signage on doors and in hallways. While it is great that public awareness has increased in the last 18 months, these have always been important principles, especially for all food-related businesses. …

Vaccine Requirement Won’t Close FSA Offices

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 …