USDA Census of Agriculture forms will start showing up in farmers’ mailboxes in December. The national census is conducted by the National Ag Statistics Service every five years and it’s extremely important that farmers take time to respond. Barbara Ratner is the census and survey director at NASS and she says, “The census is aimed at getting a complete count …
Holiday Drivers Save by Choosing E-15 Fuel
Triple-A recently predicted a record number of drivers will be on the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. Growth Energy says those drivers could save up to $4 million by filling up with E-15. Growth Energy is encouraging drivers to take advantage of the value E-15 brings and go to Get Ethanol dot com to locate the nearest E-15 station while …
Pro-Trade Republicans Unhappy with U.S. NAFTA Positions
Pro-trade Republicans are increasingly worried that the Trump Administration will pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) , rather than negotiate a deal that keeps core benefits intact. As the fifth round of talks winds up on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Republican Charlie Dent says, “I think the administration is playing a dangerous game with the sunset provision.” He …
Fifth Round of NAFTA Talks Moving Slowly
The fifth round of negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) got off to a slow start and continue to move slowly this week. A source tells CBC dot com that negotiators have talked through a dozen topics but there hasn’t been much movement. However, that same source also says while progress has been slow, there haven’t been …
Turkey Farmers Feel Pain from GIPSA
Just days from Thanksgiving, some turkey farmers are feeling the effects of Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue’s decision to pull out of the final interim GIPSA (Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration) rule. Politico reports that just hours after the announcement, Plainville Farms of Pennsylvania presented its farmers with updated contracts that required the producers to make costly upgrades to their …
Livestock Haulers Get Waiver from ELDs Regulations
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted drivers who haul livestock a 90-day waiver from a regulation that could have negative effects on animal well-being, a move hailed by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). NPPC requested on behalf of the U.S. pork industry and other livestock sectors a waiver from a requirement that certain drivers install Electronic Logging …
NCGA Encouraging Farmers to Fill Out USDA-NASS Surveys
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is urging farmers to spend the few minutes needed to fill out and return USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Surveys. The surveys ask for crop-specific data and the results help USDA help farmers. Steve Ebke, a Nebraska farmer and the current NCGA Risk Management Action Team Chairman, says it’s important that growers fill out …
Putnam Provides Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Celebrations
Ahead of Thanksgiving, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and the Florida Forest Service are providing tips to ensure a safe holiday weekend. The following tips can help prevent wildfire: Avoid burning yard debris on dry, windy days. Never leave a fire or outdoor heat source unattended. Set up turkey fryers and grills at least 10 feet away from the …
USDA Audit Finds Problems in Brazil’s Food Safety System
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service found several problems in Brazil’s meat inspection system. FSIS conducted inspection audits on-site in Brazil from May 15 to June 2. The goal was to determine if Brazil’s food safety system is comparable to the one in America and capable of exporting safe, wholesome, and unadulterated foods that are labeled and packaged correctly. …
Monsanto On Track for Carbon Neutrality in 2021
Monsanto announced that it’s on track to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2021. The company expects to meet the commitment it first made in December of 2015. Operational improvements have already reduced Monsanto’s carbon footprint by more than 200,000 metric tons. That’s a reduction about equal to burning 200,000 fewer tons of coal. The rate of reduction …