In response to a request from Dianne Westmoreland, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Acting State Executive Director in Georgia, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Baker, Decatur, Grady, Mitchell and Thomas counties in Georgia as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in Brooks, Calhoun, Colquitt, Dougherty, Early, Miller, …
USDA Role in Enforcing New U.S.-Mexico Sugar Deal
Last week, it was announced that a new agreement between the United States and Mexico regarding the importation of Mexican sugar had been reached. The U.S. Department of Commerce had been reviewing the 2014 agreement with the government of Mexico and the Mexican sugar refiners that suspended anti-dumping and countervailing duties on the import of Mexican sugar into the U.S. In …
Withdraw ‘GIPSA’ Rule, Say NPPC, Pork Producers
The National Pork Producers Council in comments submitted again urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to withdraw a regulation related to the buying and selling of livestock. It also delivered to the agency comments from 630 pork producers and others in the pork industry, opposing the regulation and asking that it be withdrawn. The comments were on an interim final …
Pig Pens: A Look at Mirrors and Mats
by USDA Agricultural Research Service What a pig sees when it looks into a mirror may help Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists improve livestock housing. Studying livestock behavior, stress and other well-being and production factors is the job of animal scientist Jeremy Marchant-Forde and his colleagues at the ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, Indiana. Improving an animal’s environment …
Citrus Growers ‘Still Fighting’ Amid Tough Season
News Service of Florida A leader of Florida’s struggling citrus industry offered a positive view after getting a slight increase Friday in the decades-low harvest forecast for the current growing season. Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, expressed some optimism after the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast Friday that growers in Florida would produce enough oranges …
Trump Waterways Commitment Needs Funding
Farm groups are encouraged by President Donald Trump’s infrastructure commitment for waterways, but Politico questions how the President plans to fund the effort. Trump announced his plan with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke earlier this week. The American Soybean Association says President Trump’s remarks highlighted the importance of the waterways and the need for infrastructure upgrades, …
USDA Announces More than $22 Million in Conservation Innovation
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that the agency will award more than $22.6 million to drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation. The agency is investing in 33 projects nationwide through its competitive Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, which helps develop the tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and …
Give Your Input on NAFTA Renegotiations
As released on May 18, the Trump administration is moving forward with its intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). According to the amended Trade Act of 1974, any time a newly proposed trade agreement comes about, all interested persons have an opportunity to present their views on it. Now is the time to submit comments regarding …
Three Counties in Florida Designated as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
In response to a request from Debby Folsom, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Acting State Executive Director in Florida, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties in Florida as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in Citrus, Hillsborough, Polk, and Sumter counties in Florida …
Nutrition Subcommittee Evaluates Technology and Modernization of SNAP
The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition held a hearing to evaluate technology and modernization in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and members of the committee heard from a variety of witnesses on the ways technology and modernization improve the customer experience, streamline delivery of services and ease the administrative burden. This hearing is …