Infusing Rural Communities with Stronger Businesses and Sounder Agricultural Economies The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced another year of high activity in its farm loan programs. Hard-working farm families across the country accessed nearly $6 billion in new credit, either directly or guaranteed through commercial lenders in 2017. At year end, FSA was assisting more …
Dairy States Need Strong NAFTA
Trade, and improving trade, is critically important for the U.S. dairy industry, especially in Wisconsin. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a democrat from Wisconsin, says trade is vitally important to all sectors of the U.S. economy, including dairy, but the U.S. needs fair trade agreements. Baldwin says the Trump administration needs to double down its efforts to renegotiate the North American …
Cotton Farm Bill Program in the Works, Long Road Ahead
Support for cotton growers is in the works, albeit a slow process. The National Cotton Council’s Jody Campiche, director of economics and policy, says getting a farm bill program established is a top priority for the sector. Program Long-term, Campiche says a seed cotton program is the council’s preference. Preference She says cotton growers need more support. While prices for …
Growing Corn like a Champ
Setting a new world National Corn Growers Association record in 2017 with a yield of more than 542 bushels per acre, Charles City, Virginia corn grower David Hula says there is no one “silver bullet” to big crops, but there are a few things producers should pay attention to. Watch After selecting your hybrid, Hula says the next most important …
NRCS Alabama Announces Funding to Continue Addressing Feral Swine Management
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Ben Malone announced that producers interested in Alabama’s Wild Pig Damage Management Program should apply by February 20, 2018. NRCS Alabama will be offering financial assistance to eligible landowners through 2018’s funding under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Feral swine have been sighted in most of the 67 counties in Alabama …
Congressman Yoho Requests Flexibility on ELD Implementation
According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), as the Department of Transportation presses ahead with implementation of electronic logging devices (ELD), Florida Congressman Ted Yoho is asking Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to provide livestock haulers with a longer-term waiver from the ELDs. In his official letter, Yoho wrote “I would ask that the [Department of Transportation] issue an exemption for livestock haulers for a period of …
NPPC Supports New Pork Inspection Model
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a new pork processing inspection rule, a decision strongly supported by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). As a result, the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) HACCP Inspection Model (HIMP) will be expanded from five current pilot locations to full-scale implementation. “We support the USDA’s decision to advance HIMP as it introduces …
Perdue Names Appointees to the Alabama USDA Farm Service Agency State Committee
U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced the individuals who will serve on the Alabama USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee. The state committee is responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving appeals from the agriculture community, and helping to keep producers informed about FSA programs. Each state committee has five members, …
Georgia Cold Weather Update from Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black
“The cold weather this week, in addition to cooler temperatures throughout this winter season, have proven beneficial to many of our crops by providing much needed chill hours. In fact, peach and blueberry crops have received more chill hours this year than the last two years combined. We must of course always be realistic in the fact that there is …
USDA Announces Proposed Rule to Modernize Swine Inspection
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced its continued effort to modernize inspection systems through science-based approaches to food safety. USDA is proposing to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to establish a new voluntary inspection system for market hog slaughter establishments called the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS), while also requiring additional …