Anne Hazlett, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, says the USDA is accepting applications for grants to fund broadband infrastructure projects in unserved rural communities. She says e-connectivity is essential to the economic vitality and quality of life in rural communities. “Investing in broadband can strengthen rural economic growth and improve critical access to jobs, education, healthcare, and social …
Partisan Farm Bill a No-Go in the Senate
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the Senate Ag Committee is on track to release a bipartisan farm bill after the Easter recess. Politico says Grassley is warning lawmakers that a Republican-only bill coming out of the House would have no chance of getting through the upper chamber. Bipartisan farm bill talks are stalled in the House amid complaints from Democrats …
New 100 Percent Georgia Grown Cotton T-Shirts Introduced
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black presented Georgia State Governor Nathan Deal with a 100 percent Georgia Grown cotton t-shirt during a press conference on March 20 at the Georgia State Capitol. Black told Southeast AgNet that the conference was held to announce a new line of Georgia Grown t-shirts grown and sewn locally in Georgia in partnership with the …
Secretary Perdue Celebrates National Ag Day
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding National Agriculture Day and President Donald J. Trump’s Proclamation recognizing the importance of America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers: “For the past 45 years, National Ag Day has played a key role in helping people understand where their food and fiber comes from and how important agriculture is to our …
Colombia Increases Ethanol Mandate to 10 Percent
The Colombian government increased its national blend mandate for ethanol to E10 as of the beginning of this month. Government officials in Colombia say sugar prices dropped considerably in early 2018, encouraging the production of ethanol, which led to the mandated increase. Colombia has a growing domestic ethanol industry, producing sugar-based ethanol. Additionally, U.S. ethanol enters Colombia duty-free per the …
House Committee Seeking Reauthorization of Animal Drug Legislation
Lawmakers are seeking to renew the Animal Drug User Fee Act and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments, set to expire later this year. Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health discussed reauthorization of the regulations that expires September 30th. Both grant the Food and Drug Administration permission to collect fees from the makers of new …
EU, U.S., to Talk Tariff Exemption
The European Union and U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross are meeting in Washington, D.C. this week to consider a potential tariff exemption. The EU is exploring an exemption from President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, according to Politico. The EU is seeking “more clarity” on the criteria on which such an exemption could be granted. U.S. Trade Representative Robert …
House Democrats Want to Review Farm Bill Draft
Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee have asked ranking member Collin Peterson to stop negotiating on the farm bill until Chairman Mike Conaway releases the bill to the full committee. Roll Call reports Peterson is heeding the request, and says the move “will give the members information about what is actually being proposed.” The proposed farm bill reportedly included many …
Renewal Options Offered for Expiring CSP Contracts
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) encourages agricultural producers with existing Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts expiring on Dec. 31, 2018 to renew their contract. Participants with contracts expiring later this year can access the benefits of the recent program changes through an option to renew their CSP contracts for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional …
National Ag Day Reminds Us of the Enormous Impact of Agriculture on Our Daily Lives
When most people walk into a grocery store, the shelves are stocked year-round with all the food they want, so they might not consider the origins of their food. Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, said it’s critical to know the origins of our food supply, and not just the sake of being aware. “As …