U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of Carmen Rottenberg and Paul Kiecker to key leadership positions within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Rottenberg has been named the Administrator of FSIS and Kiecker the Deputy Administrator. “Providing all Americans access to a safe and secure food supply is one of USDA’s …
Ag Interest Spread Cash in Cabinet Race
From farmers to horse trainers, agricultural interests put up more than $100,000 in April to support three candidates running for Florida agriculture commissioner, with U.S. Sugar Corp. accounting for $30,000, new finance reports show. Republicans Denise Grimsley of Sebring, Matt Caldwell of North Fort Myers and Baxter Troutman of Winter Haven each topped six figures in April fundraising, with Troutman’s …
Senate Ag Leaders Introduce Bipartisan Farmer Veteran Legislation
Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee are touting legislation that will help veterans in agriculture. Introduced by Committee Chair Pat Roberts and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow, the Farmer Veteran Opportunity Act of 2018 makes all new veterans eligible for support from the Department of Agriculture. The Senators say the bill also improves access for farmer veterans across eight existing initiatives …
Conaway Comments on Trump Challenging India Market Practices
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway says the Trump administration is holding India accountable in it’s latest trade move. The administration announced earlier a Word Trade Organization counter notification on India’s market price support for wheat and rice. In applauding the effort, Conaway says India has been “funneling illegal farm subsidies into its agriculture industry for too long.” Conaway, along with …
USDA Projects Smaller Corn, Soybean Crops
The May World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from the Department of Agriculture projects smaller corn and soybean crops this year. The corn crop is projected at 14.0 billion bushels, down from last year with a lower forecast area and yield. The yield projection of 174.0 bushels per acre is based on a weather-adjusted trend assuming normal planting progress and …
Texas Tech to Launch Veterinary School
Texas Tech University will launch the nation’s first new veterinary school in 40 years. The Amarillo, Texas city council recently approved an amendment to a 2016 agreement between Texas Tech and the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation to fund up to $69 million to ensure the construction of the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. Leaders say that along with …
Secretaries Perdue and Zinke Join Forces to Combat 2018 Wildfire Season
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Thursday hosted a fire briefing for Members of Congress at the Department of Agriculture detailing the wildfire forecast for 2018. Following the meeting, the secretaries sent a letter to wildland fire leadership highlighting the importance of inter-departmental collaboration to increase firefighter, public, and community safety as the 2018 wildfire season approaches. …
Putnam Comments on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast, Disaster Assistance
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season: “This citrus crop forecast is another reminder of the continued struggles of Florida’s iconic citrus industry since Hurricane Irma inflicted unprecedented damage last year. But thanks to the collaborative efforts of the United …
Florida Cattleman Donates Cow to UF Campus Food Pantry
At the University of Florida, 16 percent of those who visited the on-campus Alan and Cathy Hitchcock Field and Fork pantry mentioned the service was their sole source of food when they needed temporary assistance. While students working with the Field and Fork student gardens grow fresh seasonal vegetables for pantry users, the pantry runs low on protein sources. When …
American Farmland Trust Study: U.S. Farmland Shrinking
A report from American Farmland Trust released Wednesday finds that between 1992 and 2012, almost 31 million acres of farmland were lost, equal to all the farmland in Iowa. The “Farms Under Threat: The State of America’s Farmland” report, according to American Farmland Trust, shows the loss of farmland “is serious” and “will accelerate” unless action is taken. The report …