Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told lawmakers this week he may be the lone political appointment at the Department of Agriculture until September, or later. Currently, 15 executive posts at USDA are vacant and await White House nomination. Perdue told the Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee the names of nominees for six positions, including that of deputy secretary, have been sent to …
USDA to Speed Through GMO Labeling Rule
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to finalize GMO disclosure standards within a nine-month time frame, what Politico calls a breakneck pace for any rulemaking. USDA in that timeframe will go from proposing the regulation to finalizing the rules. That includes a likely three-month comment period, revisions, and White House approval, a process that also takes about three months. A …
Cabinet Taps Florida Forever for Conservation Deals
by Jim Turner News Service of Florida Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet agreed Wednesday to use $15 million from the Florida Forever program to buy 407 acres in Gilchrist County — preserving a cluster of natural springs — and to protect 6,071 acres of agricultural land in Polk and Hardee counties. Scott and Cabinet approved dipping into $75 …
NMPF Board of Directors Supports NAFTA Modernization
Process Should Preserve Trade Successes in Mexico, Address Canada Dispute The National Milk Producers Federation Board of Directors voted unanimously to support modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in a way that enhances and protects the United States’ current dairy market access opportunities and addresses Canada’s constant use of trade-distorting measures. At its June meeting here, NMPF’s board …
Critical Agricultural Water Resources Issues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced 14 grants totaling more than $9 million to help solve critical water problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States. The grants are funded through the Water for Agriculture Challenge Area of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, authorized by the 2014 Farm …
Five Counties in Georgia Designated as Primary Natural Disaster Areas with Assistance to Producers in Florida
In response to a request from Dianne Westmoreland, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Acting State Executive Director in Georgia, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Baker, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell and Thomas counties in Georgia as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in Brooks, Calhoun, Colquitt, Dougherty, Early, Miller, …
AFBF Details NAFTA Renegotiation Priorities
The North American Free Trade Agreement has been overwhelmingly beneficial for U.S. farmers and ranchers—and their counterparts in Canada and Mexico—but there are several good reasons to update and reform NAFTA from agriculture’s perspective, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Under NAFTA, U.S. farmers and ranchers have seen their exports to Mexico and Canada grow significantly, from $8.9 billion …
Farm Bill Listening Session in Florida
Ahead of the next farm bill, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (MN-7) announced the first of several committee activities across the country intended to stimulate conversation and gather input from farmers, ranchers, and stakeholders. “The Next Farm Bill, Conversations in the Field,” a committee listening session, will take place in Gainesville, Florida on …
Beef for Father’s Day Campaign
Gov. Kay Ivey signed a resolution Wednesday, May 31 encouraging Alabamians to eat beef for Father’s Day. The Beef for Father’s Day campaign began in 1955 as the first beef promotion effort of the newly-formed Alabama CowBells Association. A gubernatorial resolution has been signed each year since along with a presentation of steaks to the governor in office. Pictured L-R …
Do Business with Alabama NRCS Online
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama wants to remind farmers, ranchers and private landowners in the state that they can conduct business with NRCS direct from their home or farm office. This can all be done through their secure online portal called Conservation Client Gateway. Alabama State Conservationist, Ben Malone, says this is another way to conduct business …