Results from the new census of ag. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) this week announced the 2022 Census of Agriculture results. The information collected directly from producers shows a continued decline in the total number of U.S. farms. However, the data also show a rise in the number of new …
USDA’s Working Lands Climate Corps
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched the Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC), an initiative designed to train the next generation of conservation and climate leaders. Xochitl Torres Small, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, revealed the program at the National Association of Conservation Districts’ (NACD) yearly gathering in San Diego. According to Will McIntee, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement at …
USDA Contributes Millions to Bolster Food Supply Chain
The USDA gives a boost to the food supply chain. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA has awarded over $270 million to date through cooperative agreements with state departments of agriculture to build resilience across the middle of the food supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems. The …
USDA Provides over $75 Million in State and National Projects Regarding Agriculture and Natural Resources
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced its investment of more than $75 million to state and national projects regarding agriculture and natural resources. More than $5 million will be dedicated to the state of Florida and more than $70 million will be utilized towards protecting the United States from invasive plants and species. FLORIDA FUNDING The USDA’s Animal …
USDA Spotlight on Specialty Crops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is putting a focus on specialty crops with new investments and the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Initiative (SCCI) which it announced back in November. USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, and fifth-generation California farmer, Jenny Lester Moffitt says one goal is to hear directly from producers about ways in which USDA could support the industry. …
USDA Rule Amends Certain FMMOs
The USDA published a final rule that amends the transportation credit balancing fund provisions in the Appalachian and Southeast Federal Milk Marketing Orders. It also establishes distributing plant delivery credits in the Appalachian, Florida, and Southeast FMMOs. The final rule is a result of a hearing held February 28-March 2, 2023, in Tennessee. The hearing highlighted a long-standing milk deficit …
AgNet Weekly: USDA Specialty Crop Initiatives
The USDA is putting a focus on specialty crops with new investments and the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Initiative (SCCI), which is part of a larger effort to support specialty crop producers. In this episode of the AgNet Weekly, Sabrina Halvorson talks with USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, and fifth-generation California farmer, Jenny Lester Moffitt about these new initiatives. …
USDA Investing in Food Waste Reduction Projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced it is investing approximately $11.5 million in agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. The Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture. The program is jointly …
SECURE FUNDING NOW | USDA-Sponsored Farming Project Underway in the Southern Piedmont
Rodale Institute, a nationally recognized agricultural nonprofit, has been hard at work to expand resilient farming practices in the Southeast. Through a USDA-funded project, Rodale Institute and its partners are enrolling 100 organic and conventional vegetable farmers as well as farmers markets across the Southern Piedmont region (Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama), in a research study that …
USDA Releases 2022 Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the 2022 Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Annual Summary, which shows that over 99% of the samples tested had pesticide residues below benchmark levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The tests were conducted on 10,665 samples from 23 commodities including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, dairy, nuts and grains. The PDP …