Funding to Recruit and Educate a More Diverse Agricultural Workforce

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $945,400 in available funding to help foster the next generation of multicultural scholars in agricultural sciences. Funding is made through NIFA’s Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP). “The Multicultural Scholars Program seeks to help young people reach their potential in the agricultural sciences,” said NIFA Director …

Cattlemen Launch Month Long Media Campaign for Comprehensive Tax Reform

NCBA Launches new website: CattlemenForTaxReform.com The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association kicked off a media and advertising campaign that will shine a spotlight on how various federal tax provisions impact America’s cattle and beef producers. The campaign, which will focus heavily on the death tax, aims to build support in Washington for comprehensive tax reform that makes our tax code fair …

Farm Income Projected to Increase Slightly

The recent projections of farm income released by USDA’s Economic Research Service in their 2017 Farm Sector Income Forecast suggest that while farm income may have hit rock bottom in 2016, there will be an uptick in both net farm and net cash income in 2017 American Farm Bureau. Federation Chief Economist Dr. Bob Young says livestock sales are driving …

Secretary Perdue Announces USDA Improvements

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the realignment of a number of offices within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in order to improve customer service and maximize efficiency.  The actions involve innovation, consolidation, and the rearrangement of certain offices into more logical organizational reporting structures.  The changes build on the reorganization Perdue announced in May.  As with the previous …

Perdue on President Trump’s Tax Reform Agenda

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue reiterated his strong support for President Trump’s tax reform agenda, as the president outlined in North Dakota.  Perdue issued the following statement: “Farming is a complicated operation, so to place more burdens on the people of agriculture through the tax code has never made any sense.  Most agricultural enterprises are small businesses, and the …

UF Extension Gives Tips on How to Protect Livestock During Hurricane

While Florida residents scramble to prepare for Hurricane Irma, agriculture operators are working to make sure their livestock survive the storm. Agents with University of Florida IFAS Extension offer advice on how to safeguard animals before, during and after the storm. “After Hurricane Matthew, we had livestock die from dehydration, electrocution and collapsed barns,” said Cindy B. Sanders, UF/IFAS Extension …

American Biofuels Producers Demand U.S. Government Respond to Brazilian Tariff

The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, and the U.S. Grains Council are calling upon the U.S. government to develop an immediate response to Brazil’s newly implemented tariffs on U.S. ethanol imports, a trade barrier that threatens over $750 million in U.S. exports and American jobs. On August 23, 2017, Brazil’s Chamber of Foreign Trade imposed an immediate two-year tariff-rate quota …

Agriculture Continues to Prepare for Hurricane Irma

As Hurricane Irma moves towards South Florida, preparations for its arrival continue for many in the agriculture industry in the state. Livestock evacuations have been taking place throughout the week, as temporary shelters in both Alabama and Georgia have opened. Both states have also temporarily suspended Animal Interstate Movement Health Requirements for animals being evacuated from the areas expected to …