Row Crop Planting Slowly Starting in the Southeast

Dan Corn, Cotton, Field Crops, Pasture, Peanuts, USDA-NASS

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently started issuing their weekly crop progress reports for the 2022 season, and as of this past Sunday, NASS reports in Alabama there were 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork, in Florida 6.4 days were suitable, while in Georgia there were 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Corn planted in Alabama was at 38 percent, which compares …

NCBA Endorses Bipartisan A-PLUS Act

Dan Beef, Cattle, Livestock, Marketing, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)

(NCBA/WASHINGTON, April 7, 2022) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) supports the Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (A-PLUS) Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). If enacted, the bill would clarify regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act to allow livestock market owners to maintain an …

Additional Funds for Livestock Producers Affected by Drought and Wildfire

Dan Cattle, Drought, Economy, Forestry, Livestock, USDA

The USDA has announced additional funds for livestock producers who were affected by wildfires and droughts. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation, Robert Bonnie spoke with AgNet Media to make the announcement to our listeners. Listen here: The USDA says ranchers who have approved applications through the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for forage losses due to severe …

Controlling the Spread of Avian Influenza

Dan Avian Influenza, Poultry

Even as detections of high path avian influenza are continuing, there are at least a few encouraging signs. Gary Crawford reports that experts say the one key to controlling the spread of it is fast reaction to reported detections. It’s been noted this virus is prevalent in wild birds, and thus bio-security is important in keeping high path avian influenza …

Supreme Court to Hear NPPC Case Against Prop. 12

Dan Legislative, Pork, Regulation

(NPPC/WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 28, 2022) — The U.S. Supreme Court at its Mar. 25 conference agreed to hear a case brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) against California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of pork from hogs born to sows that weren’t raised according to the state’s “arbitrary” production standards. “We are …

Programs Announced by USDA to Increase and Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity

Dan Beef, Cattle, Economy, Livestock, Pork, Poultry, USDA-AMS

Technical Assistance Now Available to Processors; $23.6 Million Available for Meat, Poultry Readiness Grant program (USDA/WASHINGTON, March 25, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of the Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA) to provide technical assistance to meat and poultry grant applicants and grant-funded projects. Processors and applicants involved with the Meat and …

Omnibus Spending Bill Included Many Pork Industry Priorities

Dan Legislative, Pork, Regulation

The omnibus spending bill to keep the government operating through fiscal 2022, which was approved by Congress and then signed into law last week by President Biden, included nearly two dozen pork industry priority provisions and programs that will benefit U.S. producers. According to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), a lot of the $25.1 billion for agriculture, rural development, …

Thank a Farmer for Food, Fiber, Fuel, and Our Future

Dan Cattle, Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Fruits, Livestock, Specialty Crops, USDA-FSA, Vegetables

By Deborah Tannenbaum, State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency; Juan Hernandez, State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Davina Lee, Regional Office Director for USDA’s Risk Management Agency March 22 is National Ag Day, a time for us to thank farmers and ranchers for feeding, sheltering and powering our nation. We also want to celebrate and …

Alabama Poultry Producers Urged to Practice Strict Bio-Security

Dan Alabama, Avian Influenza, Biotechnology, Poultry

There have been various reports the past few weeks about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), mostly in in the Midwest and Northern parts of the country. But none-the-less, the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association is keeping a close eye on these disease reports. Their CEO, Johnny Adams, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman so far it’s not spreading from farm to farm due to good …