Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today on the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act by the U.S. Congress. The bill now goes to President Biden for his signature. For a detailed review, see the USDA fact sheet (see below). “President Biden wasted no time fulfilling his pledge to the American people to bring substantial financial relief within …
USDA to Investigate COVID-19 Spread in Meat Processing Facilities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is initiating an audit of USDA actions that may have contributed to the spread of the COVID-19 in meat processing facilities. The USDA OIG initiated the audit in response to Colorado Senator Michael Bennet’s request last August for an investigation. Bennet says high infection rates early in the …
USDA Investing to Improve National Forest and Grassland Infrastructure
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they will invest $285 million to help the Forest Service address critical deferred maintenance and improve transportation and recreation infrastructure on national forests and grasslands. The investment is made possible by the newly created National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, established in 2020 by the Great American Outdoors Act. The …
Application Deadline Extended for the Quality Loss Adjustment Program
(USDA/FSA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline from March 5 to April 9 for agricultural producers to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program because of recent winter storms and some clarifications to program rules. This program assists producer who suffered crop quality losses due to qualifying 2018 and 2019 natural disasters. “Because of …
USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Applications Being Accepted in Alabama
The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) has announced they are accepting grant applications for projects that enhance the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops in foreign and domestic markets in the state. The application deadline for these grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is May 3, 2021. Specialty crops are defined by USDA as fruits and vegetables, …
USDA, FDA Offer Update on Transmission of COVID-19 Through Food or Food Packaging
The following statement about COVID-19 and its impact through food or food packaging can be attributed to Acting USDA Secretary Kevin Shea and Acting FDA Commission Janet Woodcock: After more than a year since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a global health emergency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. …
Crop Insurance Town Hall Held by Commissioner Nikki Fried and USDA
(FDACS) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried held a town hall meeting on crop insurance issues at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. Fried was joined via Zoom by Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy of the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) and other RMA senior and regional leaders to answer questions from agriculture producers on crop insurance and risk management. Photos/Video: A video recording and high-res …
USDA Ready to Assist Farmers and Ranchers Affected by Winter Storms
(USDA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families, and small businesses affected by the recent winter storms that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared with a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to residents, agricultural producers, and impacted communities. “USDA is committed to …
Enrollment Deadline for ARC, PLC Programs Nearing
Agricultural producers are being reminded the deadline to enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year is March 15. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops. ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual …
USDA Forecasts Drop in Farm Income in 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) just came out with its first farm income forecast for 2021. And according to a story from Gary Crawford, it could be an unusual income year. USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer has more key numbers from the new farm income forecast. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, …