USDA Awards More Processing Plant Grants

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Thursday more than $35 million in grants to 15 independent meat processors in 12 states to increase processing capacity, the final installment in the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) launched in 2022. Over $325 million total investment in 74 independent meat and poultry processing projects have been awarded. Joining Sec. Vilsack in making …

AgWired Animal, Audio, Beef, Farm Bill, Meat, Poultry, USDA

ZimmCast 733 – Farm Bill and AMS

Chuck Zimmerman

Although Cindy and I got a little break from the agriblogging highway things got busy again. In this episode I’m going to share a few interviews that have a focus on a new Farm Bill. What do you think? Is it still possible this year or will it be sometime in 2025? You will hear different thoughts from Ted McKinney, …

ACN, Ag Media Summit, Audio, Farm Bill, LPC, Media, politics, ZimmCast

Farm Financial Conditions are Rough

Cindy Zimmerman

The House Agriculture Committee convened a hearing Tuesday to hear from farmers and rural lenders about the state of financial conditions in farm country. Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) painted a depressing picture in his opening remarks. “Declining prices and cash receipts, escalating natural disasters, and increasing input costs have created a perfect storm that will compromise the foundation of …

Audio, Corn, Farm Bill, NCGA

House Ag Member Still Optimistic for 2024 Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

Republican Congressman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma still thinks it’s possible to get a farm bill before the end of 2024. “I don’t want to wait personally for January to do the farm bill… I want to do the farm bill as soon as possible,” the senior member of the House Agriculture Committee told the Southern Peanut Growers Conference on Friday …

Audio, Farm Bill, Peanuts, SPGC

USDA Awards $300 Million for Ag Export Growth

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was joined by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to announce the allocation of $300 million to 66 U.S. organizations under the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) to build demand for American food and farm exports in diverse markets around the world. RAPP was launched in October 2023, authorizing $1.2 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funding …

Audio, Exports, Farm Bill, USDA

Future of Food & Farming Focus on Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

“All Crop Rows Lead to Washington” was the title of a Wednesday panel discussion on the National Mall led by Kip Eideberg of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) with Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and David Rouzer (R-NC). The topic was the farm bill and its importance to rural America and the nation as a whole. The panel was part …

AEM, AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Bill

Grassley Urges Schumer to Put Farm Bill on the Agenda

Cindy Zimmerman

Senate Agriculture Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is calling on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats to put the farm bill on the Senate agenda. In a letter to Schumer, Grassley pointed out that of the 17 items Schumer outlined for Senate action, the Farm Bill was missing. Grassley is urging the Majority Leader to hold true to …

Audio, Farm Bill

Senate Ag Committee Leaders Say Farm Bill is Possible

Cindy Zimmerman

The Ranking Member and Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee are still holding out hope for a new farm bill this year. A Slido poll at the beginning of the Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit Monday showed more than 80 percent of attendees believed there would not be a farm bill this year. Ranking Member Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) …

Agri-Pulse, Audio, Farm Bill, politics