GPC Celebrates National Peanut Month

By Clint Thompson The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) used March, also known as National Peanut Month, to continue its promotion of Georgia peanuts. Joy Crosby, assistant executive director of the GPC, discusses some of the events that the organization participated in. “We were able to kick off National Peanut Month with our annual peanut butter and jelly day at the …

GCC, UGA Advise Cotton Growers to Plan Now to Save Later

By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission and the University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Cotton Team implore the state’s producers to be prepared for planting season now so to avoid unnecessary trips through the field later. UGA Extension cotton agronomist Camp Hand said with input prices soaring, growers need to plan ahead to save money. “We don’t want to overlook …

Programs Announced by USDA to Increase and Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity

Technical Assistance Now Available to Processors; $23.6 Million Available for Meat, Poultry Readiness Grant program (USDA/WASHINGTON, March 25, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of the Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA) to provide technical assistance to meat and poultry grant applicants and grant-funded projects. Processors and applicants involved with the Meat and …

NCBA Welcomes Announcement on Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement

Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. and Japan had reached an agreement that will help keep more American beef flowing into Japan. And this is news that pleases the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). As part of the terms of the Japan–U.S. Trade Agreement, both countries entered consultations after the volume-based safeguard was triggered in …

Conservation Trends Highlight New USDA Report

A new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report shows use of no-till, crop rotations, more efficient irrigation methods and advanced technologies have climbed in recent years. The report, “Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP II Survey Data and Modeling”, is from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). It demonstrates progress made through voluntary conservation over a …

Farmer Feedback on Fertilizer Grant Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it will support additional fertilizer production for American farmers to address the rising costs. $250 million will be made available through a new grant program to support independent, innovative and sustainable American fertilizer production. As Rod Bain reports, the Agriculture Secretary noted producer input will be important before announcing application details on the grant program. …

USDA Designates 17 Florida Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of …

Thank a Farmer for Food, Fiber, Fuel, and Our Future

By Deborah Tannenbaum, State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency; Juan Hernandez, State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Davina Lee, Regional Office Director for USDA’s Risk Management Agency March 22 is National Ag Day, a time for us to thank farmers and ranchers for feeding, sheltering and powering our nation. We also want to celebrate and …

USDA in Georgia Seeks Proposals from Conservation Minded Partners

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia is requesting proposals to assist with implementing key priorities in the state. Conservation minded organizations, who wish to apply, should demonstrate how they can ensure equity in the delivery and implementation of all NRCS programs and Services. This includes increasing assistance for climate-smart agriculture and forestry to support producers in building resiliency across …