United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, announced that 11 Alabama counties are under a Secretarial natural disaster designation. Farmers in these counties which are classified by USDA as “primary” may be eligible for emergency loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Those farmers in counties that are contiguous to these primary counties may be eligible as well. The …
U.S. to Pursue Other Trade Openings During NAFTA Talks
The U.S. will continue to pursue other trade openings during expected months of talks to modernize NAFTA. Major new bilateral deals may have to await the conclusion of NAFTA talks. U.S. agriculture has one eye on protecting years of gains under NAFTA, but the other on U.S. efforts to expand ag trade elsewhere, after President Trump ditched TPP. U.S. Trade …
Ronald Cave Named Director of UF/IFAS Indian River Research Facility
An entomologist recognized internationally as a specialist in biological control of insect pests has been named the director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center. Ronald D. Cave will serve as the sixth leader of the Indian River REC. From the Indian River REC’s 1947 start as the Indian River …
Sunflowers as a Crop and Garden Flower
Cathy Isom brightens us up with the flowers that are really easy to care for and can lend a hand in the garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Sunflowers have been a part of agriculture, dating back to at least 3000 BC, and they have been used for all sorts of handy stuff: seeds, oil, medicine, …
USDA Forecasts Record-High Soybean Production in 2017
U.S. farmers are expected to produce a record-high soybean crop this year, according to the Crop Production report issued by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Up 2 percent from 2016, soybean production is forecast at 4.38 billion bushels, while corn growers are expected to decrease their production by 7 percent from last year, forecast at 14.2 billion bushels. Up 7 percent …
Foreign Investment in U.S. Farmland Rising
A Chinese firm made big news in 2013 by spending $4.7 billion to acquire U.S. processor Smithfield Foods. In that same deal, the company also acquired over 146,000 acres of U.S. farmland worth more $500 million. The group, now known as WH Group Limited, became one of the largest foreign owners of U.S. land. That purchase is part of a …
USDA Proposes Less Restriction on Mexican Pork Exports
The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to recognize Mexico as free of classical swine fever. The proposal replaces a previous proposal by APHIS that would have recognized Mexico as a low-risk classical swine fever region. Since USDA’s original proposal, Mexico has asked for enhanced evaluations by USDA. With results from the most recent site …
USTR Seeking Input on KORUS
The U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) Office has asked a group of industry advisors to provide feedback on potential changes to the U.S. free trade agreement with Korea (KORUS). World Trade Online reports that USTR is seeking the feedback by mid-August, after recently asking its industry trade advisory committees for ideas on the implementation of the agreement and issues “impacting fair …
Army Corps Gives Input in Florida-Georgia Water War
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, News Service of Florida The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a key player in Florida’s decades-old legal fight with Georgia over water flow in the Apalachicola River, has weighed into the pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The federal agency’s comments, which were filed in a brief Monday, are important because a special master has recommended …
Putnam Pitches Land Deal to Protect Military Bases
by Jim Turner, News Service of Florida Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a Republican candidate for governor, said Tuesday the state needs to increase spending for land preservation to help protect military bases from closure. Putnam voiced displeasure that state lawmakers did not provide more money during the current budget year for conservation efforts. Lawmakers set aside $10 million for …