USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to remind landowners about the Local Working Group Meetings. At these meetings, farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, conservation partners and the public can discuss natural resource needs and priorities for their county. Florida State Conservationist Juan Hernandez says if you can’t make it to a meeting in person, they are available through Zoom. NRCS and soil and …
Livestock and Poultry Report on World Markets and Trade
Tuesday, the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) released their quarterly Livestock and Poultry Report on World Markets and Trade. This report includes data on U.S. and global trade, production, consumption and stocks, as well as analysis of developments affecting world trade in livestock and poultry. It covers beef and veal, cattle, pork, swine and chicken meat. This new USDA report shows that China …
USDA Launches First Phase of Soil Carbon Monitoring Efforts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they will invest?$10?million?in?a new initiative to sample, measure, and monitor soil carbon on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres. The investment seeks to better quantify the climate outcomes of the program. USDA says CRP is an important tool in the Nation’s fight to reduce the worst impacts of climate change facing our farmers, …
USDA Considering Waivers for Slower Pork Plant Processing Lines
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the USDA is working on a proposal for a waiver system for hog plants forced by a federal court to slow down their processing lines. Waivers that would allow plants to speed up processing lines again could renew concerns about worker safety but boost profits for pork companies and farmers. Vilsack didn’t specify what those …
New USDA Crop and Livestock Reports Coming
Traders are anxiously awaiting USDA’s next round of reports which should give us a better idea of the size and market prospects for the major crops. And as Gary Crawford reports, USDA will also release revised forecasts for the livestock sector. USDA will release the new round of crop and livestock forecasts on Tuesday, October 12, noon EDT. Sponsored ContentFlorida …
Vaccine Requirement Won’t Close FSA Offices
The Biden Administration’s requirement that all federal employees, including the employees of the Farm Service Agency, be vaccinated against COVID-19 will not cause FSA offices to close or farmers to receive a less-than-usual level of service. The Hagstrom Report says Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made that statement last week during a House Agriculture Committee hearing. Representative Vicki Hartzler of Missouri …
Price Spread for Pork Products Increases as Processing Plant Labor Shortages Continue
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen longstanding labor shortages in the U.S. pork processing industry. Because the production of deboned products requires more labor, associated prices are higher than bone-in product prices, which have smaller labor requirements, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. When labor shortages are severe, as in the spring of 2020, when COVID-19-related infections of processing plant …
October USDA Deadlines Approaching
Covid-19 has impacted many agricultural and forestry operations across the country, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering financial assistance for farmers and ranchers and even timber harvesters and haulers. But USDA reminds those interested the signup deadlines are coming up next week. The signup deadline for three pandemic assistance programs are: · Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 – October 12 …
Higher Loan Limit Now Available for USDA Guaranteed Farm Loans
This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced higher loan limits will be available for borrowers seeking a guaranteed farm loan. The loan limit, as of October 1, 2021, went from $1.776 million to $1.825 million. FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said “Farm loans are critical for our customers’ annual operating and family living expenses, emergency needs, and cash flow.” …
ERS Study Shows Meatpackers Role in COVID Spread
A study from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shows the role meatpacking plants played in the spread of COVID-19. In what ERS describes as a working paper, the study outlined 49 U.S. non-metro counties in which 20 percent or more of employment is in meatpacking, defined as meatpacking-dependent counties. This represents 41 percent of all nonmetro counties with employment in …