After a what seemed to be a never-ending labor process, Congress has finally delivered a new farm bill – well past its 2012 due date. Everyone has something to say about the overdue bill, so we’ll take the releases in the order they came. First to pass out cigars is the American Soybean Association (ASA). “We are relieved and pleased …
USDA Offers California Drought Help
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced USDA is making $20 million available for agricultural water conservation efforts throughout California to combat the effects of drought. “This $20 million will be directed to drought mitigation, focused on improving irrigation efficiency, providing producers resources to stabilize fallow ground and to assist with watering facilities and grazing distribution,” said Vilsack during a press …
USDA Student Diversity Pgm. Winners
Thirty students were selected to attend USDA’s 2014 Agricultural Outlook Forum, titled “The Changing Face of Agriculture,” to be held Feb. 20- 21, 2014, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. Twenty university juniors and seniors were chosen on the basis of their essays on “Agriculture as a Career,” and 10 graduate students were selected for their response …
Partnership For Farming Entrepreneurs
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and The Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Global Social Enterprise Initiative (GSEI) recently announced a partnership to help strengthen rural America. The multi-year collaboration will address solutions to building greater economic opportunity and security for those who live in rural communities, starting with a program involving the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative to advance rural …
Ag Secretary Vilsack Speaks to AFBF
This morning’s general session at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention featured a speech by our U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Yes, he spoke about the farm bill and the need for Congress to pass a new one. Interestingly, he also told us a personal story about being an orphan. Through his adopted father’s side of the family he’s …
Sonny Ramaswamy at ASTA CSS 2013
The Director of USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture Sonny Ramaswamy gave a presentation on “Setting the Table for a Hotter, Flatter, More Crowded Earth” during the opening general session at the ASTA CSS 2013 on Thursday with a focus on how public sector research and private sector support need to work together to feed our growing population. Ramaswamy …
NASS Talks Crop Numbers and Census at NAFB
Representatives from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) were on hand at NAFB Trade Talk last month to discuss the 2013 crop and the 2012 census. The 2013 harvest is considered completed at this point and Lance Honig with NASS says with a record corn crop and near record soybean crop forecast it’s turned out to be a pretty good …
USDA’s Drive in Support of Rural Communities
USDA Rural Development was on hand during last week’s NAFB Trade Talk to share their work with rural communities across the United States and promote the use of #MyFarmBill. I spoke with Colleen Callahan, Illinois State Director for Rural Development, during the event and she was eager to express their commitment to rural communities and their passion for brining value …
Ag Secretary Visits NAFB
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made a trip to Kansas City to visit with farm broadcasters during the 70th National Association of Farm Broadcasting Annual Convention. The Secretary centered his comments around the RFS announcement, record levels of exports, drought issues and of course, the farm bill. Vilsack started off by thanking all the farm broadcaster for the work that they do …
14 Billion Bushels of Corn!
Despite all the challenges that faced farmers this season, the nation’s corn crop is on track to be a record high 14.0 billion bushels, according to the new crop production report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS revised the planted corn acreage downward in the new report, but increased the yield estimate …