For the first time, eligible peanut producers can opt to vote electronically or by paper ballot. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a referendum among eligible producers of peanuts to determine whether they favor continuance of the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order), which authorizes the National Peanut Board. The …
Florida’s Beef, Dairy and Allied Industries Generated Billions in Revenues in 2017
As Florida approaches the 500-year anniversary of the introduction of cattle to her shores in 1521, a new report from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) demonstrates just how important beef and dairy production have become to the state’s economy – and shows a recent upswing in Florida cattle industry exports. In 2017, Florida’s combined …
Study Clarifies U.S. Beef’s Resource Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A fuller picture is emerging of the environmental footprint of beef in the United States. An Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-led team has completed a comprehensive life-cycle analysis quantifying the resource use and various environmental emissions of beef cattle production in the United States. The aim is to establish baseline measures that the U.S. beef industry can use to explore ways …
Water Management Workshops in Georgia
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia invites producers across the state to take part in the upcoming statewide Water Management Workshop Series. University of Georgia (UGA) and Fort Valley State University (FVSU) extension programs have partnered with NRCS to host these workshops. While they are geared towards smaller acreage and new/beginning farmers, they are open to all who …
Signup Now for EQIP in Alabama
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama reminds landowners in the state the signup batching deadline for Fiscal Year 2019 for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and initiatives offered through the program is April 25, 2019. This EQIP signup includes wildlife, forestry, cropland erosion, cropland irrigation, grazing land, and water quality concerns. There are also various National and …
Secretary Perdue Comments on President Trump’s Budget Proposal
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after President Trump submitted his FY 2020 budget proposal to Congress: “Our economy is booming, and unemployment is the lowest it’s been in decades. While the agriculture community still faces challenges, the Trump economy is creating new opportunities for all Americans to thrive,” said Secretary Perdue. “President Trump’s budget is fiscally …
FFA Chapters Use Innovative Microsoft Solution to Delve Deeper Into Agriculture
Fifty FFA chapters have received Microsoft FarmBeats Student Kits as part of a collaboration between the National FFA Organization and Microsoft Corp. For the FFA Blue 365 Challenge, chapters were asked to apply for the FarmBeats Kits by sharing how they would utilize the kits. “The FFA Blue 365 Challenge and the use of the Microsoft FarmBeats Student Kits are …
U.S. Beef Exports Reach New Heights in 2018; Pork Hurt by Tariffs
USDA export numbers compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation show U.S. beef exports in 2018 topped both volume and value records that were set in 2017. Pork export volume came up just shy of the 2017 record and the value also fell one percent. Strong demand in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Asian region helped drive beef exports …
NPPC Approves Resolutions On Important Issues
At the annual business meeting of the National Pork Producers Council – the National Pork Industry Forum held March 7-8 in Orlando, Fla. – NPPC delegates adopted several important resolutions, including those that call on NPPC to: Strengthen pork industry efforts to prevent foreign animal diseases (FADs) from entering the United States. Separate resolutions were adopted, directing NPPC to: work …
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby Receives AFBF’s Golden Plow Award
U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., received the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Golden Plow Award in Washington, D.C. It is the highest honor the organization gives to sitting members of Congress. The presentation was made before 150 farmers attending the Alabama Farmers Federation’s (AFF) biennial Washington Legislative Conference. AFF is the state’s largest farm organization and an AFBF member. “Sen. …