The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today that the dairy industry supports a two-step process to roll back the existing Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) regulation and generate a new policy that provides farmers greater certainty in the future. NMPF has supported efforts by the Trump Administration since January to restart the regulatory …
Signup for NRCS Programs in Alabama Is Underway
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama has announced that a batching signup is underway for four of its main programs. State conservationist for Alabama, Ben Malone, says that while all of the service’s programs do have continuous signups, October 20 is the signup batching date for 2018 funding. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester …
Florida NRCS Reminds Producers about Organic Initiative
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to remind producers that the current Farm Bill provides financial and technical assistance to help producers transitioning to organic farming and certified organic producers meet their conservation goals. Monica Jones, a district conservationist in Alachua, Bradford, and Union counties, says the Organic Initiative is through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). …
UF Professors to Lead Grant Project to Turn Seed Into Jet Fuel
With help from University of Florida researchers, pilots will, in the future, fly jets with fuel made from a tiny seed grown in the Southeast. Besides helping the environment and boosting the economy as a source of renewable fuel, the seed can also be used to produce valuable bioproducts and feed for livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute …
Bacon and Chicken Up, OJ Too
Higher retail prices for several foods, including bacon, chicken breast, orange juice, sliced deli ham and flour resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $51.13, up $1.43, or about 3 …
GOP’s Evolving Tax Plan May See Changes
New details are filtering out on the GOP’s evolving tax plan. Some reports say equipment expensing and how producers file their taxes could see changes. Washington Post sources say the White House and GOP leaders want to cut the rate paid by thousands of businesses that pay taxes through the individual income tax code to 25-percent from nearly 40-percent. American …
Census of Agriculture to Start Soon
Farmers will soon receive forms for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture’s National Ag Statistics Service says farmers and ranchers across the nation will begin receiving the forms in eight weeks. Producers can mail in their completed census form, or respond online. Conducted once every five years, the census of agriculture is a complete count of all …
FMD Language Included in Defense Authorization Act
The National Defense Authorization Act approved last week includes language to require an analysis on Foot and Mouth Disease or FMD. Language included in the bill by Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst includes a provision “recognizing the risk of FMD, or other foreign animal diseases, to U.S. food production, the economy, and national security,” according to the Senator. The provision …
WTO Will Investigate U.S. Complaint over China
The World Trade Organization has created a dispute panel to investigate U.S. complaints regarding import quotas by China. The panel came at the request of the U.S. regarding quotas on wheat, rice, and corn. The panel on tariff rate quotas for agricultural products was automatically established as it was the second request by the United States at the WTO Dispute …
South Korea to Host KORUS Trade Meeting
South Korea will hold a second round of trade talks with the United States next month. The meeting comes as the Trump administration wants to either renegotiate a free trade agreement between the two or withdraw from the agreement. A South Korea news agency reports the meeting will take place on October 4th, but the two sides have yet to …