Steakhouses are struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic as the Delta variant of the virus expands, and beef prices are moving higher. Top steakhouses that provide a dining experience and high-priced cuts of beef see the Delta variant as a possible threat to travelers and group events. Several chains say they are better prepared amid the pandemic this year …
Livestock Producers Can Apply for Pandemic Assistance
Livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the COVID-19 pandemic due to insufficient access to processing are reminded they can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. This is through USDA’s Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP). Eligible livestock must have been depopulated from March 1, 2020 through December 26, 2020. …
Before You Spray
We often think about pesticide safety and best management practices when we are in the field spraying. You’re outside, you’re potentially exposed to the pesticide, and a gust of wind in the wrong direction could send it flying back into your face. However, your first interaction with pesticides on spray day takes place well before you step foot in the …
Agriculture Secretary on Improving Ag Transportation Infrastructure
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is emphasizing the importance of broad rural infrastructure improvements in efforts to build up rural communities and their commodities. He explains the competitive price advantage U.S. farmers and ranchers have as a result of our nation’s transportation system. But, he explains why the upgrade to our agricultural transportation network and infrastructure is needed. Vilsack notes the …
Lower Covid-19 Vaccination Rates in Rural Areas
While some people have been vaccinated for Covid-19, there are still a lot of folks who haven’t. And some may still have questions about the vaccines, with the main question being are they safe? The National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB), which Southeast AgNet is a member of, is making an effort to help relay information that some people are …
Sign-up Begins for New Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program
We told you last week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had announced a new program for certain livestock and poultry producers, called the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP). This was designed to help producers who suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic due to insufficient access to processing and the cost of depopulation and disposal of those animals. Signup for this program begins today …
Avoiding Heat-Related Deaths
A new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) report showed 215 people in Florida died from heat-related causes in the last 10 years. The fact that heat-related deaths happen throughout the year surprised the researchers who wrote the report. Serap Gorucu, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, helped write the report. She and …
UGA Tifton to Host Vaccine Clinic
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 Rep. Barry Moore on Pandemic and Estate Taxes
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. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Industry Supports Administration …
Lawmakers Seek Reimbursement for Dairy Farmers
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 …