The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a request for referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Program (soy checkoff) during a four-week period, from May 5 through May 30, 2014. This referendum is authorized under the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act. The request for referendum will determine whether U.S. soybean producers want a referendum on the …
Vilsack and Farm Workers Want Immigration Reform
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined United Farm Workers president Arturo Rodriguez and Nisei Farmers League President Manuel Cunha on a conference call Monday to discuss the importance of commonsense immigration reform for California’s agriculture economy and rural communities. “There’s no more important state to agriculture than the state of California,” said Vilsack. “It is a farm economy that is very …
USDA Releases 2012 Ag Census Results
The 2012 Census of Agriculture released today by the USDA reveals less farms and new trends. The census reveals there are now 3.28 million farmers operating 2.1 million farms on 914.5 million acres of farmland across the United States. Those numbers are all lower than 2007 when the census reported 3.18 million farmers, 2.2 million farms and 922 million acres. …
End of the USDA Telephone Newsline
This week will mark the end of an era as the USDA Radio Newsline will no longer be available via the telephone starting tomorrow. I can remember recording that newsline on a reel-to-reel machine just like this one when I first started in the business back in 1980. At that time, the newsline was also sent out on small reel-to-reel …
NASS Census Division Director at NAMA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it will publish the 2012 Census of Agriculture full report on May 2. The announcement was made this week as NASS Census and Survey Division Director Renee Picanso was attending the National Agri-Marketing Association conference in Jacksonville, Florida. “Agribusinesses are highly represented here and they are definitely big users …
Deputy Sec. of Ag Stresses Need for Communication
The Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Hardin addresses the crowd during the Ag Day banquet. Her words push us to communicate beyond ourselves and connect the dots for those across the country who have yet to hear the good news about agriculture. “Most of you who know me, know that I am a farmers daughter. That is my first identity. …
Corn Growers: Plantings Down, But Plenty of Stocks
This year’s corn plantings are expected to be down this year, but growers say there will be plenty of stockpiles for all needs. While soybean plantings are expected to be a record, the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture figures show that American farmers expect to plant 3.7 million fewer acres of corn this year, down four percent from 2013. But …
USDA Forecasts Record Soybean Plantings
According to the USDA 2014 Prospective Plantings report released today, farmers are intending to plant an estimated 81.5 million acres of soybeans in 2014, up six percent from last year and an all-time record high if realized, surpassing the previous record of 77.5 million acres planted in 2009. Planted acreage intentions for soybeans are up or unchanged in all states …
Agri-Pulse Kicks Off National Agriculture Week
The National Agriculture Day celebration in Washington DC has events spread across three days – and really it should be more because it is officially National Agriculture Week. We started it all off with a bang, thanks to the Farm to Fork politics session sponsored by our friends with Agri-Pulse, who are celebrating their 10th anniversary of business this year …
Vilsack at NFU Announces Small Farmer Help
During an appearance at the National Farmers Union (NFU) convention in Santa Fe, New Mexico today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced new and expanded efforts to connect smaller farmers and ranchers with USDA resources that can “help them build stronger businesses, expand to reach new and larger markets, and grow their operations.” In a press conference from the NFU convention …