China-owned Smithfield Foods is eligible for payments under the $12 billion aid package for farmers. The Washington Post reports word of the eligibility has made smaller pork producers unhappy. The Virginia-based, but China-owned, pork company can apply for federal money under a program created this summer. JBS of Brazil is also eligible to apply. The Department of Agriculture announced the …
China Wants to Stop Buying U.S. Soybeans
The biggest move by China against the U.S. in the tit-for-tat trade war could be a movement towards abandoning U.S. soybeans. China, facing a potential shortage following its 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans, is already purchasing from other suppliers and proposing to cut the amount of protein used in livestock feeds. CNN reports that one of China’s top feed …
President Trump to Speak at the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo
The president will be attending the National FFA Convention & Expo on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, during the ninth general session at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and will address the FFA members. Over time, it is has become a tradition of the National FFA Organization to invite the sitting president to make remarks during its annual national convention and expo. Former …
UF/IFAS Employees Help Hard-Hit North Florida REC
Scientists at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center — particularly its Marianna facility — may take a while to fully recover their research after it was damaged by Hurricane Michael, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences administrators say. In Marianna, five center pivots – irrigation systems — were turned over and damaged, said Glen Aiken, …
USDA Announces Update to National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the first update since 2013 of the National Road Map for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (PDF, 340 KB). The update culminates a yearlong review by the Federal Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinating Committee (FIPMCC), a joint effort that is coordinated by the Office of Pest Management Policy in the Office of USDA’s Chief Economist with representatives of …
Dairy Industry Applauds Work to Deepen Philippine Trade Relations
The U.S. Trade Representative announced progress in talks with the Philippines under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). U.S. dairy producers and processors appreciate the Administration’s work to preserve and deepen market access ties with a country that purchased $243 million in U.S. dairy products last year. In a joint statement released about the recent achievements in resolving …
Georgia NRCS Providing Assistance from Hurricane Michael
Here is a reminder for Georgia farmers and ranchers who suffered damage to working lands and livestock mortality because of Hurricane Michael, the first sign-up period for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia ends Friday, October 26. Georgia NRCS Providing Assistance from Hurricane Michael Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New …
EQIP Signup in Florida Ends November 2
There is just a little over a week left for Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners to apply for financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Conservation Programs Specialist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida, Nathan Fikkert, says one aspect of this signup is the energy initiative. EQIP Signup in Florida Ends November 2 Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle …
Roby: Hurricane Michael Recovery Continues
An open letter from Martha Roby, U.S. Representative, Alabama’s 2nd District Friends, As Hurricane Michael recovery efforts continue, we are gradually learning the full scale of damages portions of our district are facing. The setback for the agriculture industry is severe, to say the least. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, I traveled to the Wiregrass to see firsthand …
Children to Benefit from UF/IFAS Master Gardener Legacy Fund
The Florida Master Gardener program, part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), recently created a Legacy Fund to help support educational projects directly in counties. The Legacy Fund was created by an anonymous donor in 2017, and the first applications were received in the summer of 2018. “The Master Gardener Legacy Fund will support …