Georgia farmers are sharing their hardships in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, which struck the heart of rural Georgia in early October. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) have traveled to affected farms throughout the state and listened to the stories of farmers and farm families impacted by the storm. Each narrative returns to a …
Federal Reserve: NAFTA 2.0 Won’t Help Dairy Industry
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) replacement will not benefit dairy farmers, according to the Federal Reserve Bank. A report by the Federal Reserve says gains made by the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that will replace NAFTA are “too small and too far in the future to help dairy farmers.” The Minneapolis Fed reported that “a substantial number of dairy …
Drought Monitor: Wet Harvest Continues Next Week
The U.S. Drought Monitor weekly update shows more wet weather ahead for the Midwest. Much of the Corn Belt received adequate or above needed moisture this growing season. However, pockets in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma were extremely dry. Recent rains have turned the tables, and much of the Midwest is experiencing wet harvest conditions. The Drought Monitor notes that a …
Grain Industry Seeks to Modernize Global Ag Commodity Trade
The world’s largest grain processors are jointly seeking to standardize and digitize global agriculture shipping transactions. Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, Cargill and Louis Dreyfus announced the collaboration this week in an effort to benefit the entire industry and seek broad-based industry participation to promote global access and adoption. Initially, the companies are focused on technologies to automate grain and oilseed …
Annual Soil Health Summit Event Opens to Public for First Time
The Soil Health Partnership announced this week that for the first time the organization has opened to the public the annual Soil Health Summit, January 15 – 16 in St. Louis, and encourages growers and agronomists to attend. Attendees will benefit from peer-to-peer networking, collaboration, and education on the latest in soil health strategies, including new data and insights from …
USDA Disaster Assistance and Hurricane Recovery Workshops
Representatives from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Rural Development (RD) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) will present disaster assistance information for agricultural producers. Workshop topics include emergency assistance for livestock & crop-related expenses and losses; financial assistance programs to help with farm and farmland damage; deadlines for applying for disaster assistance programs and programs to help with restoration and rehabilitation of farm and …
Family Farm Recognized for Environmental Leadership
Lykes Bros., Inc., was honored for their environmental stewardship with a County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) award on October 18. Lykes Bros. Inc., has grown a 500-acre Brooksville farm to more than 610,000 acres in Florida and Texas. Lykes Bros. Inc., has been a leader in agribusiness for more than a hundred years and fully invests in responsible …
USDA Announces 2019 Agricultural Outlook Forum
Early bird registration is now open for the 95th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), the largest annual meeting of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This two-day event will take place on Feb. 21-22, 2019, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. This year’s forum, which is being held under the theme “Growing Locally, Selling Globally,” highlights current issues and …
Cell-based Meat Summit Leading to Joint Regulatory Action
The Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration is inching towards a joint regulatory approach for cell-cultured, or so-called lab-grown meats. Agri-Pulse reports Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb “drew no lines in the sand” throughout a two-day meeting on the subject. Gottlieb told reporters that FDA and USDA have worked together in the past, …
Trump Hints at Naming Wheeler Permanent EPA Administrator
President Donald Trump may be planning to permanently place Andrew Wheeler as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator. Pro Farmer reports that Trump this week said of Wheeler: “He is acting, but he is doing well, right? So maybe he won’t be so acting for so long.” President Trump made the comments during the White House’s State Leadership Day Conference. Acting roles …