The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the establishment of a National Incident Coordination Center to provide direct support to producers whose animals cannot move to market as a result of processing plant closures. Additional details are available on the USDA website. R-CALF USA along with some of its members has launched a …
Animal Ag News 4/20
With the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on so many Americans, Zoetis is recognizing the resilience of cattle producers and initiating a special fundraising initiative to support those in need. Zoetis is asking cow/calf producers to submit inspiring pictures or videos at CalvingSeason.com to celebrate the commitment of cattle producers, and in turn, every submission will raise money to …
USDA Announces Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
Late Friday U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced a new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of our food supply chain, and ensure …
Precision Ag News 4/15
The Partnership for Ag Resource Management, a nonprofit project, has been working with agricultural retailers for almost a decade to increase sales of products and services that retain nutrients on fields and out of waterways. For the first time this year, the annual survey report incorporated the economic savings of these loss reductions per practice. View the full report for …
Analysis Shows U.S. Agriculture Reducing Emissions
American agriculture is more environmentally sustainably than ever. A new analysis of updated data from both USDA and EPA shows U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to reduce per-unit greenhouse gas emissions. All told, the U.S. agricultural sector accounts for less than 10% of total U.S. emissions. That’s less than the emissions from the transportation, electricity generation and industrial sectors. Globally, …
Hog Farmers Face COVID-19 Financial Crisis
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) held a press conference Tuesday to outline the impact COVID-19 is having on the industry, causing hog values to plummet, and the immediate relief they are requesting from the administration and Congress. NPPC identified several measures federal policy makers could take to help the industry, including purchasing $1 billion in pork to clear out …
Alltech Releases Series on COVID-19 and Agriculture
To help colleagues, customers and the global agricultural community confronting COVID-19, Alltech has created a special discussion series, Forging the Future of the Farm & Food Chain. The free, on-demand series features experts from around the world as they share their insights into how the global pandemic is affecting the agriculture industry’s present and future. The series consists of presentations …
Animal Ag News 4/13
Extreme volatility in livestock markets is raising red flags across the country, leading the American Farm Bureau to urge the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to leave no stone unturned as they monitor and analyze market activity. In a letter sent last week to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, R-CALF USA urged …
Dairy Checkoff Helping Producers Weather COVID-19
Leaders of the dairy checkoff are working to help U.S. dairy farmers during these challenging times. Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff on behalf of 35,000 farmers, has prioritized work focused on three key areas: schools, hunger and foodservice and industry partnerships. Leaders outlined a shift in its business plan in a letter to USDA Secretary …
Animal Ag News 4/6
More than 2,000 COVID-19 sampling kits will soon be on their way to hospitals across the state, thanks to Aggie innovation and ingenuity. Viral sampling kits — usually used on pigs, cows and chickens — are being repurposed to test humans by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station. The sampling kits are being assembled from lab …