Knowing more about your grains could lead to a healthier heart. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Eating healthy is a priority for many Americans but knowing where to start and with what foods may be a little trickier. One way to level up the nutritional value of your meals is to better understand whole grains and why …
AgNet Weekly: Representative Doug LaMalfa on Farm Labor Working Group
Congress is looking into farm labor needs around the nation, but it is a challenging task. The House Agriculture Committee recently announced the creation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group, which will focus on the workforce issues faced by agricultural producers around the nation. Congressman and farmer Doug LaMalfa of California joins host Sabrina Halvorson to discuss the group …
FAA Rule Change for Farm Drones
There’s an FAA rule change for some farming operations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is making it easier to use drones for spraying crops. Arthur Erickson is the CEO and co-founder of Hylio, which designs, manufactures, and sells crop treatment drones. He says the rule change was needed. “Drones hit the scene very rapidly in the last five or six …
Applications Open for AFTs Brighter Future Fund
A chance for farmers to improve viability. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. American Farmland Trust has opened applications for 2023’s Brighter Future Fund Program. It helps farmers nationwide improve farm viability, access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland or adopt regenerative agricultural practices. The last day to submit applications is July 15. The Brighter Future Fund provides grants …
USDA: SNAP Payment Error Rates Rise
The USDA is seeing more errors in SNAP payments. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The combined payment error rate for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments went from 7.3 percent in fiscal year 2019 to 11.5 percent in fiscal year 2022. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) says from 2022 to 2022, states were providing pandemic-related …
Challenges for House Ag Labor Working Group
Congress is looking into farm labor needs around the nation, but it is a challenging task. The House Agriculture Committee recently announced the creation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group (see news release below), which will focus on the workforce issues faced by agricultural producers around the nation. Congressman and farmer Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01) says the current system needs …
Farmers’ Share of July Fourth Food Dollar Continues to Shrink
That meal you enjoyed on the Fourth isn’t paying farmers what it used to. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The National Farmers Union (NFU) released the 2023 numbers for the Farmers’ Share of the Food Dollar Report covering several items typically found at a Fourth of July cookout. The NFU says every year, the troubling trend of …
Ice Cream Still a Summertime Favorite
Americans continue to beat the summertime heat with foods from the freezer section. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Every year, many Americans beat the summer heat with frozen treats and this year is no exception. July is National Ice Cream Month. President Ronald Reagan, in 1984, signed a Proclamation designating July as National Ice Cream Month, and …
Cherries Abundant for Independence Day
Great news for those adding cherries to the Fourth of July menu. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The summertime treat of fresh cherries is abundant for this Independence Day. The USDA forecast for sweet cherries this season is expected to be about 371 million tons, which is a 60 percent increase from last year. The USDA National …
AgNet Weekly: Dr. Margaret Worthington on New EPA Regulations for Gene Editing
Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added to the workload and waiting time for those breeders. Dr. Margaret Worthington is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and she believes …