The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed a second case of highly pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza in a commercial breeder flock in Lincoln County, Tennessee. This H7N9 strain is of North American wild bird lineage and is the same strain of avian influenza that was previously confirmed in Tennessee. It is …
Census Of Agriculture Countdown Begins For America’s Farmers And Ranchers
America’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to strongly represent agriculture in their communities and industry by taking part in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census, to be mailed at the end of this year, is a complete count of all …
Ag Subcommittee Evaluates Effectiveness of Forestry Initiatives
Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, held a hearing to evaluate the effectiveness of the forestry initiatives in the 2014 Farm Bill. This hearing is a continuation of the committee’s hearing series to set the stage for the next farm bill. The subcommittee heard from a broad panel of experts who …
Update on Premises Under Investigation for Avian Influenza in Alabama
Results have been received from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa on the sample collected from a guinea fowl at the TaCo-Bet Trade Day flea market in Scottsboro, located in Jackson County, Alabama. The sample tested positive for low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza (LPAI). The premises of origin for the guinea fowl, also located in Jackson …
Conaway’s Comments on Trump’s Budget Proposal
House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s first budget proposal. “Today’s proposal covers appropriations spending and mainly provides top line numbers. A comprehensive budget, including details, is expected later this spring, when we will have a more complete picture. Importantly, Congress will be working along this same timeline on its …
Trumping the Army Corps?
by Lloyd Dunkelberger and Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Negron is banking on the owner of a certain waterfront Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach for help with a new reservoir. Negron said Wednesday he sees no need to change his pursuit of 60,000 acres of farmland in the Everglades Agricultural Area, after Col. Jason Kirk, the Florida commander …
Georgia PB&J Day set for Monday at State Capitol
The Georgia peanut industry joins together to celebrate National Peanut Month in March and donate peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank March is National Peanut Month, a time to celebrate one of America’s favorite foods! The Georgia peanut industry plans to celebrate by hosting the 2017 Georgia PB&J Day at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, and …
Importance of Agricultural Research
Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, held a hearing to highlight the importance of agricultural research as part of the committee’s hearing series on the next farm bill. Members heard from witnesses who stressed the important role research plays in ensuring that American agriculture remains competitive and capable of addressing …
NACD Expresses Disappointment in Trump’s Budget
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is extremely disappointed that President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget request includes a 21 percent cut to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Many of USDA’s voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs are crucial to promoting the wise and responsible use of natural resources in this country. “Without USDA conservation programs, America’s farmers, ranchers, and …
Ag Groups Conduct ‘ Substantive, Productive ’ Meeting with Trump Administration on Trade
Executive staff leaders from 11 major U.S. agricultural and agribusiness organizations commended the Trump administration for engaging in a substantive and productive meeting on March 15 that was focused on the importance of continued growth of food and agriculture exports. The meeting followed a series of written communications to the Trump administration from the broad-based U.S. Food and Agriculture Dialogue …