Ethanol stakeholders were hopeful that an announcement would be made on Friday about how EPA will deal with the recent court ruling on small refinery exemptions, but Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says they are anxiously awaiting that decision. “We don’t know what exactly what EPA is going to do, but we know what they should …
#Classic20 Gives Secretary Sonny a Warm Welcome
Thousands of farmers from across the country welcomed Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue with open arms Friday during the general session of the 2020 Commodity Classic as he was introduced by a video message from President Donald Trump. “That’s the real deal,” Perdue said about the president’s message. “I can assure you, that wasn’t political speak, that’s him true and …
Friday is Deadline to Schedule CRP Signup Appointment
Tomorrow is the deadline for agricultural producers and private landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 2020 general signup to make an offer of acres or schedule an appointment to do so with their local USDA service center. The general signup is available to producers and private landowners who are either offering for the first time or re-offering acres …
Secretary Perdue Announces New Innovation Initiative
At the start of USDA’s 2020 Agriculture Outlook Forum on Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, a new initiative to stimulate innovation so American agriculture can achieve the goal of increasing production by 40 percent while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. Secretary Perdue outlined the four components of the …
Crop Insurance Update from USDA RMA at CIRB
USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Martin Barbre gave an update to Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) members during their annual meeting last week. One of the big topics of discussion was the recently announced availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. “We’re trying to get to a level where we can insure producers’ …
USDA’s McKinney Optimistic About Ethanol Exports
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney says he will leave “no stone unturned” in his quest to increase U.S. agricultural exports, including ethanol. McKinney spoke to the Renewable Fuels Association National Ethanol Conference Wednesday about the markets where he sees the most potential for ethanol, including China, Mexico, Brazil, and India. Listen to his remarks: …
USDA Announces Hemp Crop Insurance Details
USDA has announced the availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. A pilot hemp insurance program through Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) provides coverage against loss of yield because of insurable causes of loss for hemp grown for fiber, grain or Cannabidiol (CBD) oil and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage protects against losses …
USDA Secretary Chats with NCBA President
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue sat down with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Jennifer Houston on Wednesday to talk about issues important to the thousands of cattle industry representatives attending the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, in San Antonio, TX. The new trade deal with China and the signing of USMCA were big topics of discussion, …
USDA Trains Dogs to Hunt Citrus Greening
Dogs specially trained by Agriculture Research Service (ARS) scientists have proven to be the most efficient way to detect huanglongbing, better known as citrus greening. Currently, the only solid hope of curtailing the spread of citrus greening is to eliminate trees with the disease as quickly as possible to prevent further spread. Early detection of the citrus greening pathogen is …
Secretary Perdue Press Call from Rome
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has been traveling Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy this week to engage with his counterparts on important issues facing agriculture at home and abroad. The Secretary, along with Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney has been participating in events with government officials and agricultural leaders. As President Trump was preparing to …