Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell praised the appointment of former Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Director Trey Glenn as the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Southeast Region administrator. “Trey Glenn brings knowledge, experience and common-sense leadership to the EPA,” Parnell said. “He is committed to protecting the environment but understands the importance of working with stakeholders as partners in …
Producers Receive Favorable Decisions on Regulatory Matters
Producers received two favorable decisions on regulatory matters last week. A federal court ruled earlier, some 63-thousand producers could not be exempted from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air emissions reporting requirement. But the agency still doesn’t know how it will handle the requirement, so National Pork Producers Council spokesman Dave Warner says the D.C. U.S. Court of Appeals granted …
Study Shows Positive Impact of American Sheep Industry
A new Sheep Industry Economic Impact Study completed recently shows that sheep continue to be a good investment for America. The impact analysis revealed that every one dollar spent in sheep and sheep-related production added an additional $2.87 to the American economy in 2016, nearly three times the initial investment. Among some of the study’s findings, a $2.02 billion investment …
Cattle Loss Limited from Montana Wildfires
Montana has lost almost a half million acres of land thanks to wildfires. More than half of that acreage total came from just one fire. The Montana Stockgrowers Association tells Drovers Cattle Network Dot Com that cattle losses from the fires have been limited. 29 fires are currently active in Montana, with the bulk of them burning in the western …
Farm Debt Likely to Reach All-Time High in 2017
Low commodity prices have made things tough by bringing down land values, tightening balance sheets, and increasing the stress level of America’s producers. Unfortunately, that means farmers are continuing to take on more debt. The amount of outstanding farm debt is likely to reach an all-time high this year. Brent Gloy of Agricultural Economic Insights says if the debt level …
First Round of NAFTA Talks Conclude
The first round of talks between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, ended last week with all three sides saying they’re committed to getting negotiations done as quickly as possible. The next round of talks is scheduled for September 1-5 in Mexico. Talks then move to Canada in late September before coming back to America in October. Bloomberg says a joint …
EPA Announces Appointment of Trey Glenn to Region 4 Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the appointment of Trey Glenn of Alabama to become Regional Administrator for EPA’s Southeast Region (Region 4). Mr. Glenn will employ his 22 years of environmental and regulatory experience in leading the environmental protection efforts across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Mr. Glenn served as …
Pork Export Success
Exports remain an important part of the U.S. industry. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) spokesman Joe Schuele says Mexico is importing a record amount of pork. South Korea is another top-performer. Sales haven’t been at this level since 2011 when Korea had a severe domestic shortage of pork due to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. South America has also …
Perdue Announces Tony Tooke as New Forest Service Chief
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced Tony Tooke will serve as the new Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Tooke has worked for the Forest Service since age 18 and currently is the Regional Forester for the Southern Region. Following the announcement, Secretary Perdue this statement: “The Forest Service will be in good hands with the U.S. Forest Service’s …
Economic Study Shows Renewable Fuel Standard Added to Price of Corn
A new economic study shows the Renewable Fuel Standard has added a third to the price of corn and saved the U.S. nearly 18-billion in gasoline costs. The Iowa State University study to be published soon in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics shows specific benefits to farmers, consumers, and the environment, from the nation’s renewable fuels requirement. Renewable Fuels …