The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers and ranchers with base acres in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) safety net program may enroll for the 2018 crop year. The enrollment period will end on Aug. 1, 2018. Producers on a farm that are not enrolled for the 2018 enrollment period will not be eligible …
China Trade Discussion Continues Next Week
Trade talks with China will continue next week, according to President Donald Trump. President Trump says he and China’s President Xi Jinping will talk over the phone next week as both sides are willing to work towards a consensus, according to Reuters. A U.S. delegation traveled to China last week with no agreement on a long list of demands. Meanwhile, …
Report Shows Improvements in Animal Welfare, Quality and Sustainability
A new report released this week highlights producers’ commitment to animal welfare, beef quality, sustainability and community involvement by America’s cattlemen and women resulting in responsibly raised beef. The Cattlemen’s Stewardship Review, funded by the Beef Checkoff and completed in late 2017, compiles data collected from cattlemen and women across the country. The first survey, completed in 2010, set a …
Assistant to the Secretary Anne Hazlett Applauds FLOTUS Be Best Initiative
Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett applauded First Lady Melania Trump’s policy initiative, Be Best, a campaign focused on the holistic wellness of American children. Hazlett issued the following statement: “The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on small towns and rural places throughout our country. Yesterday, the First Lady reminded us through her Be Best …
Secretary Perdue Commits to Prioritizing Food Waste Solutions
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue hosted a food waste roundtable with Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-1) and David Young (IA-3), food industry leaders, and non-profit groups at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This roundtable, the first of many USDA public events on food waste, serves as an opportunity to raise awareness while discussing solutions with leaders throughout the entire …
NRCS Celebrating Public Service Recognition Week
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is proud to take part in the annual Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW). Celebrated the first week of May since 1985, PSRW is organized annually by the Public Employees Roundtable (PER) and its member organizations to honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. Government …
‘Infectious Interest in Horticulture’ Helps Earn UF/IFAS Professor Top Honor
University of Florida environmental horticulture professor Sandra Wilson loves to teach, but just as importantly, she loves to hear about the successes of her former students. They find employment in their field. They get married. Those moments bring a gleam to her eyes. Former students are now adjunct professors, scientists, an entrepreneur, a horticultural and landscape foreman and more, she …
NAFTA Talks Continue This Week
The Renegotiation effort of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) continues this week with all sides eager to finish the talks. Representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico are pushing to finalize an updated agreement this week. However, as Bloomberg reports, several contentious issues remain unresolved as the talks have stretched over more than eight months, including dairy. …
Food Price Index up 2.7 Percent
The Global Food Price Index has increased two percent since this time last year. Released last week, the monthly record of global food prices by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations averaged 173.5 points, up 2.7 percent from April 2017. While the prices of most cereal grains and dairy products continued to increase in April, sugar prices …
Farm Credit Loan Volume up One Percent
Combined net income for the Farm Credit System increased 1.8 percent to $1.27 billion for the first quarter of 2018, as compared with $1.24 billion for the same period last year. President and CEO of the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation Tracey McCabe says the system remains “well-positioned” to support farmers as they face challenges this year. Net interest …