Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has released a list of USDA’s top achievements in 2015 in the areas of trade, food security, conservation, energy, research, rural development, and more. “Even with challenges in 2015, including an unprecedented animal disease outbreak and lower commodity prices, America’s rural communities have proven once again that we are a nation of makers, creators and innovators, …
USDA to Honor Bob Stallman
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning a special day of recognition for outgoing American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president Bob Stallman next month. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden will proclaim January 6 as Bob Stallman Appreciation Day and present an official proclamation in recognition of Stallman’s commitment to strengthening rural American families and communities. …
AFBF Offers Survey to Improve USDA Programs
The American Farm Bureau Federation has launched an online survey to collect feedback from farmers and ranchers about 10 programs being offered from the Agriculture Department. AFBF plans to use the results to create recommendations for the USDA to make its programs better serve growers. Any farmer or rancher is encouraged to take the survey. The process requires about 10 …
USDA Stops Payments to Managers Not Engaged in Farming
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making sure farm safety-net payments are issued only to active managers of farms that operate as joint ventures or general partnerships. The move, exempting family farm operations, closes a loophole where individuals who were not actively part of farm management still received payments. “The federal farm safety-net programs are designed to protect against …
Ag Secretary Comments on Climate Accord
As the announcement came over the weekend that negotiators from nearly 200 countries had approved a landmark climate accord, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack commented on what the deal means for our nation’s farmers and ranchers. “The historic COP21 deal supports a better-nourished, stable, secure future for the United States and every nation,” Vilsack said in a statement. “The benchmarks outlined …
USDA Urged to Enforce Buy American for School Lunches
Fifty agricultural trade associations, farmer co-ops and agribusinesses want the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enforce buy American provision when it comes to school lunches. After an investigative report showed some school districts were spending tax dollars on imported Chinese canned fruit, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives urged Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to strengthen enforcement of the …
USDA: Climate Change to Impede Global Food Security
A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says climate change will likely impede progress on global food security. This news release from USDA says the “Climate Change, Global Food Security and the U.S. Food System” report identifies the risks that climate change poses to global food security and the challenges facing farmers and consumers in adapting to changing …
Globetrotting Ag Secretary
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is continuing his world travels this week in Europe after visiting Cuba, Japan and China in the past few weeks. Vilsack has been in Brussels, Belguim already this week and is heading to Paris now to address international dignitaries and stakeholders on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), climate change, and global food security. While …
#Ag Industry Reacts to @EPA #RFS Final Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the much anticipated final volumetric rules today under the Renewable Fuels Standard for 2014, 2015 and 2016. While the RVOs (renewable volume obligations) were an improvement over the proposed rules released in May of this year, the #Ag industry is calling on the EPA to further strengthen the legislation and further increase all four …
Corn Growers Praise Feds Change on Ag Risk Coverage Rules
Growers on a farm with one or more tracts outside the administrative county now have the option to recalculate Agriculture Risk Coverage-CO benefits based on the farm’s physical location. This news release from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says the Farm Service Agency modification of the rule follows an extensive review of the potential impacts of the previous requirement …