Folks involved in the agriculture industry across the state of Alabama are in Orange Beach this week attending the Alabama Agribusiness Council (AAC) annual meeting. One of the guest speakers Monday morning was Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate, who talked about how COVID-19 has affected his office. In an interview with Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman, he discussed how essential …
USDA SECURE Rule Paves Way for Agricultural Innovation
(Washington, D.C., May 14, 2020) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced a final rule updating and modernizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) biotechnology regulations under the Plant Protection Act. The Sustainable, Ecological, Consistent, Uniform, Responsible, Efficient (SECURE) rule will bring USDA’s plant biotechnology regulations into the 21st century by removing duplicative and antiquated processes in order to …
Alabama Farmers and Agribusinesses Eligible for Small Business Loans
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate wants to remind farmers and agribusinesses in the state facing unprecedented economic disruption due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, they are eligible for small business loans. The Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced that farms and agribusinesses are eligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans as long as …
The Day South Florida Agriculture Changed
Submitted by Gene McAvoy, Regional Vegetable Extension Agent IV Emeritus with UF/IFAS “Up to the end of Feb our growers were having a banner year and it looked like this season would be one of those homeruns that come around every 5-6 years.” Here is a report that I prepared on the state of S Florida ag and shared with …
State Department Clears the Way for Agriculture Workforce
(AFBF) — The U.S. State Department revised its restrictions on the processing of visa applications submitted by farm workers in Mexico after hearing concerns that the restrictions would lead to a farm worker shortage in the U.S. Consular officers can now waive the visa interview requirement for eligible first-time and returning H-2A and H-2B applicants, making more workers in the H-2 …
U.S. Agriculture Focused on Stable Food Supply, Farm Labor Worries Grow
(AFBF) — U.S. agriculture is working diligently to maintain the stability of our food supply as concerns over COVID-19 lead to increased consumer purchases of groceries and other items. The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall about the commitment of farmers and ranchers, as well as a serious concern related to the U.S. …
USDA Provides Florida $4 million for Agricultural Pest and Disease Protection
(USDA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating $4 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. Overall, USDA is providing almost $70 million in funding this year to support 386 projects in 48 states, The …
FDA Stall Tactics Hurting U.S. Agriculture
(NPPC) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) misrepresentation of a gene edited livestock research project is its latest stall tactic designed to rationalize a regulatory grasp on an emerging technology that must be regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if the United States is to maintain its global leadership position in agriculture. “While countries like China, …
Phase One Trade Deal Signing: ‘Momentous Day for U.S. Agriculture’
President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He signed the phase one trade deal between the two countries in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday morning. The agreement comes after more than 18 months of imbittered trade relations between the United States and China, creating a significant strain on the agricultural industry. “This is a very …
USDA Invites Input on Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Rule
(USDA/NRCS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks public comments on its interim rule for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). ACEP is USDA’s premier conservation easement program, helping landowners protect working agricultural lands and wetlands. The rule – now available on the Federal Register – takes effect on publication and includes changes to the …