Most of the country’s original colonies are urging the federal government to preserve and protect our nation’s farmland. “Protecting farmland for future agricultural use is of utmost importance to every citizen of the United States… so critical to maintaining the future viability of our agricultural sectors and rural communities,” said agriculture commissioners and officials from 13 states in a letter …
USDA Rural Development at Farm Progress Show
One of the press conferences at Farm Progress Show featured USDA Rural Development. To start it out we heard from Colleen Callahan, Illinois State Director for Rural Development. The former farm broadcaster was very comfortable in the media tent on the other side of the podium! She introduced new USDA Rural Development Under Secretary, Dallas Tonsager. Tonsager used the opportunity …
USDA Rural Tour in Missouri
Our Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, is in Missouri today on his Rural Tour. I couldn’t be with him but @ruraltour is keeping us up to date. Here’s some tweets from the morning so far: Great things happening with renewable energy at the Show Me Energy Co-Op. Rural innovation at its best, this is how we revitalze rural areas http://twitpic.com/epmgy …
NASS Updates Farmer Computer/Internet Usage
Almost 60% of of U. S. farms now have internet access and the use of DSL has become the most common method of accessing it. The National Agricultural Statistics Service just released its latest Farm Computer Usage and Ownership survey results. Here’s some key findings. Notice how much higher the numbers are for farmers with incomes over $100,000! DSL was …
Smokey Bear Is Tweeting
It’s birthday time for Smokey Bear (not “The Bear”). The USDA Forest Service is preparing to celebrate the 65th birthday of an American icon – Smokey Bear – on Monday, August 10. The celebration will take place at the Whitten Building USDA headquarters in Washington D.C. The birthday party will also include the release of the new Smokey Bear Story …
USGC Partnership with USDA FAS
The administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service Michael Michener spoke to the US Grains Council delegates meeting this morning in San Diego about how the partnership between FAS and USGC helps to open markets for US agricultural products. “Over the years, FAS and the U.S Grains Council have formed a vital link between government and U.S. agriculture to maintain and …
No Request For Soybean Checkoff Referendum
It looks like there was very little interest on the part of soybean growers to request a new referendum according to the results of the latest opportunity as announced by USDA. USDA received only 759 request for referendum forms at county Farm Service Agency Offices, which reflects approximately one tenth of one percent of all eligible U.S. soybean farmers. Had …
New Media In USDA
I don’t know if Larry Quinn is ready to rename the Broadcasters Letter, the New Media Letter, but new media is slowly but surely making its way into the USDA Office of Communications strategy. For example, I just recently met Amanda Eamich online via email. I was intrigued by her title, “Director of New Media (Acting).” Now that’s progress. So …
World Ag Congress Climate Change Discussion
No forum on world food security issues would be complete without a session on climate change and that was how the World Ag Congress concluded its roundtable discussions Wednesday. While the issue may be debatable, there is no question that agriculture should be taking every opportunity to decrease greenhouse gas emissions – including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Panalist …
Soybean Request For Referendum Starts Today
A request for referendum campaign kicks off today on the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. USDA is conducting it and producers have four weeks to participate. According to the United Soybean Board: The request for referendum will determine whether U.S. soybean producers want a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Program. The Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act …