USDA Announces Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Dan Forestry

Starting today (July 22), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19 pandemic. It’s all a part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack gives some of the eligibility criteria for the new program. The Consolidated Appropriations Act …

Apply for Funding from USDA/NRCS to Remove Cogongrass

Dan Florida, USDA-NRCS

(GAINESVILLE, Fla., July 21, 2021) — Florida forest landowners in parts of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties can apply for financial assistance to manage invasive Cogongrass until Sept. 1 from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $60,000 in fiscal year 2022 to remove the highly invasive Cogongrass in Florida. One of the world’s top-10 worst weeds, …

USDA Reduces Milk Production Forecast for 2021

Dan Dairy, Marketing

USDA is lowering its milk production forecast for 2021. According to a story from Stephanie Ho, the high stocks of dairy products is weighing on prices. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundJuly 31, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

USDA Compost and Food Waste Reduction Applications are Due Friday

Dan Environment, Soil, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making available up to $2 million for local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2021. But the deadline to apply is Friday, July 16. The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste …

USDA Announces Dates for CRP Grasslands Signups

Dan Conservation, Environment, Pasture, USDA-FSA

Signup has opened for agricultural producers and landowners to apply for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated signup options to provide greater incentives for producers and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two national priority zones. The CRP Grassland signup is competitive, and USDA’s …

USDA Supporting Expanded Meat Processing Capabilities

Dan Beef, Cattle, Pork, Poultry, Sheep-Goats

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced intentions to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing to make agricultural markets more accessible, fair, competitive, and resilient for American farmers and ranchers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA will be investing $500 million in American Rescue Plan funds to expand meat and poultry processing …

USDA Report Has Clues to Future Beef Cattle Direction

Dan Cattle

Is the U.S. beef cattle herd headed for a contraction, or is expansion the likely scenario? Gary Crawford has a story that attempts to answer that question. But first, he looks back at some of the numbers from the June Cattle on Feed Report. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundJuly 31, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in …

USDA Announces Efforts to Promote Transparency in Product of the USA Labeling

Dan Trade

(WASHINGTON, July 1, 2021) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released the following statement today following the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) vote to strengthen its enforcement of the Made in USA standard: “Today, the Federal Trade Commission took important steps to enhance its ability to enforce the Made in USA standard. I congratulate the FTC on strengthening this important protection for American …

USDA Seeks New Partnerships to Safeguard, Restore Wetland Ecosystems

Dan USDA, USDA-NRCS, Wetland

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they are investing up to $17 million for conservation partners to help protect and restore critical wetlands on agricultural lands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Easement Program Division Director Carrie Lindig explains what this program is all about. Proposals from partners are due August 15, 2021 …

USDA Investing Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry

Dan Climate Change, Conservation, Drought, Environment, Florida, Forestry, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they are providing $10 million to support climate-smart agriculture and forestry through voluntary conservation practices in 10 targeted states. This includes Florida and Georgia. The assistance, available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), will help agricultural producers plan and implement voluntary conservation practices that sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of …