President Trump welcomed new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on his first day in office for a White House “Farmers Roundtable” and the signing of an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. During the signing, President Trump commented on the current trade dispute with Canada over dairy product pricing. “(w)here the dairy farmers up …
Ag Unites – Now Time for Business
As Monday came to a close, news in ag circles was still streaming in. We now have a leader at the USDA and agricultural organizations have welcomed the news of the confirmation of George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III as the next Secretary of Agriculture. But this appointment comes with a long list of to-dos. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy …
It’s a Sonny Day for America
The U.S. Senate has formally confirmed the nomination of George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III to serve as the 31st Secretary of Agriculture. The final vote was 87 to 11. Agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator, and governor of Georgia, Perdue worked on the family farm in central Georgia andn will be only the fourth agriculture secretary who can claim to have been …
USDA Gearing up for 2017 Census
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is gearing up for 2017 Census of Agriculture, which will be mailed to all known farmers and ranchers in the nation at the end of this year. The census is conducted every five years by and is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches and those who operate them. “The Census of Agriculture remains …
Wet Weather Delays Corn Planting
Many planters around the Corn Belt were sitting idle last week as wet weather continued to delay planting progress at the start of the season, much to the dismay of farmers anxious to get into the fields. The latest crop progress report from USDA this week shows corn planting progress at six percent falling behind last year at this time …
#Plant17 Progress Underway
#Plant17 is officially underway now with the latest crop progress report issued yesterday from USDA. Corn planting at three percent nationwide as of April 9 is a point behind last year at this time but exactly on target with five-year average. Texas, where National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Wesley Spurlock farms, is well ahead of both last year and …
Senate Urged to Vote as USDA Remains in Limbo
With the Senate in the midst of contentious debate over Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, agricultural interests are begging the Senate leadership to take a few minutes this week to confirm Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture before recessing for spring break. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) sent a letter to Senate …
More Beans and Cotton, Less Corn and Wheat
The first estimate for crop plantings this year by USDA is calling for less corn and wheat but more soybeans and cotton. The 2017 Prospective Plantings report based on farmer surveys estimates that corn planted area for all purposes in 2017 will be 90 million acres, down 4 percent or 4.0 million acres from last year. Soybeans planted area for …
Perdue Moves Toward Confirmation
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry today moved the Trump Administration one step closer to a full cabinet by voting to favorably report nominee Sonny Perdue to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, which means he will now be considered by the full Senate for confirmation. Committee chairman Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) is pleased Perdue’s nomination is …
Perdue Gets His Ag Secretary Hearing
Accompanied by his four children and 14 grandchildren, former Georgia Governor Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III finally had his confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee Thursday and will hopefully be confirmed shortly. “I know there was some anxiety over whether there would be a secretary of agriculture nominee,” Perdue began. “I must say with all the humility I can muster …