Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that their agriculture specialists seized prohibited meat products at the U.S.-Mexico border. Customs agents seized 243 pounds of prohibited pork bologna in two separate and unrelated incidents. Officials seized 55 pounds of pork products on January 13 and another 188 pounds of bologna on January 21. “Pork products have the potential to …
Best Chicken Breeds to Raise on the Homestead
One of the best chicken breeds to raise on the homestead. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Buckeye Chicken is a fantastic heritage and dual-purpose breed, making them ideal for homesteaders seeking birds that will provide both eggs and meat. Buckeyes were bred in the late 19th century by a woman named Nettie Metcalf with the goal …
Best Herbs to Keep Your Chickens in Tip Top Shape
The best herbs to keep your chickens in tip top shape. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Herbs are not only helpful for humans, but they can keep your chicken coop parasite-free while improving the health of your flock. There are several herbs that are considered the best for chickens. Lavender is one of them because of its …
Poultry Industry on High Alert for Avian Influenza
In the wake of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) being found in wild birds in the U.S., poultry producers here in the Southeast and across the country are asked to be on high alert. Gary Crawford has more details. HPAI is a serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens. APHIS works with its federal, state, …
Create a Chicken Garden to Keep Your Feathered Friends Healthy
How to create a chicken garden to keep your feathered friends healthy, and also away from your harvest. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A chicken garden is a great way to supplement your chickens’ diets while keeping them busy and away from your garden. Place your chicken garden in an area where they have easy access to, …
Feral Swine Control Program Progressing Well in Alabama
We told you last April that funding through the 2018 Farm Bill allowed the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (ASWCC) to launch a program to help property owners in certain areas of Alabama control feral swine. The Alabama Feral Swine Control Program, funded by a grant through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), allowed the ASWCC to launch a three-year program to help farmers …
Growers Discuss Priorities for 2023 Farm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire in 2023, so preparations are underway to craft the behemoth legislation into law sometime next year. However, it is common for negotiations to extend into the following year. Whether the new farm bill is passed in 2023 or 2024, there’s a lot of work ahead. The farm bill was the focus of …
Secretary of Transportation on HOS Regulations for Livestock Haulers
Back in late November of last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced they had extended the waiver for commercial truckers from the Federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulation until Feb. 28, 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 the FMCSA included livestock haulers in an initial emergency declaration that provided an exemption from the HOS regulation for …
Dealing with a Dreaded Weed Harmful to Pets and Livestock
How to deal with a dreaded weed that is harmful to your pets. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Goat head weed is sometimes referred to as puncturevine, cat’s head, or devil’s thorn. It’s an annual broadleaf that readily reseeds itself. Not only is it difficult to eradicate, but it can also poison livestock and pets. It thrives …
Small Family Farms Produce Majority of Poultry and Eggs, And Hay
USDA’s Economic Research Service reports most values of cotton, dairy and specialty crops are produced on large-scale family farms, according to 2020 data. USDA defines a family farm as one in which the principal operator and related family own the majority of the assets used in the operation. Large-scale family farms have an annual gross cash farm income of $1 …