Virginia Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte will introduce a bill the week of September 25th that would replace the H-2A guest worker program. The bill is titled the Agricultural Guestworker Act and would replace the program that many in agriculture use to find labor. A Packer Dot Com article says Goodlatte, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, told the United Fresh …
Is NAFTA Renegotiation Slowing Other Trade Deals?
An Agri-Pulse report says the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations may actually be costing agriculture other opportunities. The non-yet-fully-staffed Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is fully occupied with NAFTA. However, groups like the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association want the Trump administration to push ahead with other trade agreements in order to cut …
Florida Farm Bureau Donates to Families Here and in Texas
Florida farmers well know the difficulty of restoring operations after a major storm. They are busy reconstructing and repairing their own properties in the wake of Hurricane Irma’s destruction. But they have also taken a moment to help other farm families in need. The Florida Farm Bureau State Board of Directors has established a Hurricane Irma Disaster Relief Fund to …
RCMA Hurricane Relief Fund: Help our farmworkers
South Florida’s farmworker families are suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The storm’s disruption of early-season farm work has left many jobless, homeless and running out of cash. Please join the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association in raising funds to help the Redlands Christian Migrant Association provide immediate basic living essentials and temporary housing needs for these families. Our …
AFBF Submits Regulatory Reform Priorities
AFBF used comments from Farm Bureau members to submit suggestions for regulatory reform to USDA as part of the agency’s efforts to implement the president’s regulatory reform agenda. Paul Schlegel, AFBF’s Director of Environment and Energy Policy, says overregulation by federal agencies is burdensome to all of agriculture. For example, he says regulatory creep has chipped away at the exemptions …
Perdue Urges State Foresters to Call on Congress to Fix Fire Funding Problem
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue urged State Foresters to join in calling on Congress to address the way the U.S. Forest Service is funded. Currently, the agency has to borrow money from prevention programs to combat ongoing wildfires. Secretary Perdue believes Congress should treat major fires the same as other disasters and be covered by emergency funds so prevention …
Entomologist Frank Zalom Delivers 2017 ARS B. Y. Morrison Memorial Lecture at ASHS Conference
“Significance of Integrated Pest Management to Sustainable Horticultural Production—Observations and Experiences” is the title of entomologist Frank G. Zalom’s 2017 ARS Benjamin Y. Morrison Memorial Lecture, which he delivered at the American Society for Horticultural Science annual conference in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Zalom is nationally and internationally renowned for his leadership developing research-based integrated pest management (IPM) programs. He is also …
USDA Trade Mission to Expand Export Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture in Brazil
During a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade mission to São Paulo and Recife, Brazil, Sept. 25-29, leaders from 24 U.S. agribusinesses and trade organizations will explore opportunities to expand their agricultural exports and further develop their business relationships in Brazil. “Brazil holds significant untapped market potential for U.S. exporters,” said Mark Slupek, deputy administrator of the Office of Trade …
Alabama NRCS Announces Signup Batching Deadline
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama has announced that October 20th is the signup batching date for producers for 2018 funding for various conservation programs. They include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). Signup Batching Deadline Announced for Alabama’s Natural …
Assistance Helps Florida Farmers Conserve Natural Resources
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida has announced that farmers, ranchers, and forest owners can now apply for financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The signup period is open until November 17 for the fiscal year 2018 funding. Assistance Helps Farmers, Ranchers Conserve Natural Resources Application deadline for financial assistance Nov. 17 Florida farmers, …