The Environmental Protection Agency will reject proposed changes to the point of obligation for complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard away from refiners. Politico reports that a Trump administration official said the EPA would reject the proposal by billionaire Carl Icahn, a key Trump supporter. EPA plans to formally announce the decision within the next two weeks and “President Trump …
Immigration Bill Won’t Affect Temporary Workers
The sponsor of an immigration bill suspected to reduce the agriculture labor force in the U.S. says his legislation will not impact temporary workers, which are often used in agriculture production. Georgia Republican Senator David Perdue wrote colleagues last week after concerns were raised about how the bill would impact farm workers. Referring to comments by Senate Republican Lindsay Graham, …
USDA and SCORE Launch Innovative Mentorship Effort to Support New Farmers and Ranchers
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a Memorandum of Understanding with officials from SCORE, the nation’s largest volunteer network of expert business mentors, to support new and beginning farmers. This agreement provides new help resources for beginning ranchers, veterans, women, socially disadvantaged Americans and others, providing new tools to help them both grow and thrive in agri-business. “Shepherding one generation …
Farmers Learn Advocacy, Share Ideas at Commodity Conference
Sharing, caring, learning and growing were common themes at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 45th Commodity Producers Conference this week in Birmingham. Dr. Kevin Folta with the University of Florida inspired about 1,000 farmers attending the conference to be agricultural advocates. “We talk to each other very well, but we don’t talk to others very well,” said Folta during Saturday morning’s …
Organic Family Farmers Need Strong Standards and Enforcement
American family farmers and ranchers grow and raise organic foods for the nation under strict standards. Those standards are set by the National Organic Program under the guidance of the National Organic Standards Board and protect the integrity of the industry. When major producers and organic product importers fail to comply with these standards, it puts all organic farmers and …
Largest Ever Dead Zone Found in U.S. Gulf
Federal scientists have measured the largest dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico in recent history. The oxygen-depleted area is roughly the size of New Jersey. Politico’s Morning Ag Report says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the increasing dead zone was fed by nutrient pollution washing down the Mississippi River. NOAA says the nutrient runoff comes primarily from …
Ex-Trade Negotiator Says Trump “Misguided” on NAFTA
The Trump Administration’s goal to reduce trade deficits by renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement is not a good one. That’s the opinion of former top Obama-era trade negotiator Darci Vetter. Captial Press Dot Com says Vetter feels that goal may cause unforeseen and unintentional consequences for farm exports. Vetter was the chief U.S. agricultural trade negotiator from 2014 …
Webcast Outlines Proper Cleaning Procedures for Sprayer Systems
Inadequate or improper cleaning of sprayer systems can often cause contamination issues and costly damage to plant foliage. A new Focus on Cotton webcast titled “Tank Cleaning” helps cotton growers, consultants, and other industry experts properly remove all unwanted residue from equipment and prevent the unintentional introduction of herbicides to sensitive or non-labeled cotton crops. This 29-minute talk by Fred …
Land Values and Cash Rents-Southern Region
Agricultural Land Value and Cash Rent Highlights The United States farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $3,080 per acre for 2017, up $70 per acre from 2016 values. The average value of farm real estate was up in the Southeast region. Alabama farm real estate values increased $150 per …
“Good-Guy” Fungus to Take on Killer of Oaks and Ornamental Crops
A beneficial soil fungus could offer a bio-based approach to battling Phytophthora ramorum, a pathogen that kills oaks, other tree species, and woody ornamentals. BioWorks, Inc. of Victor, New York, is collaborating with Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant pathologist Tim Widmer to commercially formulate the fungus, Trichoderma asperellum. The species is a mycoparasite, meaning it attacks and kills other fungi, including P. ramorum, a fungus-like …