The Scott+Scott law firm has filed a class action lawsuit in federal district court in Chicago on behalf of R-CALF USA and four cattle-feeding ranchers from Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming. The suit alleges the nation’s four largest beef packers violated U.S. antitrust laws, the Packers and Stockyards Act, and the Commodity Exchange Act by unlawfully depressing prices paid to …
Philip Leary to Serve as State Director for USDA Rural Development in Florida/U.S. VI
Philip Leary, AICP, was named State Director for USDA Rural Development in Florida/U.S. Virgin Islands in April 2019. Leary has thirty years of experience in the fields of agriculture, forestry, land use planning and environmental regulation working for local, state government and the private sector. Mr. Leary was formerly Principal Consultant of Leary Governmental Affairs, representing clients in the specific areas …
Farm Groups Calling for Disaster Relief
Farm groups and ag lenders are pressing Congress to put aside politics and pass urgently needed disaster relief. Politics has already sidelined $13 billion, including $5 billion for ag disaster aid, in a failed Senate procedural vote this month. Now, 135 farm groups and lenders are calling on the president and lawmakers to stop the politics and help their farmers …
Vidalia® Onions Have Arrived
Georgia’s official state vegetable is officially in season, beloved Vidalia® onions can now be found in grocery stores around the world. Grown only from Georgia soil, the Vidalia® onion is available for a limited time. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black released the following statement about the world-renowned onion: “The sweetest onions on earth are certainly living up to their reputation this year.  Thanks …
NCBA CEO Kendal Frazier Announces Plans for Retirement
After 34 years with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the past four as CEO, Kendal Frazier announced his plans for retirement this morning. Kendal’s career began as a farm broadcaster in Kansas, where he also served as director of communications for Kansas Livestock Association, before finding a reliable vehicle shipping company and moving to Denver, Colo., to join the …
Alabama EQIP Signup Deadline Is Thursday
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama reminds landowners the signup batching deadline for fiscal 2019 funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is Thursday, April 25. This signup includes programs involving wildlife, forestry, cropland erosion, cropland irrigation, grazing land and water-quality concerns. Plus, there are national and statewide initiatives also included like …
USDA Opens Application Portal for New ReConnect Rural Broadband Infrastructure Program
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting online applications for funding through the new ReConnect Rural Broadband Pilot Program. These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service. Insufficient service is defined as connection …
Florida Conservation Easement Signup Deadline Is Thursday
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida reminds landowners the deadline to apply for funding of agricultural easements in the state is Thursday, April 25. NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to conserve working lands and wetlands through two programs: Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE). Agricultural landowners and Indian tribes can …
Calling for CIG Proposals in Georgia
State Conservationist Terrance Rudolph, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia, announced up to $300,000 is available for the Georgia State Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. This year’s CIG will help fund innovative conservation projects in three focus areas: grazing lands, urban agriculture and soil health. CIG projects, authorized and funded under the Environmental …
Pork Industry Asking for More Border Inspectors
The U.S. pork industry is asking Congress to fund hundreds of more border inspectors, as the Trump Administration redeploys Customs agents from ports of entry to the open border, forcing inspection slowdowns. Long delays at the border coming north, in some cases five-to-ten hours, is raising concerns Mexico might slow commercial traffic headed south. Here is National Pork Producers’ President …