USDA to Provide $1 Billion in Loan Guarantees for Rural Businesses and Ag Producers

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Industry, USDA-NASS

Contact: USDA PressEmail: press@oc.usda.gov WASHINGTON, D.C., May 21, 2020 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the Department is making available up to $1 billion in loan guarantees to help rural businesses meet their working capital needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, agricultural producers that are not eligible for USDA Farm Service Agency loans may receive funding …

Peanut Butter Bids Accepted; Grants Being Offered

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Peanuts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has awarded a request for the procurement of peanut butter products. Tyron Spearman has more details about that, along with information about grant dollars that have been announced for unique agriculture projects. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows …

Cotton Included in CFAP Assistance

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cotton, Florida, Georgia

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced this week details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) that will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Starting Tuesday, May 26, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses. And …

American Farmland Trust Releases Farmland Report

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia

Millions of acres of America’s agricultural land were developed or converted to uses that threaten farming between 2001 and 2016, according to American Farmland Trust. The organization this week released a report on U.S. farmland. The report’s Agricultural Land Protection Scorecard is the first state-by-state analysis of policies that respond to the development threats to farmland, showing that every state …

Readjusting the Food Supply Chain

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Industry, Specialty Crops

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue recently spoke on the efforts to realign our nation’s food supply chain and assure available food supplies to consumers. Rod Bain has the story. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well …

March Margin Triggers Dairy Margin Coverage Program Payment

Clint Thompson Alabama, Dairy, Florida, Georgia

Income-over-feed margin for March triggers first payment for 2020 WASHINGTON, May 20, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced this week that the March 2020 income over feed cost margin was $9.15 per hundredweight (cwt.), triggering the first payment of 2020 for dairy producers who purchased the appropriate level of coverage under the Dairy Margin …

Peanut Crop Update

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Peanuts

Tyron Spearman has a look at how peanut planting is progressing. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary 23, 2026

President Trump on New CFAP Program

Clint Thompson Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Legislative

During a special presentation at the White House Tuesday, President Trump announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). According to a story from Gary Crawford, the program is designed to help farmers hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. CFAP will provide vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5%-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 …

Georgia Cotton Farmers Overcoming Challenges During Planting Season

Clint Thompson Cotton, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia cotton growers are busy planting this year’s crop. According to Phillip Roberts, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton entomologist, the state’s farmers have already had to overcome various challenges from Mother Nature. “If we think back, we had some pretty significant rainfall events (in April). That really created some problems for us, just trying to get …

Forages Conference Virtual Meeting Scheduled for May 26

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cattle, Florida, Georgia, Industry

By Clint Thompson The annual Georgia Forages Conference will have a virtual look this year. On Tuesday, May 26, the conference will be held Live on Facebook and will feature pre-recorded video discussions with speakers about important topics like the bermudagrass stem maggot and alfalfa baleage production. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and be held through the Georgia …