As discussions over immigration policy continue on Capitol Hill, the National Milk Producers Federation thanked members of both the House and Senate for working to address the unique labor challenges faced by dairy producers. NMPF has called on legislators to address this dilemma for more than a decade. “We welcome these bipartisan efforts to shine a light on an issue …
Alabama Extension to Host QuickBooks Pro Class
Alabama Extension will host a series of instructional classes on the QuickBooks Pro software. The classes will help farmers and small business owners learn how to get the most out of this widely used program. Each section will last two nights with one class held on Tuesday night and the last class on Thursday night. Each class starts at 6 …
USDA Ordered to Submit Staff Reduction Plan
The White House has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture and all federal agencies to submit a plan by June 30th to shrink their civilian workforces and meet the president’s goal to reduce the government’s size and scope. While it’s unlikely the administration can shrink the federal bureaucracy as much as they want, agriculture is bracing for the impact. Even modest …
Survey Shows Farmers Concerns
A new survey by the Farmer’s Business Network shows the current concerns farmers have in the United States. The new Voice of the Farmer Report examines the state of modern day farming through a combination of interviews with farmers and analysis of millions of acres of real farm yield and thousands of farmer seed and chemical invoices and price records. …
China Growing Less Corn as Acreage Drops
Farmers in China will plant less corn this season, resulting in the nation’s smallest crop in six years. A poll by Reuters finds that during the spring planting season, growers in China plan to cut corn acreage for the second straight year to 35.2 million hectares, the equivalent of roughly 85 million acres, 4.1 percent less than a year ago. …
EPA Administrator Promises Back-to-Basics Agenda
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt last week promised a back-to-basics agenda approach for the federal agency. While visiting a Pennsylvania coal mine, Pruitt announced the agenda, saying the new focus “means returning EPA to its core mission: protecting the environment by engaging with state, local,and tribal partners to create sensible regulations that enhance economic growth.” In his speech to …
Little Time to Reverse Organic Livestock Rules
If confirmed next Monday, Agriculture Secretary nominee Sonny Perdue will have little time to oppose organic livestock rules finalized by the Department of Agriculture just a day before President Donald Trump was sworn in. Politico reports the rules will go into effect May 19th, but Congress has until April 28th to undo the measure, and Congress doesn’t seem likely to …
USDA Seeking to Advance Modernized Pork Slaughter
The Department of Agriculture wants to move forward with a modernization of pork slaughter. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service last week announced the agency wants to move forward with a system that will focus inspection resources and improve food safety. The effort is supported by the National Pork Producers Council, which says the improvements would increase efficiency and effectiveness …
Japan Taking Lead on TPP Without U.S.
Japan is seeking to revive the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal without the United States. President Donald Trump in January removed the U.S. from the deal that was estimated to be worth more than $4 billion to U.S. agriculture. Now, Japan is seeking to amend the deal to 11 nations, cutting out the U.S., and moving forward. The Nikkei (Nee-kay) …
Scott Pushes for Money to Repair Lake Okeechobee Dike
by Jim Turner, News Service of Florida Gov. Rick Scott waded into the legislative battle over Everglades restoration Monday. The governor gave support to a revised Senate water-storage plan and called for lawmakers to financially help the federal government speed repairs to the dike around Lake Okeechobee. In a news conference as the legislative session entered its final three weeks, …