Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told House lawmakers Wednesday the Department of Agriculture is ending the Farmers to Families Food Box program. According to a story from Gary Crawford, it will end later this month. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities For Research Not Found ElsewhereSeptember 19, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement …
USDA Invests Millions in Specialty Crops Grants, Incentives to Purchase Fruits and Vegetables, and Help for Cotton Producers
USDA Also Informs Dairy Producers and Processors about New Dairy Donation Program The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of more than $330 million to help agricultural producers and organizations in the food supply chain recover from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding announced today is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative launched …
USDA Grant Program Needed for Local Meat Processors
The Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) recently submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging them to open applications for a grant program to help local meat processors. The legislation, authorized by Congress in December, set funding aside to improve capacity at local meat lockers, but CFRA says the agency has been slow to respond. In a letter to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, …
GCC: USDA Plantings Report Comparable to National Cotton Council’s Projections
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Prospective Plantings report estimates Georgia cotton acreage at around 1.2 million acres for the upcoming season. It would be comparable to what the National Cotton Council projected earlier this year, says Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC). “Earlier this year, the National Cotton Council projected Georgia to plant around 1.1 million …
How to Help in the Fight Against Destructive Pest
How to help in the fight against destructive pests that threaten the nation’s food supply, forests, and natural resources. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA is on a mission to stop invasive and hungry pests that can threaten and devastate agriculture, livelihoods, and food security. Some things you can do to help include: Familiarizing yourself with the …
Warning About Invasive and Destructive Pests
The warning about invasive and destructive pests and why the Ag Department is asking for your help this month. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared April “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month. And, it needs everyone’s help fighting against invasive pests that pose a threat to the nation’s …
Public Input Needed to Create a New Rural Renewable Energy Pilot Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture seeks public input to help create a new Rural Renewable Energy Pilot Program. USDA is seeking written comments and will host a public listening session on April 22, 2021. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provided $10 million to USDA to develop a pilot program that provides financial assistance to rural communities to further develop …
USDA-NRCS Extension for CSP Renewal Applications Closes April 7
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind producers they are accepting Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) renewal applications until April 7 for contracts set to end later this year. The original deadline was March 31, but last week they announced it had been extended one more week. So producers with existing CSP contracts that close Dec. 31, 2021, can benefit from recent program changes …
Five Million Acres Enrolled in USDA Conservation Easements
Through partnerships with private landowners, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the protection of more than 5 million acres of wetlands, grasslands, and prime farmland. Since last October, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has enrolled 110,000 acres in new conservation easements, bringing USDA to this conservation milestone. NRCS has offered conservation easements through the Farm Bill for …
After Identifying Gaps in Previous Aid, USDA Announces ‘Pandemic Assistance for Producers’ to Distribute Resources More Equitably
USDA Reopens Program Sign-Up to a Larger Share of Producers with Plans to Expand Outreach and New Programming (USDA/FSA) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of …