(GDA/Atlanta, GA/March 8, 2023) — Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper issued a statement thanking Georgia House Speaker John Burns and House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett for appropriating an additional $550,000 in the House of Representatives FY23 amended budget to strengthen Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Soil Amendment Program. “I am thankful that $550,000 has been allocated for soil amendment regulation and enforcement …
USDA Proposes New Requirements for the “Product of USA” Label
There could be some new requirements for the product of the USA label. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week released a proposed rule with new regulatory requirements for the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim. The proposed rule allows the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim …
USDA-NRCS in Florida Hosting Two Virtual Workshops on CSP
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will host two virtual workshops on the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). These are designed for an overview of the CSP for agricultural producers and non-industrial, private forest landowners. They will be held on Thursday, March 16, 2023. The first session will be from 2pm to 4pm Eastern, the second session, which will be the same presentation …
Farm Bureau Analysis: 2022 Crop Losses Top $21 Billion
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) estimates 2022 crop losses due to weather and climate change at more than $21.4 billion. The AFBF Market Intel analysis shows in 2022, 18 weather and climate disasters, each with damages exceeding $1 billion struck the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that 2022 surpassed 2021 as the third-costliest disaster …
NCBA Calls Again for Immediate Halt to Brazilian Beef Imports
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is calling on Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to immediately halt U.S. beef imports from Brazil. The announcement comes as Brazil reported another atypical case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to the World Animal Organization for Animal Health last week. That report indicated 35 days elapsed between when the case was first identified and the …
Biggest U.S. Farms Obtaining More Land
The big are getting bigger. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. USDA’s annual Farms and Land in Farms Report shows the country’s largest farms with sales of $1 million or more operate nearly 26 percent of U.S. farmlands. The agency also says there were 2.003 million farms in the nation during 2022, a drop of 0.5 percentage points …
U.S. Tractor Sales Start 2023 Lower
U.S. ag tractor sales finished January 2023 in the negative, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Total U.S. ag tractor unit sales fell for January in all segments except one. 100-plus horsepower two-wheel-drive tractors actually grew 22.8 percent. U.S. combine sales continued its growth streak, climbing 132.7 percent year-over-year. Curt Blades of AEM says, …
USDA Designates Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
(ADAI/MONTGOMERY, AL/Feb. 15,2023)Â — Last week USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced a Secretarial natural disaster designation for 27 counties in Tennessee that also included four counties in Alabama that are contiguous to some of the Tennessee counties. This designation will extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from drought through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various …
Simpson Continues Pushing Florida Lawmakers for Land Money
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/Feb. 7, 2023) — After Gov. Ron DeSantis left the money out of his proposed budget, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson continues to push state lawmakers to replenish funding for a program aimed at keeping ranches and farms from future development. Simpson, speaking Monday to the Senate Agriculture Committee, stressed the need to push forward with the Rural and Family …
Mental Health Matters: Check In with Yourself and Check on Those Around You
(Atlanta, GA/Jan. 31, 2023) — Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper addressed Georgia mental health advocates on Tuesday about mental health awareness during Mental Health Day at the Georgia Capitol. Harper emphasized the importance of mental health awareness for those working in the food and agriculture sectors. “The Department has been working closely with many partner agencies to educate and provide resources …