Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday announced the next steps in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to bolster U.S. agricultural trade, including the department’s planned trade missions for 2024 and the opening of a public comment period for the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). “As I’ve often said, the key to trade is people’s presence and promotions, and …
National Christmas Tree Tour
The nation’s Christmas Tree is on tour. That’s coming up on This Land Of Ours. The 2023 U. S. Capitol Christmas Tree has been named “wa’feem’tekwi” by the Shawnee Tribe. The name means “bright tree” in the Shawnee language and is pronounced phonetically “wa thame tech we”. Now on its home stretch of its month-long tour, of its home state. …
Latest Inflation Report Mostly Good News for Food Shoppers
Food price inflation is continuing to abate. In today’s This Land Of Ours report, Sabrina Halvorson has Gary Crawford and USDA economist, Megan Sweitzer explain which food products have had decreases in consumer price reductions this past year, and about how much. Listen to USDA’s Gary Crawford’s This Land Of Ours program here. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed …
Dental Care in Rural Areas
A USDA grant to bring better dental care to rural areas. Gary Crawford tells us more in today’s This Land of Ours report. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity for us to make sure that people living in rural and remote areas have access to the healthcare, the dental care and the mental healthcare that they need,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack …
FAO Predicts Decline International Foodstuffs Trade
Will the international food trade see a decline? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) predicts a declining international trade in foodstuffs for multiple reasons. While the organization’s latest forecasts point to favorable production outlooks for most basic foodstuffs, global food production systems remain vulnerable to several risks. Those challenges include …
Injecting Carbon into National Forests and Grasslands
A proposed forest service change could lead to more carbon storage. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The U.S. Forest Service proposed a change in regulations that would allow it to consider requests to inject carbon dioxide beneath the 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands. Currently, the Forest Service is barred from authorizing “exclusive and perpetual …
New Bison Initiative
A new initiative for the bison industry. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A new pilot program is designed to widen access by tribal bison meat producers to a USDA food purchase program and local and regional food system markets. USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffitt says the new pilot program will remove barriers …
AgNet Weekly: Senator Kevin Cramer on WOTUS, Farm Bill
Last month, the Senate committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on Examining the Implications of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Water Act Protections of Wetlands and Streams. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) is on that committee and was at the hearing, and in fact asked several questions of the witnesses. Host Sabrina Halvorson talked with Senator …
New USDA Investment in Specialty Crop Research
USDA is investing $70.2 million in the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to support nearly two dozen research and Extension projects. USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced the funding on a call with reporters and described the kinds of projects that will be funded. “The awarded projects addressed key challenges of national, regional and multi state importance to the food …
USDA Clarifies “Domestic Origin”
USDA is clearing up some requirements in the meat industry. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Last year, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchased $800 million worth of meat products for use in nutrition assistance programs such as free school meals. That meat must fall under the requirements of domestic origin verification (DOV). However, those requirements are …