The Director of USDA’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture Sonny Ramaswamy gave a presentation on “Setting the Table for a Hotter, Flatter, More Crowded Earth” during the opening general session at the ASTA CSS 2013 on Thursday with a focus on how public sector research and private sector support need to work together to feed our growing population. Ramaswamy …
NASS Talks Crop Numbers and Census at NAFB
Representatives from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) were on hand at NAFB Trade Talk last month to discuss the 2013 crop and the 2012 census. The 2013 harvest is considered completed at this point and Lance Honig with NASS says with a record corn crop and near record soybean crop forecast it’s turned out to be a pretty good …
USDA’s Drive in Support of Rural Communities
USDA Rural Development was on hand during last week’s NAFB Trade Talk to share their work with rural communities across the United States and promote the use of #MyFarmBill. I spoke with Colleen Callahan, Illinois State Director for Rural Development, during the event and she was eager to express their commitment to rural communities and their passion for brining value …
Ag Secretary Visits NAFB
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made a trip to Kansas City to visit with farm broadcasters during the 70th National Association of Farm Broadcasting Annual Convention. The Secretary centered his comments around the RFS announcement, record levels of exports, drought issues and of course, the farm bill. Vilsack started off by thanking all the farm broadcaster for the work that they do …
14 Billion Bushels of Corn!
Despite all the challenges that faced farmers this season, the nation’s corn crop is on track to be a record high 14.0 billion bushels, according to the new crop production report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS revised the planted corn acreage downward in the new report, but increased the yield estimate …
USDA Farm to School Census
So more schools are buying local farm products to serve in their cafeterias according to a USDA survey. That’s a good thing I guess. As a parent I’m more concerned that my kids eat good healthy food. I know this USDA program is part of their efforts to help fight child obesity and hunger. I just don’t see that being …
Cancellation and Postponement of USDA Reports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) have cancelled or postponed publication of selected USDA statistical reports impacted by the lapse in federal funding. NASS’s Crop Production and Cotton Ginnings reports and the WAOB’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) scheduled for October 11th are canceled. The …
FAPRI: New Farm Bills Have a Lot in Common
Now that the House has named members for a farm bill conference committee and agreed to actually go to conference with the Senate, there is renewed hope that we may yet see a new five year farm bill. All they have to do now is work out the differences between the two versions. Pat Westhoff, the Director of the Food …
USDA Confirms No Reports on Friday
The USDA website is down, no Twitter or Facebook, so the only official word that the big reports due out this week comes by email to those who ask. “USDA will not issue a WASDE report this week due to the lapse in federal funding,” said agency media contact Courtney Rowe by email in response to an email asking for …
USDA Website Shuts Down with Government
Okay, so the government is shut down because Congress is unable to play nice together and find compromise – but why would that shut the USDA website down? I checked out a few other government sites – including EPA, Energy, FDA, the White House and Congress – and none of them are shut down. I can understand not updating, but …