Apples, Grapes, Oranges, Pork, Fluid Milk and more Earlier, a new USDA Foods vendor delivered 2,000 gallons of fresh milk to the D.C. Capital Area Food Bank. The delivery was one of many taking place at food banks across the country resulting from purchases made by the USDA to provide market support to the dairy industry. USDA Foods are a …
USDA Launches New Program to Create High-Speed Internet e-Connectivity in Rural America
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering up to $600 million in loans and grants to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. Telecommunications companies, rural electric cooperatives and utilities, internet service providers and municipalities may apply for funding through USDA’s new ReConnect Program to connect rural areas that currently have insufficient …
NMPF Applauds USDA Support for More Milk Options in School Meals
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) commended Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for returning low-fat (1%) flavored milk as part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. The final rule implementing regulatory changes needed to add low-fat flavored milk to more school menus and other nutrition programs serving children was announced by the USDA and will be published later this month …
USDA Cuts Forecast for U.S. Ag Exports
In the last three months, prospects for U.S. agricultural product exports have declined considerably. And according to a story from Gary Crawford, that is reflected in the new USDA export forecast for Fiscal Year 2019. USDA Cuts Forecast for U.S. Ag Exports-1 Rob Johansson, USDA Chief Economist, has some of the key numbers in the USDA’s new forecast for fiscal …
USDA Predicts 12 Percent Drop in Farm Income
Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is forecast to decrease $9.1 billion, or 12.1 percent from 2017 to $66.3 billion in 2018, after increasing $13.8 billion in 2017. The Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service recently announced the forecast. USDA says, meanwhile, net cash farm income is forecast to decrease $8.5 billion, 8.4 percent, to $93.4 billion. Net …
Secretary Perdue announces new OneUSDA Internship Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the “OneUSDA Internship” opportunity for Summer 2019. As part of the Federal Pathways Program, the OneUSDA Internship will provide students a way to explore serving their country through a career in government while gaining work experience in agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and other career fields. “The improvements we’re making to internships at …
USDA Announces Peanut Standards Board Appointments
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of three producers and three industry representatives to serve on the Peanut Standards Board. The appointments will fill member seats that became vacant when the current terms expired on June 30, 2018. All appointees will serve the remainder of three-year terms ending June 30, 2021. Appointed are: Southeast Region (Alabama, Georgia and Florida) …
USDA Designates Five Alabama Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border States Also Available Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated five Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in Barbour, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties who suffered losses due to wind, rain, and flooding due to Hurricane Michael, that occurred from Oct. 10 through Oct. 11, 2018, may be eligible for U.S. Department …
GDA Commends USDA’s New Biosecurity Campaign
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new outreach campaign focused on preventing the spread of infectious poultry diseases in both commercial and backyard poultry. Poultry is Georgia’s top agricultural sector, contributing more than $25 billion to Georgia’s economy annually. Georgia also leads in the industry as one of the top five broiler producing …
USDA Designates Three Alabama Counties Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Three Alabama counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas from damages caused by Tropical Storm Gordon between Sept. 3-6. The designation, announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, covers Clarke, Mobile and Washington counties. “Tropical Storm Gordon was a slow-moving storm with strong winds and heavy rain,” said Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell. “Cotton and …