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Category Archives: United States Department of Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new policy designed to allow farmers to take land out of a conservation program early if it is to be transferred to the next generation of farmers. Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Lanon Baccam says beginning Jan. 9, the USDA will offer an early termination opportunity for certain Conservation Reserve Program contracts.
OK, the grain market bulls, after a festive feast in the first session after Christmas, did not come back for seconds in early trading on Wednesday. But at least futures held on to nearly all the gains made in the last session, which were substantial, at more than 4% in Chicago wheat for March, for example.
In America, hard work and perseverance are considered to be among the greatest virtues. And when it comes to symbolizing that concept -- harvesting the fruits of one's labor as well as showing real grit and determination -- it's hard to beat an American icon: the farmer.
"What if school lunchtime was more than just a wait in line and a race to find a seat and eat, but instead was more like a traditional family meal a time when friends gather to enjoy their food, engage in meaningful conversation, build relationships and gain important life skills?" That's the question posed by the principal of a Minneapolis public elementary school in a blog posted Tuesday on the Agriculture Department website. The principal explains that her school decided to abandon the typical chaotic and impersonal lunchroom experience and create a family-style dining program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Dec. 20 that it would publish its final rule allowing lemon imports from areas of Argentina into the U.S. Its pest risk assessment and three site visits, most recently in September, led the agency to conclude that a systems approach requiring registration, monitoring, treatment and traceability protocols for production and packinghouses, among other measures, would reduce the risk of introducing Argentine pests into the U.S. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent the rule to the Federal Register, to take effect 30 days after publication.
The only thing that now supports the soybean futures price above $10, is the expected weather problems in Argentina and Brazil. But, in my opinion, the market's belief in that this will actually happen is beginning to fade.
The USDA has proposed removing the burden of proof from farmers who wish to sue meat packers for unfair practices. Farmers and trade groups disagree on whether the proposed rule changes could harm or help small farmers.
On November 29, CBP Agriculture Specialists discovered remnants of a khapra beetle in a cargo shipment at the Blue Water Bridge. A shipment of split and washed "moong dal" beans from India was targeted as a high risk of pest infection.
But look back 40 years and it's easy to see the evolution of Americans' eating habits. Our eating habits are "all over the place," according to a recent Pew Research study of USDA data collected over the past four decades.
In a letter to the USDA's Office of Inspector General, The Cornucopia Institute has requested an independent audit of the National Organic Program , charging a multiplicity of illegal actions and inactions. The Wisconsin-based farm policy research group alleges that the National Organic Program has failed to enforce the laws governing organic agriculture, thereby allowing multinational corporate agribusinesses to squeeze out family-scale farmers, compromising the integrity of the organic label.
The entire organic community of the United States just won a massive victory that many may not yet even realize. Even though the DARK Act was passed by Obama and some Senate goons to prohibit labeling of GMOs nationwide, the US Court of Appeals just passed a law that enables states and counties to completely ban genetically engineered crops from ever being planted in the first place.
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: The Newberry County Literacy Council offers basic computer classes at its office, 1121 Caldwell St. in Newberry. The free class covers topics including Microsoft Office, Publisher, emailing and Internet.
Attention Bell, Clay, Harlan, Knox, and Whitley County producers - Farm Service Agency will provide a new financing option to help you purchase portable storage and handling equipment. County Executive Director Megan Moore explains, "The loans, which now include a smaller microloan option with lower down payments and attractive interest rates, are designed to help our producers grow their businesses and markets.
A total of 1,993,528 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products are being recalled by National Steak and Poultry as an expansion of an earlier recall. The Owasso, OK, establishment is recalling the products because of "possible undercooking, resulting in the potential survival of bacterial pathogens in the products," according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in a Sunday news release .
Arkansas farmers have received $370.7 million in federal "safety net" payments for losses in 2015, an increase of 73.9 percent from the year before, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In comparison, for losses in the 2014 farm year, Arkansas farmers received $213.2 million through Sept.
Dec.16 is deadline for New Mexico producers to sign up for specific NRCS programs. Producers need to receive a farm and tract number from the Farm Service Agency by the application deadline.
The UK grain trade has experienced a, to put it politely, 'extremely unusual' week following the announcement that Donald Trump will be the next US President on Wednesday morning. The news shocked both the world and the global commodity markets, the UK grain market included.
Plenty of Arizonans concerned about animal welfare might be willing to spend a bit extra this Thanksgiving for turkeys raised in humane conditions, but they won't necessarily get what they pay for. Turkey labels: Consumers often pay extra for nothing Plenty of Arizonans concerned about animal welfare might be willing to spend a bit extra this Thanksgiving for turkeys raised in humane conditions, but they won't necessarily get what they pay for.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that the U.S. Forest Service has identified an additional 36 million dead trees across California since its last aerial survey in May 2016. This brings the total number of dead trees since 2010 to over 102 million on 7.7 million acres of California's drought stricken forests.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has named three individuals who will take on leadership roles as the U.S. Department of Agriculture continues the reorganization announced on May 11, 2017 . In accordance with a directive in the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA created a new Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs as part of a realignment of several mission areas.