Tulare Sales Yard, Tulare, Calif. will host the 2019 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) on June 7 and 8. The event is free and open to the general public. The 56th annual WLAC will take place in conjunction with the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Convention. The WLAC competition is composed of two parts: an interview and a live auction. The …
New National Poll Shows Impacts of Rural Economy on Farmer Mental Health
A strong majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing the farm impact farmers’ mental health, according to a new national Morning Consult research poll. Sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation in recognition of May as Mental Health Month, the poll surveyed rural adults and farmers/farmworkers to better understand factors affecting the …
Report Released on Rural Broadband and Benefits of Next Generation Precision Agriculture
Reliable, High-Speed Broadband e-Connectivity is Essential to Enhanced Agricultural Production Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue unveiled a groundbreaking report, A Case for Rural Broadband: Insights on Rural Broadband Infrastructure and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technologies (PDF, 2.5 MB). The report finds that deployment of both broadband e-Connectivity and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technology on farms and ranches throughout the U.S. could result …
Controlling Bacterial Spot on Tomatoes and Peppers
Alabama Extension wants those growing tomatoes and peppers to be aware of Bacterial Spot, a common disease on the leaves of those two plants. But, there are several steps that growers can take to control and prevent the disease, which involves using multiple management tactics. Controlling the disease with chemicals alone usually results in failure. Steps growers can take include …
Congress Returns with Push for USMCA
Lawmakers are returning to Washington this week with a renewed industry push to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Following the International Trade Commission Report, few steps remain to reach implementation. Vice President Mike Pence touted the deal during a stop in Michigan last week, and a road tour from Farmers for Free Trade crossed the country building support for passage …
Deadline Extended for Producers to Certify 2018 Crop Production for MFP Payments
USDA extended the deadline to May 17 from May 1 for agricultural producers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which helps producers who have been significantly affected by foreign tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) extended the deadline because heavy rainfall and snowfall have delayed harvests …
Funding for Backtag RFID Project Proposals Available
Groups developing radio frequency ID backtags for livestock as part of an overall animal disease traceability framework now can submit funding applications to USDA for those projects. Rod Bain has more details. Sarah Tomlinson of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service discusses some of the technologies developed or in development regarding radio frequency ID tags designed in part for …
Georgia Peanut Commission Encourages Farmers to Vote Yes in National Peanut Board Referendum
The Georgia Peanut Commission encourages all peanut farmers to vote yes in support the continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order, which authorizes the National Peanut Board. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is conducting the referendum from April 15 through May 3, 2019. “The National Peanut Board continues to support Georgia’s peanut farmers through a variety of …
Farm Bank Lending Rises to $108 Billion in 2018
U.S. farm banks increased agricultural lending by 5.3 percent, or $5.5 billion, to $108 billion in 2018. The American Bankers Association recently released its annual Farm Bank Performance Report. The report found that in 2018, farm banks’ asset quality remained healthy and non-performing loans stayed at a pre-recession level of 0.52 percent of total loans. The report is an analysis …
Ag Seeks Swift Agreement in U.S.-Japan Trade Talks
A large coalition of agriculture groups is urging for swift action in the negotiation and implementation of a U.S.-Japan trade agreement. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, along with many agriculture organizations, signed a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer this week. The groups say the U.S. food and agriculture industry is increasingly disadvantaged by competing regional …