Many farmers are making plans as to what crops to plant this spring, and because of that, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is starting their efforts to collect information about those plans. NASS is mailing out survey questionnaires asking producers to provide information about the crops they intend to plant in 2022, how many acres they intend to plant, and …
USDA/APHIS Finds Avian Influenza in Maine and Delaware
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, in a non-commercial backyard flock in Maine. Samples from the flock were tested at the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. …
Florida Senate Passes Revamped Water Bill
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE/Feb. 17, 2022) — With a key lawmaker saying he wanted to clarify and counter “purposeful misinformation,” the Senate on Thursday changed a controversial measure that critics said could affect Everglades restoration projects. The measure (SB 2508) had drawn opposition from Gov. Ron DeSantis and critics such as fishing guides who raced to the Capitol to appear in the Senate …
USDA-NRCS Investing in Partner-Driven Conservation on Ag and Forest Land
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida and Georgia reminds conservation partners that up to $225 million in funding is being made available through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The partner-driven program leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on agricultural land. This year’s funding announcement includes opportunities for projects that address climate change, benefit …
USDA to Survey Farmers’ Planting Intentions for 2022
With the 2022 crop production season soon to begin, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be contacting producers to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season. Later this month, NASS will mail survey questionnaires asking producers to provide information about the crops they intend to plant in 2022, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amounts of …
Ag Groups Sue EPA Over Chlorpyrifos
A group of U.S. agricultural organizations had filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency over chlorpyrifos. DTN says the 21 groups want the agency’s pending ban on the product to be halted and eventually revoked. The lawsuit was filed as the EPA will finalize its rule revoking the food tolerances for the insecticide on February 28. That will effectively …
Six Georgia Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas by USDA
This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of …
After Securing State of Emergency Declaration, Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried Advocates for USDA Disaster Designation to Help Florida Producers Hurt by Recent Freeze
(FDACS/Tallahassee, FL/February 9, 2022) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack in support of a Secretarial Disaster Designation to provide additional assistance to Florida producers experiencing losses due to the recent freezing temperatures. This follows the Commissioner’s requests last week for the Governor to declare a state of emergency and for the Florida Department of Transportation to issue an emergency …
New Anti-Competition Reporting Tool
Last week, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Justice (DOJ) launched a new tool where farmers and ranchers can anonymously report potentially unfair and anticompetitive practices in the livestock and poultry sectors. This can be done online at farmerfairness.gov. “This new online tool will help USDA and the Justice Department address anticompetitive actions and create livestock and poultry markets that …
Update for Producers Impacted by Freezing Temperatures Provided by Florida Ag Commissioner
Emergency Order Issued as Assessments Continue (Tallahassee, FL/February 4, 2022/FDACS) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) had staff in the fields as producers continue to assess damages caused by recent freezing temperatures and work to salvage impacted produce. On Thursday, the Florida Department of Transportation issued an emergency order helping farmers impacted by freezing temperatures to move as …