USDA’s BioPreferred Program continues to grow as technology brings more and more new products to the market. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in our part of the supply chain. I’m here today exhibiting and sharing information and education and outreach about the BioPreferred Program,” said Kate Lewis, deputy program manager. Lewis exhibited at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. …
Ibach Visits Pork Expo
USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach addressed pork producers at a World Pork Expo luncheon Wednesday. Topics Ibach addressed that are of particular interest to the pork industry included animal health, biotechnology, gene editing and trade issues. He also talked about farm bill negotiations and establishing a vaccine bank for livestock producers. Listen to or download …
USDA’s Northey Kicks Off Alltech ONE18
After the opening entertainment, USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey was first to take the stage Monday morning at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. He was just discussing the issue of agricultural trade with China when President Trump tweeted “China has agreed to buy massive amounts of ADDITIONAL Farm/Agricultural Products – would be one of the best …
Fordyce Named USDA FSA Administrator
Former Missouri Department of Agriculture director Richard Fordyce has been selected to serve as Administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). In his role, Fordyce will provide leadership for FSA and its mission to support agricultural production across America through a network of over 2,100 county and 50 state offices. “As a fourth-generation farmer, Richard brings firsthand knowledge and …
New USDA Program for Producers Hit by Hurricanes
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details this week on eligibility for a new USDA disaster program, 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP). USDA will also provide $340 million through a block grant to the State of Florida specifically for Hurricane Irma losses to citrus production expected during the 2018 through the 2020 crop year to provide reimbursement …
Farmer Share of Food Dollar Dropped Again in 2016
According to the USDA-ERS Food Dollar Series, “For every dollar spent in 2016 in the U.S. on domestically produced food (food dollar), U.S. farmers sold 14.8 cents of farm products to non-farm establishments (farm share), down from 15.5 cents in 2015. The farm share is at its lowest recorded level between the years 1993 and 2016.” Some additional points of …
Perdue Celebrates Anniversary With Senate Ag Committee
Tuesday was the first anniversary for Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture and he spent it briefing the Senate Agriculture Committee on The State of Rural America. “It’s a fascinating job,” said Perdue. “Even more broad and vast and deep and wide and impactful than I could have ever imagined.” Most of the questioning for the secretary revolved around trade …
Launch of E-Connectivity Listening Sessions
This morning U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue provided opening remarks to a coalition of stakeholders to launch a series of regional listening sessions targeting the expansion of broadband access in rural America. You can watch the recording here or listen below. USDA has had programs for years to assist with local and regional broadband efforts but there is still …
The U.S. Soybean in Southeast Asia
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Chris Rittgers has called Jakarta, Indonesia home for nearly a year, but is a veteran when it comes to the role of agricultural counselor. Prior to this three-year position, Rittgers worked for the USDA in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Malaysia, Iraq, Egypt and Spain. Naturally, he was the perfect person to share the role of Indonesia …
Farmers Intend to Plant Less Corn and Soybeans in 2018
U.S. farmers are expected to plant more soybean acres than corn but overall intentions are down slightly from the record year in 2017, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant an estimated 89.0 million acres of soybeans and 88.0 million acres of …