The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says veterinary shortages are threatening animal health, public health and the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers. The association Wednesday urged Congress to help address the issue by passing legislation called the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act. Data from the Department of Agriculture shows that 187 regions in the United States currently suffer …
USDA, FDA Announce Formal Agreement to Bolster Coordination and Collaboration
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. announced at the White House a formal agreement aimed at making the oversight of food more efficient and effective by bolstering coordination between the two agencies. The formal agreement outlines efforts to increase interagency collaboration, efficiency and effectiveness on produce safety and biotechnology activities, while providing clarity to manufacturers. …
Program Helps Create Distributed Wind Projects
The Department of Agriculture’s renewable energy development assistance program helps bring wind energy to the farm. The program seeks to increase energy independence by increasing the private sector supply of renewable energy, such as distributed wind, while decreasing the demand for energy through efficiency. Over time, these investments can also help lower energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers. …
Organic Groups Want Livestock Standards in Place
The USDA recently announced it would be withdrawing a series of organic livestock standards that were put into place during the Obama administration. Organic groups across the country are not happy with the move. John Siemon, CEO of the Wisconsin-based Organic Valley Cooperative, says one of the most important things the standards addressed was animal welfare. The battle over the …
USDA Principles a Great Start for Farm Bill
With the release of USDA’s farm bill principles, agriculture has a path forward regarding what to expect in the next farm bill. While USDA cannot write policy, AFBF public policy executive director Dale Moore says that the action by the Secretary Sonny Perdue sets the tone moving forward. Tone Moore says the principles outlined by Secretary Perdue mirror the farm …
USDA Names 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum Student Diversity Program Winners
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the selection of 30 university students who will attend USDA’s 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), as winners of the USDA Student Diversity Program. These undergraduate and graduate students will receive a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., capped off by their attendance at the AOF, the USDA’s largest annual meeting, held Feb. 22-23 …
USDA Helped Improve Essential Services for 7 Million Rural Residents in 2017
Funding Supports Schools, Libraries, Municipal Centers, First Responder Vehicles and Equipment, Other Community Needs Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that USDA invested in nearly 400 projects to provide essential services for more than 7 million people in rural areas across the country in Fiscal Year 2017. “Partnering with our small towns and cities to support essential services that rural residents …
Millennials Spend Less Per-Person on Groceries
Recent data released by the Department of Agriculture shows that millennials are spending less per-person at the grocery store. A recent analysis by USDA’s Economic Research Service of 2014 grocery store data found that compared to older generations, millennial-headed households spent the least per person on food at home. However, like the other generations analyzed, millennial households with higher incomes …
NPPC Commends USDA for Maintaining Essential Livestock Market Programs
Two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs critical to the continuity of livestock market operations will continue during the current federal government shutdown. The Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program, managed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, is the sole source of market information on sales to packers of cattle, swine and lambs and on the subsequent sale of meat products. Inspection …
Secretary Perdue Outlines USDA Services in the Event of a Government Shutdown
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today outlined U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services available in the event of a government shutdown. “USDA is committed to safeguarding life and property through the critical services we provide – and should the government shut down, we will continue to do just that,” said Secretary Perdue. “I am proud of each USDA employee …