USDA Strengthens Crop Insurance Program to keep Rural Economy Viable Changes to the Federal crop insurance program initiated in 2017 will continue into 2018. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) continues to improve the program, increasing its availability and effectiveness as a risk management tool while safeguarding the integrity of the program. In 2017, RMA had …
21 Counties in Florida as Primary Natural Disaster Areas with Assistance to Producers in Georgia
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 21 counties in Florida as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by Hurricane Irma that occurred from Sept. 9, 2017, through Sept. 12, 2017. Those counties are: Baker Hamilton Polk Citrus Hernando Putnam Clay Lafayette St. Johns Columbia Levy Seminole Dixie Manatee Suwannee Duval Nassau Union Flagler Pasco …
UF Studies Shows What Some Bugs Do for Love, Like Sacrificing a Leg
Males of many species must compete for mates, often using body parts scientists call “weapons” to defeat their opponent, survive and in some cases, produce more offspring, University of Florida researchers say. As an example, deer develop antlers, which help them compete with other male deer for female attention and to survive battles with predators in the wild kingdom. Now, …
Egg Supply Dropping Prices, Pressuring Cage-Free Market
An abundance of inexpensive, conventionally produced eggs is depressing demand for higher priced cage-free eggs. A new report by CoBank says egg production, conventual and cage-free, has surged since the 2015 avian flu outbreak. More than 229 major food companies following the outbreak pledged to use cage-free eggs by 2025. Meanwhile, total table egg production is expected to return to …
Global Drought Severity Index Launched
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, and others, are rolling out a new worldwide satellite-based drought severity index. Relying on data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment mission, called GRACE, the index adds groundwater storage to drought assessments, augmenting commonly used tools most often based on the amount of precipitation. Researchers announcing the index say it will “provide …
U.S. Soybean Exports Top Another Record
Government data shows that U.S. farmers again exported a record amount of soybeans, shipping 2.6 billion bushels to international buyers in the 2016-17 marketing year. Valued at more than $28 billion, the milestone represented the second year in a row that exports exceeded 60 percent of U.S. soybean production. However, the United Soybean Board warns that record U.S. production is …
Disaster Bill Includes Cotton, Dairy Provisions
The $81 billion House disaster aid package includes provisions for cotton growers and limited support for dairy producers. The National Farmers Union says both cotton and dairy farmers need appropriations fixes before the start of the next farm bill. The bill, however, offsets part of the cost by making changes to nutrition infrastructure. NFU President Roger Johnson says the organization …
Wood from Corn Stover
Corn Board Manufacturing Inc. is taking waste from the field and making wood for thousands of products. Lane Segerstrom, founder of the company, explains how the company turns corn stover to an added value product for farmers. Stover Based in Frisco, Texas, Corn Board Manufacturing is marketed as a sustainable company. The company is looking to expand to other areas, …
U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council Chair Talks Farm Bill
The importance of agricultural trade and its benefit to the overall American economy, that’s the message Greg Hanes will promote in 2018. Hanes was recently named chair of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council, a DC-based organization made up of commodity trade associations, farmer coops and more. He says he plans to develop a united message to deliver to the …
Complete the 2017 Census of Agriculture Online
The 2017 Census of Agriculture has started to reach producers across the nation. The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Taken only once every five years, the census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. Dave Knopf, NASS director for the Eastern …