Since May is World Trade Month, you would think it would be a great time for Congress to pass those pesky pending Free Trade Agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama that have been awaiting approval for years. Several of the nation’s largest agricultural organizations who testified before the House Agriculture Committee this week on why it is so important to …
USDA Wants Input on Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is requesting comment on the creation of a voluntary National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement that would assist all segments of the leafy green industry in meeting commercial food quality and safety requirements. To reflect the different climates, production practices and markets handling leafy green produce, USDA is proposing that there be eight regional zones represented …
Farmers Suing Army Corps Over Levee Breach
Over 100,000 acres of prime southeast Missouri farmland is under water today after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blew up a levee on the Mississippi River Monday night to save the town of Cairo, Illinois from flooding. The action was taken after attempts to stop it were exhausted by Missouri officials. The picture is a screen shot of the …
Rural America Key to Energy Security
“I am a great believer in American ingenuity,” began Vilsack during his speech in Shenandoah, Iowa where the only first generation ethanol plant is co-located with an algae plant. “I’m a great believer in the capacity of the American farmer and rancher to literally meet any challenge.” Vilsack recently went on an “energy” tour of the Midwest where he visited …
Get More From Burndown as Planting Begins
Planting season has officially started with the first USDA crop progress report of the year released this week. Three percent of the nation’s corn crop planted – the same as both last year and the five year average. Cotton is running on schedule with seven percent planted and sorghum is 20 percent. As the planters start moving through the fields, …
Agriculture Excited About Colombia Free Trade News
It’s taken over four years to get to this point, but some action is finally happening on the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) and U.S. agriculture interests are thrilled. President Obama announced today that an agreement has been reached on the deal that was signed by the U.S. Trade Representative and the Colombian trade minister on Nov. 22, 2006. The …
The Sorghum Checkoff Continues
It’s official. The Sorghum Checkoff (officially the Sorghum Promotion, Research and Information Order) will continue as announced by USDA today. “We are pleased to announce that this Checkoff program will continue, and I am confident that this program will further its goal of strengthening the industry and expanding marketing opportunities for sorghum producers and importers,” said USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service …
Happy Biofools Day!
The votes have been cast and the winner of “Biofool of the Year” is ….. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack! While we are disappointed that we were not chosen by Friends of the Earth (FOE) for this award, as they say in the Academy, it was an honor just to be nominated! According to FOE, more than 6,000 votes were cast …
Keep Potatoes in Schools!
According to the National Potato Council, “The time has come to stand up for potatoes in schools!” French fries and mashed potatoes have long been staples of the school lunch program, but that could change if a USDA proposal incorporating the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is implemented. According to USDA, the revisions will “add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, …
First Certified Biobased Labels Announced
The United Soybean Board held a Biobased Products Stakeholders’ Workshop today at Hoover, Inc. Our featured speaker was Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan who announced the first 11 companies whose products have been certified to feature USDA’s new BioPreferred Label. “The USDA BioPreferred label assures the consumer that a product or package contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients.” …