Farm and ranch families from across the nation donated 31 million pounds of food and raised $425,879 to help fight hunger and assist in other community service outreach in 2023 through Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program. Combined, the monetary and food donations totaled the equivalent of 26 million meals.
The winner of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Collegiate Discussion Meet is Ella McLerran of Tennessee. She was awarded the top prize following a discussion on Farm Bureau’s role and future direction in welcoming and engaging diverse agricultural communities. McLerran is a senior studying animal science – animal industries at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She will receive her degree in December.
President Joe Biden released a proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget that fully funds the Federal crop insurance program in recognition of the indispensable role that crop insurance plays in the farm safety net. The budget states that the “administration supports improvements to crop insurance, proactively managing risk from natural hazards, including the permanent authorization of the cover crop incentive program.”
The World Food Prize Foundation has announced a new series titled DialogueNEXT which will be held at the U.S. Institute of Peace on March 26, 2024. The entire day will be dedicated to highlighting the critical role of women in global food security under the theme Seeds of Equity: Women Driving Growth and Innovation in Agriculture and feature a special collaboration with Roots of Peace, the organization of 2023 World Food Prize Laureate Heidi Kühn.
Join the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute on April 3 for the 10th annual Womack Agricultural Outlook Conference and FAPRI’s 40th anniversary. The conference will include discussions on the agricultural market outlook, policy issues, and other topics important to Missouri agriculture. There is no cost to attend, however registration is required.
It’s time for the 2024 Livestock Publication Council awards contest! Find rules, fees, deadlines, entry instructions and other information here. Response to the new categories in 2023 was excellent and hope you’ll take a look at all available categories before entering to see all of the categories that might fit your work. Entries open March 8, 2024. Early entries are due by Friday, April 12, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Late entry deadline is Friday, May 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
The Propane Education & Research Council announces a new Double Propane Farm Incentive Program, offering up to $10,000 in savings on eligible propane-powered farm equipment for agricultural operations impacted by the recent Texas wildfires. From now through December 31, 2024, affected producers in Texas and parts of Oklahoma who apply for the Propane Farm Incentive Program can earn double the incentive amount for qualifying propane-powered equipment. Eligible equipment includes irrigation engines, building/water heating systems, power generators, and flame weeding systems. Applications will be verified by zip code and National Weather Service data. Apply now at Propane.com/FarmIncentive.
Delegates to National Farmers Union’s 122nd Anniversary Convention cast a unanimous ballot to reelect Rob Larew and Jeff Kippley as the organization’s President and Vice President, respectively. Each will serve another two-year term. The organization also awarded Bill Zortman of radio station KELO-AM, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the 2024 Milt Hakel Award for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism. Zortman is the host of It’s Your Business, covering business issues for the Sioux Falls community with a strong focus on agriculture. Zortman’s radio program regularly includes a long-running segment featuring South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke, NFU President Rob Larew, NFU Vice President Jeff Kippley and other Farmers Union leaders.
March is National Peanut Month, a time to celebrate one of America’s favorite foods! The Georgia peanut industry kicked off the celebration this week by hosting the 2024 Georgia PB&J Day in Atlanta, Georgia. During the event, the Georgia Peanut Commission and Peanut Proud donated 10,080 jars of peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
Representatives from the U.S. Peanut Federation (USPF) traveled to Washington, D.C. this week for their annual Spring Fly-In. During the trip, USPF representatives met with key members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as well as senior agricultural staff to discuss issues facing the peanut industry today. The USPF Fly-In is essential to connect with Congress about peanut industry priorities, especially since Farm Bill programs are up for reauthorization in 2024.
