The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) recently sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack detailing a list of solutions to address critical supply chain issues facing America’s farmers and ranchers. AFBF detailed seven priorities for USDA to consider in response to President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains. Recommendations they ask USDA to consider action on include: Livestock markets …
USDA Invests Millions in Grants to Provide Relief to Farm and Food Workers Impacted by COVID-19
(WASHINGTON, September 7, 2021) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that $700 million in competitive grant funding will be available through the new Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) grant program to help farmworkers and meatpacking workers with pandemic-related health and safety costs. The announcement was made in press call with United Farm Workers Foundation Executive Director Diana Tellefson Torres and …
NASDA Calls on USDA to Protect Diversity of Meat Processing
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has expressed its recommendations for a resilient, diverse and secure meat processing system. Specifically, NASDA commented that flexible funding for solutions to workforce shortages and processing infrastructure investments for small to mid-sized meat processing facilities is critical to ensuring our food system is built to handle future challenges. Twenty-seven state departments of agriculture …
USDA Investing in Cooperative Agreements for Racial Justice and Equity
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they will be investing up to $50 million in cooperative agreements to support historically underserved farmers and ranchers with climate-smart agriculture and forestry. The Racial Justice and Equity Conservation Cooperative Agreements are available to entities for two year projects that expand the delivery of conservation assistance to farmers who are beginning, limited …
USDA Establishes Dairy Donation Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the establishment of a $400 million Dairy Donation Program. The DDP, established by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, aims to facilitate timely dairy product donations while reducing food waste. This is part of the $6 billion of pandemic assistance announced by USDA in March and …
Pandemic Assistance for Livestock, Poultry Contract Producers and Specialty Crop Growers Updated by USDA
USDA Sets October 12 Deadline for CFAP 2 (WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2021) —The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) for contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry and producers of specialty crops and other sales-based commodities. CFAP 2, which assists producers who faced market disruptions in 2020 due to COVID-19, is part …
USDA Accepts 2.8 Million Acres for the CRP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they’ve accepted 2.8 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) this year. That brings the total accepted this year to almost 1.9 million acres through the General CRP Signup. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux says they have also accepted over …
USDA Updates Peanut Supply and Demand
A recent update to USDA’s Peanut Supply and Demand report indicate an increase in market demand. Tyron Spearman runs through the new numbers. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundJuly 31, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024
USDA Unveils New Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced details of the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program. Through the new program, USDA will provide about $350 million in pandemic assistance payments to dairy farmers who received a lower value for their products due to market abnormalities caused by the pandemic. The assistance is part of a larger package including permanent improvements …
USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs for Organic Certification
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that organic producers and handlers can now apply for funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. Applications for the? Organic Certification Cost Share Program?(OCCSP) will be accepted until Nov. 1, 2021. OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or …