Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of new programs that will help farmers who grow fruits, vegetables, and nuts overcome market barriers for their products, and help producers access necessary pre-market storage for their crops following severe weather events, including recent hurricanes. Specifically, the new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops initiative will provide $2 billion to assist specialty crop growers in maintaining a strong domestic supply and expanding market opportunities for their crops. USDA is also creating the Commodity Storage Assistance Program, which will provide $140 million to help producers gain access to a packinghouse, grain elevator, or other facility necessary for the marketing of agricultural commodities. This program is designed for farmers nationwide due to disaster-related challenges, and USDA anticipates high signup rates in the Southeast due to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Debbie, Helene and Milton.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that registration is now open for the 101st Agricultural Outlook Forum. The event, titled “Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges, Today,” will be held at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott on February 27-28, 2025. Additionally, all Forum sessions will be livestreamed on a virtual platform.
American Farm Bureau Federation and other industry coalition members achieved a crucial win that will help farmers across the country. AFBF and its partners were granted a preliminary injunction by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi barring the Department of Labor (DOL) from enforcing its Worker Protection Rule extending unionization rights to H-2A visaholders.
Carah Hart, the elected 2024 National Association of Farm Broadcasting president, and her husband, Nick, welcomed a new baby to their family. Carah has started her maternity leave and her last day as NAFB president was on Wednesday. Jeff Nalley, the 2025 president-elect, is now acting president of NAFB through the end of this year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has appointed five new farmer-leaders to the United Soybean Board (USB) and reappointed 12 others. In total, 17 USB directors and alternates will begin three-year terms, and one director will begin a two-year term. These U.S. soybean farmers, representing 16 states, will be officially sworn in at the USB December Meeting in St. Charles, Missouri, on Dec. 11, 2024.
At their board meeting Nov. 14, 2024, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) directors elected Mike Spier, Vice President of Overseas Operations, as the export market organization’s next President and CEO, effective with the retirement of current President and CEO Vince Peterson on July 1, 2025.
The Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) movement is championing a return to traditional food practices which has been driving a renewed interest in tallow, a nutrient-rich and sustainable fat rendered from beef or sheep. This shift not only supports health-conscious consumers seeking alternatives to industrial seed oils but also offers significant benefits for the rendering industry. Renderers, who transform animal by-products into valuable products like tallow, play a crucial role in reducing waste and promoting sustainability within the agricultural sector.
Representatives from the U.S. Peanut Federation (USPF) traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for assistance needed before the end of this year. During the trip, USPF representatives met with Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as well as senior agricultural staff, to engage in discussions on economic assistance, natural disaster assistance and the Farm Bill.
Join the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City on Wednesday, December 4, for the Council’s Annual Meeting at the Grand Street Café, featuring Mike Seyfert of the National Grain and Feed Association.
The Unexpected Acre, a docu-series featuring Bushel co-founder Ryan Raguse, has just released its latest episode, focused on harvest. The series, which launched in April 2024, follows Raguse as he takes over his family’s farm in Wheaton, MN. Now, with the release of the harvest episode, audiences are getting a firsthand look at the culmination of a season spent growing corn, soybeans, and alfalfa.
The Sustainable and Responsible Business team at Syngenta is excited to announce its collaboration with Ducks Unlimited (DU), highlighting employees’ commitment to conservation agriculture. In Spring 2024, Syngenta and DU developed a contest for sharing employee stories and recognizing their leadership in conservation. Qualifying employees had the opportunity to showcase a range of projects related to their personal, educational, on-farm, or operational projects, with the grand prize winner securing two tickets to experience a “Concert for Conservation” in Las Vegas, Nevada, a Ducks Unlimited exclusive event. Six other contest winners received a one-year DU membership and the opportunity to participate in a field tour with DU agriculture specialists – an experience for forging new relationships and deepening existing ones.
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences announced the launch of a brand-new ACES Online website — a major step forward in making the exceptional educational opportunities from the College of ACES more accessible than ever before. ACES Online is designed with the needs of lifelong learners in mind, offering flexible and engaging programs that allow you to expand your skills and advance your career from anywhere in the world.
