The National Bison Association wants the Department of Agriculture to immediately develop new labeling policies to stop water buffalo products sold in the U.S. from being labeled only as “buffalo.” The association launched an online petition last week seeking the measures from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration. The petition effort was launched …
U.S. Wheat Restructuring Efforts Close Moscow Office
As part of restructuring overseas offices, U.S. Wheat Associates will close its office in Moscow, Russia, at the end of this month. The organization says the reorganization reflects an effort to refocus resources toward markets with the best potential to grow U.S. wheat exports and returns for the farmers the organization represents. Based in part on the significant increase in …
China Predicted to cut U.S. Soybean exports
China’s exports of U.S. soybeans are expected to plummet over the next marketing year, according to the latest forecast. A soybean crushing industry executive told Reuters this week that China will almost entirely replace its soybean imports from the United States with Brazilian beans and other origins in the upcoming season. The latest forecast from China predicts Imports from the …
Putnam Announces Winners of 2018 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced the recipients of the Commissioner’s Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award, which recognizes the environmentally innovative farming techniques of Florida’s farmers and ranchers. This year’s recipients are: Jim Strickland of Blackbeards’ Ranch in Manatee County, Chuck Allison of Wild Goose Farms in Umatilla, and James Shinn of Shinn Groves/ Tree O’Groves in Lake Alfred. Florida’s …
UF Researcher to Study Migration Trends, Health of Emerging Farm Workers
As the University of Florida IFAS Extension director for Hendry County, Gene McAvoy has seen firsthand a sea change in the types of workers now coming to the United States to work on farms. “It used to be 95 percent or more of the workers were from Mexico,” McAvoy said. “Now, it’s about 50 percent from Haiti and the Caribbean. …
USDA Launches Trade Mitigation Programs
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue launched the trade mitigation package aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations.  Producers of certain commodities can now sign up for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), while USDA will also begin to purchase identified commodities under a food purchase and distribution program. Additionally, USDA has begun …
Bama’s Best Burger Contest Final Four
The final four restaurants in the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger Contest have been announced. Kayla Greer, Alabama Cattlemen’s Association’s director of social media and communications, tells who they are. Bama’s Best Burger Contest Final Four Four Finalists Advance in 2018 Bama’s Best Burger Contest Four finalist restaurants have been named in the 2018 Bama’s Best Burger contest, sponsored by the …
ASTA Outlines Priorities for Final Farm Bill
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) urges members of the Farm Bill Conference Committee to include several key provisions important to the seed industry within the final bill. In a recent letter to conferees, ASTA highlighted the following priorities within the Conservation, Trade, Research, Horticulture and Crop Insurance titles: Conservation: ASTA is concerned with the proposal in the House version …
Trump Threatens to Add $200 Billion in More Tariffs
Bloomberg says President Trump wants to proceed with another $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports as soon as the public comment period wraps up next week. Six people familiar with the matter spoke anonymously with Bloomberg for the article. Companies and people have until Sept. 6 to submit comments on duties that will cover everything from semiconductors to selfie …
Lawsuit Filed Over Oil Refinery Waivers
Two of the biggest ethanol groups in America have sued both the Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Secretary Rick Perry. The focus of the suit is dozens of hardship waivers granted to oil refineries that allowed them to not blend ethanol into the fuel supply. Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association filed the suit to get access to records …