Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been on a five-state “Back to Our Roots” Tour to gather input on the 2018 Farm Bill, meeting with farmers, ranchers, foresters, producers, students, governors, USDA employees, and other stakeholders. This is the first of two RV tours the secretary will undertake this summer. This first RV Tour features stops in five states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, …
Perdue Remarks on Bilateral Talks in Mexico
While meeting with Mexican Secretary of Agriculture José Calzada Rovirosa, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today held a teleconference for U.S. media. The two leaders engaged in bilateral talks, including a panel discussion with U.S. and Mexican producers, several agricultural site visits, and a joint press conference – seeking to build on the U.S. and Mexico’s well-developed track record …
More Relief for Livestock Producers in Drought States
USDA is making the use of additional Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands available for emergency grazing and haying in and around portions of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota affected by severe drought. “We are working to immediately address the dire straits facing drought-stricken farmers and ranchers,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “USDA is fully considering and authorizing any federal …
Two More USDA Appointees Announced
President Donald Trump intends nominate Indiana Agriculture Director Ted McKinney to be USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and former Iowa economics professor Dr. Sam Clovis for Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. McKinney grew up on a family farm in Tipton, Indiana. He began his career at Elanco Products Company in 1981, and in 1990 …
Corn and Soybean Condition Down Slightly
Most of the corn and soybeans around the country remain in good to excellent condition but dry weather is taking a toll in some areas. According to the latest USDA-NASS report, corn condition as of Sunday was rated 64 percent good to excellent and only 11 percent poor to very poor, but South Dakota’s corn is ranked as 38% poor …
Censky Nominated as Deputy Ag Secretary
Over two months since he took office, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is finally getting some nominations to fill USDA positions. Late Thursday, Perdue announced that President Trump has nominated American Soybean Association CEO Stephen Censky to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. “Our work has only just begun in delivering results for the people of American agriculture, and the experience and …
USDA Reports Record High Soybean Acreage, Corn Acres Down
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is estimating a record high 89.5 million acres of soybeans planted in the U.S. for 2017. That’s up seven percent from last year. Corn acres are looking to be down about three percent. All cotton acreage for 2017 is estimated at 12.1 million acres, 20 percent above last year, while all wheat planted …
USDA & NCBA Celebrate U.S. Beef to China
U.S. Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue joined National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Craig Uden for a ceremonial “Cutting of the Prime Rib.” The Nebraska prime rib formally marked the return of U.S. beef to the Chinese market after a 13-year hiatus as part of the U.S.-China 100-Day Action Plan announced by the Trump Administration. The first shipment of U.S. …
Quarterly Hogs & Pigs Report
The Pork Checkoff hosted the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report on Thursday, June 29, 2017. This quarterly teleconference featured three agricultural economists and their reactions to the report. Panelists included: Dr. Lee Schulz, Extension Livestock Economist, Iowa State University Dr. Scott Brown, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia Joe Kerns, President, Kerns & Associates, Ames, IA Reports seemed to …
USDA Halts Imports of Fresh Brazilian Beef
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the suspension of all imports of fresh beef from Brazil because of recurring concerns about the safety of the products intended for the American market. Since March, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has been inspecting 100% of all meat products arriving in the U.S. from Brazil. FSIS has refused entry to …