An internal USDA Greening Update newsletter that promotes “Meatless Mondays” caused a bit of an uproar on Wednesday. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) sent out a news release linking to the newsletter and questioning USDA’s commitment to the livestock industry. The newsletter talked about various “greening” initiatives by the agency and suggested that “one simple way to reduce our …
USDA Announces More Drought Aid for Farmers
Following President Obama’s directive last week to take additional steps to support struggling producers, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced new measures that will help livestock and crop farmers in drought-stricken areas of the country. Vilsack announced new flexibility and assistance in USDA conservation programs to get help to livestock producers as the most wide-spread drought in seven decades …
Drop in USDA Estimates Talk of Wyffels Event
Some significant drops in USDA’s expected corn and soybean yields due to the drought have been the talk of the recent Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies event. “USDA took 20 bushels off of its yield, end of July, and dropping the soybean yield down to 40 and a half bushels… that makes a huge statement, and USDA probably thinks it’s smaller …
Drought Drawing National Attention
The widespread drought is now garnering national attention, with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today meeting with President Obama on the situation and giving a press briefing at the White House. Calling it the “most serious situation we’ve had in 25 years,” Secretary Vilsack said the president is fully informed about the damage being inflicted by the weather on crops …
Corn Crop is in Worst Condition Since 1988
Drought conditions in the Midwest are “almost historic” with 38 percent of the nation’s corn crop now rated poor to very poor, according to USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey. “That 38% represents the highest amount of U.S. corn rated poor to very poor since the end of the 1988 growing season,” said Rippey. “We now see in 13 of the 18 …
Google+ Hangout Highlights Local Food Initiatives
Tomorrow, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan and Jon Carson, White House Director of Public Engagement, will host a Local Foods in Our Community As Told By Women Google + Hangout to highlight efforts to strengthen local and regional food systems. The event will be an opportunity to talk about local food with inspiring women from around the country. This Google+ …
FARRM Bill Amendments: What Made the Cut
More was proposed than adopted, but in the end, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, better known as the FARRM bill, moved out of the House Agriculture committee with 43 amendments (see a complete list of what was approved, defeated, withdrawn and tabled here from our friends at Agri-Pulse.com). One of the more significant amendments that passed kills …
Committee, Ag Leaders React to FARRM Bill
As Cindy already noted, it took nearly 15 hours, but members of the House Agriculture Committee were able to pass their version of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM) Bill. Committee Chair Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) praised the bipartisan legislation: “This is a balanced, reform-minded, fiscally responsible bill that underscores …
Weather Taking Toll on Crops
This is what the corn looked like near Bloomington, Illinois yesterday – and it looks much worse in other areas. The USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report out this morning did, as expected, lower corn yields as a result of the hot and dry conditions throughout much of the growing region this summer. “Dreadful,” said USDA Outlook Board …
Private Companies Also Worried About USDA Cuts
Previously, we talked about how USDA officials are concerned about how possible budget cuts will affect their ability to keep providing the timely, accurate reports on which so many farmers depend. And they’re not the only ones concerned. In our continuing series looking at the recent Farm Foundation webinar on data collection, we hear from Paul Hughes of Nestle Purina …