U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received 136 expressions of interest from parties in 35 states interested in becoming the new homes of the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In August, Perdue announced that most ERS and NIFA personnel would be moving to outside the …
Farm Bill a Topic on the Campaign Trail
Vice President Mike Pence made several campaign stops last week, including locations in Kansas and Iowa. Going into the trip, a spokesman confirmed that the vice president would bring up the yet-to-be-finished farm bill during his speeches. The White House message is similar to that of the House Republicans: The unemployment rate is low and a lot of jobs are …
Assistance Available for Hurricane Damaged Ag Land through NRCS
Georgia farmers and ranchers who suffered damage to working lands and livestock mortality because of Hurricane Michael are encouraged to sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). A series of special sign-ups for agricultural livestock mortality and carcass disposal is being conducted for the 6 counties designated under …
Senators Perdue, Isakson Tour Hurricane Michael Devastation With Vice President Pence
Senators Thank President Trump For Visiting Georgia Following President Donald Trump’s visit to Middle Georgia, U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) joined Vice President Mike Pence and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in Bainbridge, Moultrie, and Albany, Georgia to visit farmers and producers who have been devastated by Hurricane Michael. They were also joined by Georgia Governor Nathan …
Pence and Perdue Attend Sunbelt Ag Expo
It’s been a busy opening day of the 2018 Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia. Various folks from across the Southeast have been on hand, and that includes Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. But he was joined by special guest, Vice President Mike Pence. The two were here in the Southeast touring some of the agricultural areas damaged by Hurricane …
Dropped Tariffs Could Mean Less USDA Trade Aid Relief
Ag groups are largely supportive of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade package. However, many of those same groups say their biggest concern right now is ending retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products. Those duties were put in place after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue told Reuters this week that, with a trade deal …
Perdue Announces Funding for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue $9.4 million in grants (PDF, 750 KB) to provide enhanced training, outreach, and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers. This funding is available through the USDA’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known …
USDA Appoints Members to Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of 25 members of the recently re-established Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). The newly appointed members will serve terms of up to two years beginning immediately and ending in 2020. The appointees were selected from nominations received in May 2018 resulting from the April 23, 2018, announcement of the re-establishment of the …
Secretary Perdue Comments on USMCA
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the announcement of a United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): “The great news of a new USMCA deal is important for our economy as a whole, including the agricultural sector, which counts Canada and Mexico in our top three trading partners. I have long said that I believe our country is …
Agriculture Leaders Unite to Oppose USDA Relocation Plans
A coalition of agriculture leaders is urging the Trump Administration to reconsider a plan to reorganize and relocate Department of Agriculture agencies. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced in August that the department’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Economic Research would be moved out of Washington, DC, to save money and be closer to the agricultural community. The plan …