Interest in purchasing agricultural land has grown since a coronavirus pandemic-induced slowdown blanketed the land market last spring. Farmers are feeling more financially secure as strong commodity prices arrived on top of large government payments in 2020. This is propelling farmers to bid more aggressively for additional land than has been the case during the past six years, according to …
NPPC Urges Administration to Appeal Line Speed Court Ruling
A federal district court ruling striking down faster harvest facility inspection speeds allowed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New Swine Inspection System (NSIS) goes into effect today, June 30. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) urges the Biden administration to file an appeal before the August 31 deadline. NPPC says this damaging ruling will quickly lead to increased pork …
Buy Local Campaign Helping U.S. Beef and Pork Sales in Mexico
Thanks to the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board, pairings are allowing both U.S. beef and pork to capitalize on a ‘Buy Local’ trend in Mexico. U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Joe Schuele has the story. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration of Florida Cattle Enhancement …
Supreme Court Rejects Petition against California Prop 12
The U.S. Supreme Court Monday denied a petition to review California’s Proposition 12. The denial was included in a batch of announcements by the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the North American Meat Institute supported its petition, stating the law “provides no benefit to consumers and increases breeding sow mortality.” The Meat Institute file the petition in February, challenging the …
Lawmakers Trying to Help Hog Farmers
Over seventy lawmakers sent letters to the Biden Administration asking the administration to stop a recent court order from harming U.S. hog farmers. The letters call on Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Acting Solicitor General Prelogar to appeal a recent federal district court striking down pork harvest facility line speeds allowed under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New Swine Inspection System (NSIS). The …
USDA Report Shows Cuts in Hog Numbers
A new USDA report shows hog producers may be scaling down production plans more than some industry analysts expected. Gary Crawford has the story. USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam runs through some of the key numbers from Thursday’s USDA quarterly Hogs and Pigs report. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, …
New USDA Grants to Benefit Meat and Poultry Inspection Operations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $55.2 million in competitive funding will be available through the new Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The new program is being funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. “We are building capacity and increasing economic opportunity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors and producers across the …
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Update
The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s (GDA) Animal Industry Division has confirmed Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) in domestic rabbits at a single Cobb County premise. The investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the virus and there are currently no other confirmed or suspect cases in Georgia. RHDV2 is a highly contagious Calicivirus that affects domestic rabbits, as …
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 …
Sheep Producers Partner with USDA to Address 2020 Concerns
Despite numerous challenges last year, the sheep and wool industries found support and assistance through various USDA programs. Rod Bain reports. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 9, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support For ResearchDecember 19, 2025Florida Cattle …