Steve Rommereim, a pork producer from South Dakota, was elected president of the National Pork Board at the organization’s June board meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, as part of the World Pork Expo. Rommereim is the owner, manager and operator of Highland Swine, which markets 10,000 pigs annually. He also grows corn and soybeans, as well as has a cow/calf …
USDA and FDA Announce Key Step to Advance Collaborative Efforts to Streamline Produce Safety Requirements for Farmers
As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing effort to make the oversight of food safety stronger and more efficient, USDA and FDA announced the alignment of the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices Audit Program (USDA H-GAP) with the requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA’s) Produce Safety Rule. The new step is …
Ag Economy Barometer Monthly Results
Farmers showed more optimism in the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The May survey reading was 141, 16 points higher than April and the highest since January of last year. A rating below 100 is negative, while a rating above 100 indicates positive sentiment regarding the agriculture industry. The rise in the barometer, a sentiment index derived from …
Ernst Expresses Frustration with EPA
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa expressed deep frustration Tuesday regarding the Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump. Speaking of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, Ernst told an energy symposium in Washington, D.C. “If the President wants to drain the swamp, he needs to take a look at his own cabinet.” Pruitt has been a target of biofuels states after granting …
Trump Voters in Midwest States Losing Faith in Administration’s Commitment to Renewable Fuels
New polling shows that voters across three Midwestern states are disappointed with Trump Administration decisions regarding biofuels. Released by the National Biodiesel Board this week, a survey of voters in Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota overwhelmingly say they support federal policies to encourage growth in biodiesel and renewable fuels use. Their support cut across party lines, with more than two-thirds of …
Last Chance to Complete the 2017 Census of Agriculture
Less than two weeks to submit the questionnaire by mail The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is wrapping up data collection for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. To stay on track for data release in February 2019, the deadline for submitting the paper questionnaire is June 15, 2018. Farmers and ranchers who have not responded …
Deadline Extended for Margin Protection Program for Dairy
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue extended the deadline for producers to sign up for the Farm Service Agency’s Margin Protection Program (MPP) – Dairy by one week. The program provides a much needed safety net for dairy producers, and signup will continue until June 8 for them to elect coverage. All dairy operations must make new coverage elections for 2018, even …
Florida Forest Service Announces Long Leaf Pine Program for Landowners
The Florida Forest Service announced that the Longleaf Pine Landowner Incentive Program is now accepting applications from eligible, non-industrial private forest landowners. Applications will be accepted now through Friday, July 13, 2018. The goal of the program is to increase the acreage of healthy Longleaf pine ecosystems in Florida by helping non-industrial private forest landowners make the long-term investment required to …
Pork Producers Respond to Mexican Retaliation
Mexico levied punitive tariffs – 10 percent effective today (June 5, 2018), escalating to 20 percent on July 5 – on unprocessed pork (not including variety meats) in retaliation for tariffs on its metal exports to the United States. Mexico’s decision follows similar retaliation in early April by China, which imposed additional 25 percent tariffs on U.S. pork, reducing live …
FDACS Begins Efforts to Eradicate Oriental Fruit Fly
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has positively identified the presence of three Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in south Miami-Dade County. The initial fly was discovered during routine trapping, and additional flies were discovered during expanded trapping activities. The department, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, monitors more than 56,000 fruit fly traps statewide as an …