The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimated11.1 million acres of cotton planted in the United States for 2023, down 19% from 2022, according to the Acreage report (.pdf) released today. Soybean area planted is estimated at 83.5 million acres, down 5% from last year and corn is estimated at 94.1 million acres, up 6% from …
Most Grilling Costs Stay Higher This Summer
We check on the costs of grilling this summer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cheeseburgers will cost more this year for an Independence Day cookout. USDA says that in May 2023, the ingredients for a home-prepared ¼-pound cheeseburger totaled $2.17 per burger, an increase of 10 cents from 2022. Prices for cheeseburger ingredients grew more slowly over …
New EPA Regulations on Gene Editing in Specialty Crops
by Sabrina Halvorson Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added to the workload and waiting time for those in the produce industry. Dr. Margaret Worthington is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas …
USDA Announces Investment in Wildlife Conservation
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing in wildlife conservation. That’s coming up on This land of Ours. The USDA this week expanded wildlife conservation investments by $500 million over the next five years. The effort leverages all available conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), through its Working Lands for Wildlife effort. The commitments will ramp up the …
India Trade Agreement Good for Producers Around U.S.
by Sabrina Halvorson The U.S. and India have agreed to resolve six trade disputes including the removal of retaliatory tariffs on American ag exports. The two counties agreed to terminate six outstanding disputes at the World Trade Organization. India also agreed to remove retaliatory tariffs, which it had imposed in response to the U.S. Section 232 national security measures on …
USDA Approves Lab-Grown Chicken
Lab-grown chicken may soon be on the menu. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA gave two startup companies the go-ahead to sell the country’s first lab-grown chicken products. GOOD Meat, a subsidiary of food tech company Eat Just, Inc., and UPSIDE Foods will be allowed to sell their products that have been cultivated from real animal …
Mexico Adds 50% Tariff to White Corn from U.S.
by Sabrina Halvorson It’s another chapter in the Mexico-GMO Corn saga. Mexico has taken another step in preventing GMO corn from other nations from entering that country. It’s put in place a 50 percent tariff on US white corn imports through December. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said it’s one of the issues the US is pursuing through a US-Mexico-Canada …
USDA Supporting American Producers, School Meals, and Emergency Operations
The USDA is putting more money in the pot for school meals. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is providing $2.7 billion to support American farmers, students participating in school meal programs, and emergency food operations. Almost $1.3 billion goes to states to purchase food to be distributed to schools for their …
USDA Announces Investment for Underserved Producers
Investing in underserved producers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture Thursday announced its selection of 50 projects for potential award, totaling approximately $300 million, for underserved producers funding. The projects will help improve access to land, capital, and markets for underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. The funding comes from the Increasing Land, Capital, …
AgNet Weekly: Rep Dan Kildee on Mexico, GMO Corn, and the USMCA
Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI-08) says if Mexico’s president wanted to restrict GMO corn from the U.S., the time to do that was more than three years ago, before he agreed to the terms of the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Sabrina Halvorson talks with the congressman to get insight into the trade dispute. Each week we highlight essential legislative and policy conversations …