(NAFB) — Potatoes rank number one among vegetables in terms of consumption, according to Department of Agriculture data. USDA’s Economic Research Service says that in 2017, 49.2 pounds of fresh and processed potatoes per person were available for Americans to eat after adjusting for losses. The loss-adjusted food availability data series takes per capita supplies of food available for human …
USDA Begins 2019 Organic Survey
(NAFB) — The Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) will mail letters with survey codes this December to more than 22,000 organic producers. Specifically, the surveys target producers involved in certified or transitioning to certified organic farming for the 2019 Organic Survey. Each producer who self-reported organic farming in the 2017 Census of Agriculture will receive a unique …
Farmers Receive 12 Cents of the Thanksgiving Food Dollar
(NAFB) — Farmers and ranchers take home just 12.1 cents from every dollar that consumers spend on their Thanksgiving dinner meals, according to the National Farmers Union. NFU’s annual Farmer’s Share publication compares the retail food price of traditional holiday dinner items to the amount the farmer receives for each item they grow or raise. On average, farmers receive 14.6 …
Georgia Agencies Partner to Host Feral Swine Workshops
Feral swine have become increasingly detrimental in Georgia, causing significant damage to agricultural crops and natural resources around the state. The economic impact of damage caused by feral swine in Georgia last year is estimated at $150 million. So a group of agricultural and natural resource organizations, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Georgia Association of …
Thanks to Farmers for Voluntary Conservation
In this season of giving thanks, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is grateful to their most important partners in implementing conservation, our farmers. And they are promoting this through #OurFarmers. NRCS is about supporting America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest land managers, both helping them better manage their operations while conserving natural resources. Throughout the year, NRCS highlights stories of …
“Phase Two” U.S. and China Agreement not Imminent
(NAFB) — U.S. and Beijing officials, lawyers, and other trade experts all tell Reuters that a “phase two” trade deal between the U.S. and China is nowhere near imminent. The two largest economies in the world are still having trouble getting the phase one deal signed. Back in October, U.S. President Trump said he expects to quickly start on phase …
New Motor Oil Made with High Oleic Soybean Oil Now Available
(NAFB) — America’s drivers have a new choice that unites performance and sustainability at a competitive cost, according to the United Soybean Board. Biosynthetic® Technologies’ biobased synthetic motor oil, using high oleic soybean oil from U.S. soybeans, is now on commercial shelves. USB Director Mike Korth, a Nebraska Farmer, says, “Soy-based motor oil is another great opportunity to drive demand …
Feed Industry says China still has Partial U.S. Poultry Ban in Place
(NAFB) — The American Feed Industry Association says China’s lifting of its ban on U.S poultry imports is only a “partial” lifting. The association has received official confirmation from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that the announcement only includes poultry imports for human consumption. It doesn’t include other poultry products, such as those used in pet foods. At …
USDA Announces Awards to Put Conservation Innovation to Work on U.S. Farms
(USDA/NRCS) — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is awarding more than $24 million in grants designed to help partners implement and evaluate innovative approaches that have demonstrated conservation benefits on farmland. The funding is provided through On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials), a new component of the Conservation Innovation Grants first authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. “The Conservation …
Survey Reveals Crucial Data on Fusarium Head Blight
(USDA/ARS) — A national U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) survey, published recently in Plant Disease, provides the first large-scale, systematic insight into how wheat and barley growers manage Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, and where they get information on how to control this destructive disease. FHB can reduce a farmer’s yield and affect quality, lowering the price of …