(USDA-ARS/TIFTON, Georgia, Feb. 21, 2024) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS) and the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony today for the new state-of-the-art research facility housing the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory and the Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit. This new research facility will include a new 31,000 square foot building …
Nematode-Resistant Varieties Have Benefits for Cotton Producers
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission and University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Cotton Team remind growers about the benefits of implementing nematode-resistant varieties for the 2024 season. Bob Kemerait, UGA Extension plant pathologist, talked with AgNet Media’s Randall Weiseman and discussed those benefits at the commission’s annual meeting in January. Nematodes are microscopic worms that can devastate cotton and …
NRCS Seeking Public Comment on Conservation Practices
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to eight national conservation practice standards. Proposed revisions to the national conservation practice standards include: Comments should be submitted via regulations.gov or via mail by March 4, 2024. NRCS regularly reviews all national conservation practices to seek opportunities to increase flexibility and incorporate new technologies to help the nation’s farmers, ranchers, and private …
NFU Leads Letter to Congress: Uphold Packers and Stockyards Act Progress
Last week, the National Farmers Union (NFU) sent a letter to Appropriations Committee leadership (.pdf) opposing restrictions that would undo work to revitalize the Packers and Stockyards Act. The letter, signed by national, regional, and state organizations, points out that “opponents of competitive agricultural markets are seeking to roll back the work USDA has already completed, prevent USDA from making …
Florida Producers Invited to Attend Peanut, Cotton Meetings
There are a variety of meetings coming up that Florida peanut and cotton producers are invited to take part in. The first is coming up Thursday, February 22nd, as the Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) will hold a preseason meeting at the Hamilton County Extension Office in Jasper. It starts at 5:00pm EST, as various speakers will discuss varieties, diseases, economics, trials, and …
Slight Increase in January Sales of 4-Wheel Drive Tractors
According to new numbers from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), unit sales of 4-wheel-drive agriculture tractors grew slightly in the U.S. during the first month of 2024. January data shows 4-wheel-drive tractors increased 1.4 percent year-over-year, the only segment to show growth last month. Overall unit sales of U.S. tractors were down 21.2 percent compared to January 2023 sales. “This slight …
GCC Guides Cotton Growers About Dicamba Use Following EPA Response
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) issued a response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent guidance on the use of dicamba products, which was recently vacated by the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona for over-the-top use on dicamba resistant cotton and soybeans. GCC Executive Director Taylor Sills talked about the EPA’s guidance which will help …
Georgia Department of Agriculture Launches $7.1 Million Grant Program to Fortify Georgia’s Food Supply Chain
(GDA/Atlanta, GA/Feb 15, 2024) — Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper announced the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Grant Program. This initiative aims to strengthen Georgia’s food supply chain by providing funding for projects that enhance infrastructure and resilience. The …
USDA to Train Future Conservation and Climate Leaders
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new effort to train the next generation of conservation and climate leaders. As part of the American Climate Corps (ACC) initiative, the Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC) will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the …
Record Investment in Private Lands Conservation
It was announced Tuesday that the Biden Administration made record investments in private lands conservation in fiscal year 2023. This was all through resources made available by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with the largest investment in climate action. In fiscal year 2023, USDA supported more than 45,000 conservation contracts, more than any year in the 89-year history of USDA’s Natural Resources …