NCBA Honored to Be Part of Process From Day One to White House Signing Ceremony (NCBA) — National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Jennifer Houston issued the following statement in response to Japan’s final approval of a trade deal that will lower tariffs for U.S. beef exports to that nation: “There’s just no other way to say it: this is …
World Soil Day is December 5
World Soil Day is December 5, a day that was established to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to promote healthy soil for life. Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital …
USDA to Conduct the 2019 Census of Horticultural Specialties
(NAFB) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the 2019 Census of Horticultural Specialties this winter. USDA says the report will provide a comprehensive picture of the U.S. horticulture industry. Survey codes will be mailed this month to more than 40,000 horticulture producers to respond online. Collected just once every five years, the …
Trump: No Deadline for Final China Trade Deal
(NAFB) — In a flurry of meeting with reporters Tuesday in London, President Donald Trump says he has no deadline for finalizing a complete trade deal with China. China and the U.S. are still working to reach a phase one agreement, with an unofficial deadline of December 15, but an overall agreement may extend beyond the 2020 elections. Trump told …
November Ag Economy Barometer Released
(NAFB) — The Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose in November for the second month in a row, climbing to 153, 17 points higher than in October when the index stood at 136. This month’s rise in the ag economy sentiment index left the barometer tied with July for the highest reading of 2019. Once again, the rise was driven …
Cabinet Signs Off on DeSoto, Dixie Land Deals
(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet agreed Tuesday to spend $8.5 million to help conserve nearly 10,000 acres in DeSoto and Dixie counties. DeSantis and Cabinet members approved spending $6.5 million for a conservation easement on 3,891 acres of ranch land in DeSoto County, with the state hoping to recoup about 42 percent of the money through …
NCBA Seeks Clarity and Consistency in Beef Origin Labeling Practices
NCBA Staff Directed to Work With USDA to Verify Beef Origin Labeling Claims (NCBA) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the nation’s oldest and largest national organization representing American cattle producers, reaffirmed its policy supporting voluntary country-of-origin labeling (COOL). Because the association takes the concerns of its members and stakeholders seriously, its Executive Committee has unanimously approved efforts to …
Home Gardeners Continue to Seek Advice on EDIS
(UF/IFAS) — Only one new title joined this year’s top-10 UF/IFAS Extension EDIS publications, and like five others making the list, it appeals to horticulture interests. In all, the Electronic Data Information Source saw 4.6 million visits and more than 18 million pageviews this year. Here are 2019’s 10 most-visited EDIS publications: The “Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide” is a perennial …
Application Period for RCPP Ends Tuesday
Potential partners interested in submitting proposals to help improve water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability and being reminded the application period for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) ends Tuesday, December 3. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) notes that RCPP eligible partners include private industry, non-government organizations, Indian tribes, state and local …
USMCA, U.S.-China Deal Pushing Forward
(NAFB) — Both the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and a phase one agreement of a deal between the U.S. and China appear to be slowly edging forward. The Hagstrom Report quotes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as saying, “We are within range of a substantially improved agreement for America’s workers. Now, we need to see our progress in writing from the trade …