Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam is now accepting nominations for the 2017 “Woman of the Year in Agriculture” award. Since 1985, the “Woman of the Year in Agriculture” award has recognized women in all areas of the industry who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture. The deadline for submitting nominations is June 1, 2017. Nominations may be …
USDA Offers Help to Fire-Affected Farmers and Ranchers in Florida
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Acting State Executive Director, Debby Folsom, reminds farmers and ranchers affected by the recent wildfires that disaster assistance programs are available to support their recovery efforts. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) can assist farmers and ranchers who lost eligible crops and honeybees as a result of a natural disaster. FSA …
More Farmers Considering Drone Use
A new poll finds 21 percent of farmers plan to operate a drone this year. The poll by Farm Journal Media found 21 percent of farmers will operate the drone themselves, while another 12 percent of farmers indicated they would opt for a third-party entity to fly drones. More than 1,000 farmers responded to the poll. 31 percent of respondents …
2017 Corn Plantings Falling Behind
Wet conditions across the Corn Belt are delaying corn plantings. The Department of Agriculture indicated earlier this week corn plantings have fallen slightly behind the five-year average, and wet weather this week in the Midwest will likely bring further delays. With six percent of total corn acres planted by April 16th, progress fell three percentage points short of the five-year …
Commerce Department Investigating Argentina and Indonesia Biodiesel Imports
The U.S. Commerce Department has launched an antidumping and countervailing duty investigation aimed at biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia. DTN-The Progressive Farmer reports the investigation is in response to a complaint filed by the biodiesel industry in the United States. U.S. biodiesel industry representatives testified to the International Trade Commission last week, saying biodiesel produced in Argentina and Indonesia …
63 Indictments in Brazil Tainted Meat Scandal
Brazil has indicted 63 people for their role in a corruption scheme within the nation’s Ministry of Agriculture. Drovers Cattle Network reports the charges allege federal auditors at meat processing facilities took bribes for years in exchange for fraudulent sanitary permits. Suspects in the case are charged with falsifying medical records and certificates, tampering with food products, conspiracy and corruption. …
U.S. Petition Seeks Brazilian Beef Ban
An online petition is seeking a ban on beef imports to the U.S. from Brazil. Posted on the White House’s We the People Website, the petition cites Brazil’s tainted meat scandal in asking the administration to ban “unsafe imports” from Brazil until all beef in the U.S. is sold with a country-of-origin label. Food Safety News reports the petition was …
Tax Reform by August Unlikely
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (mi-new-chin) says getting tax reform legislation on the President’s desk by August appears unlikely. Mnuchin told the Financial Times this week the tax reform timeline is “highly aggressive to not realistic at this point,” in referring to his prior comments on finishing tax reform by August. He cites health care reforms as the delaying factor, but …
NMPF Statement on President Trump’s Comments on Dairy Trade Dispute with Canada
Statement of Jim Mulhern, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation “We thank President Donald Trump for speaking out today in Wisconsin against the harmful pricing policy Canada implemented in an effort to stifle competition with the United States. We have repeatedly stressed that trade must be fair and that all countries should be held accountable when they break the …
Deadline to Apply for Funding to Grow the Bioeconomy June 28th
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $9.6 million in available funding for projects to support the development of new biobased products and biomaterials from renewable sources such as crops, trees, and waste materials from farmland and forests. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm …