Just when the Florida citrus industry was hoping to rebound somewhat from the devastation caused by citrus greening in recent years, Irma came along and blew away a good part of this year’s production. The first citrus forecast for the season from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is calling for the all orange forecast for the 2017-2018 season to 4.34 …
Two More USDA Nominees Get Their Hearing
The Senate Agriculture Committee yesterday heard from nominees Greg Ibach to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Bill Northey to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. “Both Mr. Ibach and Mr. Northey have valuable ‘boots-on-the-ground’ experience. They are both farmers,” said Committee Chairman Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS). “They know what …
Help Finally on the Way for USDA
Over five months after he took office, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue finally has some help on the way. Yesterday, the Senate voted to formally approved the nominations of Stephen Censky as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and Ted McKinney as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. “I am pleased that the U.S. Senate was able to work …
USDA Trade Mission Heading to Brazil
A USDA Foreign Agriculture Service trade mission to São Paulo and Recife, Brazil, is underway this week with leaders from 24 U.S. agribusinesses and trade organizations looking to expand their agricultural exports and further develop their business relationships in Brazil. “Brazil holds significant untapped market potential for U.S. exporters,” said Mark Slupek, deputy administrator of the Office of Trade Programs …
Senate Ag Committee Hears from USDA Nominees
Nine months into the Trump Administration and the Senate Agriculture Committee just held a hearing this week on the first two nominees to help out Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue at the USDA. The committee heard from Stephen Censky, long time CEO of the American Soybean Association nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; and Indiana Director of Agriculture Ted McKinney, …
Corn Progress Lagging
About seven percent of the nation’s corn crop has been harvested so far, but maturity of the crop is running behind average. Less corn acres have reached the dented or mature stage than the five-year average according to the latest USDA crop progress report. With 86 percent of total corn acres dented by September 17 and mature acres at only …
Ag Secretary Surveying Hurricane Damage
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is in Florida today after surveying Hurricane Irma damage in his home state of Georgia last week. In Georgia, Perdue toured pecan farms where thousands of trees were lost and will take years to replace, with estimates that 20-30% of this year’s crop was lost, and also visited with cotton farmers who may have lost …
Ag Secretary Heads Home to Survey Irma Damage
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will travel to Georgia today to see first-hand the damage the Hurricane Irma caused to crops in his home state. “We’ve been in constant contact with Secretary Perdue,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black in an interview this week with Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman. “We swapped some texts and within minutes had confirmation that ‘yes, …
No Hurricane Damage Included in New Crop Report
Two hurricanes in the past two weeks mean that the September Crop Production report is already a bit out of date. Rainfall from Hurricane Harvey caused flooding in parts of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana, impacting data collection activities for the September report, so NASS will collect harvested acreage information in both states for a number of crops in preparation …
Northey and Two More Nominated for USDA Posts
Three more nominations for key posts at USDA were made Friday as Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue remains the only Trump nominee approved in the department. “I’m hoping that the Senate can move very quickly on the ones before them when they get back,” said Perdue during a stop at Farm Progress Show last week. “I need some help and I …