Over the last several years, California farmers have been plagued by drought. However, the problem in 2017 is too much rain, which may be putting a squeeze on the nation’s salad supplies. A Bloomberg report says it may take until sometime in May before the nation’s grocery store shelves are fully stocked with salads again. Unusually warm weather meant an …
Another Farm Credit System Merger Takes Place
Two Farm Credit organizations serving the upper midwest will join together after both received stockholder approval. AgCountry Farm Credit Services and United FCS serve farmers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, but now become AgCountry Farm Credit Services beginning on July first. The headquarters will be in Fargo, North Dakota, with the Association serving 18,000 customer-members and have nearly $7.2 …
Buffet Foundation/Drovers to Raise $2 Million for Wildfire Relief
Drovers, a Farm Journal Media franchise, and the Drovers Foundation have accepted a challenge from philanthropist and American farmer-rancher Howard G. Buffet to raise $2 million for wildfire relief. Last month saw devastating wildfires burn 1.6 million acres in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Starting now, all monetary donations to the Drovers/Farm Journal Million Dollar Wildfire Relief Challenge will be …
Farm Lending Continues to Moderate
Lending activity at agricultural banks across the country continued to decline in the first quarter of 2017. A report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City says economic conditions in the farm sector are still weak, so borrowers and lenders have worked together to make adjustments in financing agricultural production across America. Ag lenders are making more adjustments to …
Renewable Fuels Standard Heads to Court
The Environmental Protection Agency will be in Washington D.C. Circuit court starting Monday (April 24) as the court hears oral challenges to the 2014-2016 Renewable Fuels Standard Volumes. Politico’s Morning Energy Report says the RFS has supporters and detractors in both major political parties, so this case represents a rare nonpartisan issue for the EPA. The agency will have to …
NAFTA Talks Not Happening Soon
President Donald Trump says the White House will offer some preliminary plans on the possible renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) sometime within the next two weeks. While he didn’t get more specific than that, Politico’s Morning Agriculture report adds that a White House spokesman says the Administration is currently working on negotiating text with Congress. The …
National Dairy FARM Program Releases Environmental Stewardship Reference Manual to Celebrate Earth Day
The National Dairy FARM Program has released its Environmental Stewardship Continuous Improvement Reference Manual in cooperation with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Released in celebration of Earth Day, the guide provides a comprehensive suite of on-farm management practices to reduce a farm’s environmental footprint and improve its profitability. Specifically, the manual features a detailed explanation of the FARM Environmental …
RFA Celebrates Earth Day 2017
by Emily Druckman, RFA Communications Manager This Saturday marks the 48th celebration of Earth Day. Inspired by the vision of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, Earth Day continues to demonstrate our support for environmental protection and now is celebrated in over 193 countries. Representing producers of the cleanest source of fuel on the planet, every day is Earth Day …
Funding to Educate the Future Agricultural Science Workforce
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $18 million in available funding to foster the next generation of agricultural science professionals. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “There is a significant shortfall in the number of qualified applicants for jobs in agriculture-related …
FSA and NRCS Officials Ask for Your Help in Controlling Palmer amaranth
By Chris Beyerhelm, Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency and Leonard Jordan, Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service USDA has learned that Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), an invasive weed, may have infested some newly-seeded (2016) conservation plantings across the upper Midwest. Palmer amaranth is highly competitive, and in fact, is the most competitive of the pigweed species. It grows rapidly and …