On Wednesday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified during the “Immigrant Farmworkers are Essential to Feeding America” Judiciary Committee hearing. This was the first-ever appearance by an Agriculture Secretary before the full Senate Judiciary Committee. During his opening statement, Vilsack discussed the important role immigrant farmworkers have in the food and agriculture industry and the overall economy. Vilsack said we …
Clarifying the Product of the USA Label
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a top-to-bottom review of the “Product of the USA” label, which will inform a forthcoming rulemaking on this topic. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “American consumers depend upon accurate, transparent labels to obtain important information about the food they consume. American farmers and ranchers depend upon those same labels to convey information about …
USDA Compost and Food Waste Reduction Applications are Due Friday
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making available up to $2 million for local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2021. But the deadline to apply is Friday, July 16. The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste …
USDA Seeks New Partnerships to Safeguard, Restore Wetland Ecosystems
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they are investing up to $17 million for conservation partners to help protect and restore critical wetlands on agricultural lands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Easement Program Division Director Carrie Lindig explains what this program is all about. Proposals from partners are due August 15, 2021 …
More Production, Demand for Dairy
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expecting more dairy cows and therefore more milk production the next couple of years. According to a story from Rod Bain, the USDA is also expecting more demand for dairy products. Sponsored ContentCommitment From Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Members Seeks To Move Research ForwardDecember 5, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Support For Cattle …
Vilsack Weighs in on PSA Investigator Bill
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack weighed in this week on a bill to create a Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) investigator at USDA to boost price discovery and transparency in the highly concentrated livestock sector. He says a Packers and Stockyards Act investigator could be part of broader USDA action to deal with unfair market practices harming small independent producers. “I …
Agriculture Ready to Defend WOTUS
Many in agriculture are ready to defend the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced their intent to repeal and rewrite it. This includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). During a call with farm broadcasters last week, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Jewel Bronaugh said there is a lot to discuss with the Water of the U.S. …
USDA Announces Additional Aid to Ag Producers and Businesses in Pandemic Assistance for Producers Initiative
Since January, USDA has allocated $11B to producers and food and ag business (WASHINGTON, June 15, 2021)Â — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced additional aid to agricultural producers and businesses as part of the USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Earlier this year, Secretary Vilsack announced plans to use available pandemic assistance funds to address a number of gaps and disparities …
USDA’s Build Back Better Initiative to Help Food Supply Chains
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced plans to invest more than $4 billion through the Build Back Better initiative. According to a story from Tyron Spearman, this effort will strengthen the food system by helping critical supply chains. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. Sponsored ContentCommitment From Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Members Seeks To Move Research ForwardDecember 5, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Support …
USDA to Begin Work to Strengthen Enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they will begin working on three proposed rules to support enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act, the 100-year old law that was originally designed to protect poultry and hog farmers and cattle ranchers from unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive practices in the meat markets. USDA’s pending action was noted in the …