Posts in American Farm Bureau
U.S. Cattle Inventory Smallest in 73 years

USDA’s January and July Cattle Inventory reports, released toward the end of each respective month, provide the total inventory of beef cows, milk cows, bulls, replacement heifers, other steers and heifers, and the calf crop for the current year. With drought and high input costs compelling farmers to market a higher-than-normal percentage of female cattle, the most recent cattle inventory dropped to lows not seen in decades.

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AFBF Urges USDA To Use Emergency Authority To Ensure Fair Pricing For Dairy Farmers

The American Farm Bureau Federation sent a letter today to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging the agency to issue a final decision on an emergency basis to speed the implementation of the “higher-of” Class I mover formula to buffer dairy farmers from further losses during the forthcoming Federal Milk Marketing Order rulemaking process.

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AFBF Policy Change on Guest-Worker Caps

If an immigration-labor deal develops in Congress, the American Farm Bureau Federation might be willing to accept caps on the number of visas for a year-round agricultural worker program.

Delegates at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) convention in Salt Lake City on Tuesday voted for changes in the group's policy book used to lobby Congress for legislation.

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Newly Appointed Farm Bureau Members To Lead National Program Committees

Farm Bureau farmer and rancher members play an important role in our communities and our organization by serving on governing boards and committees at local, state and national levels. Several newly appointed volunteers will provide leadership beginning in 2024 as members of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers & Ranchers and Promotion & Education committees.

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H-2A Growth Slows, But Remains Strong

The Department of Labor recently released full fiscal year usage data for the H-2A program. Given agriculture’s ongoing struggle to recruit domestic workers and a very tight U.S. labor market overall, it should be no surprise that H-2A program usage reached new highs again in fiscal year 2023 (October 2022-September 2023), though the rate of growth was down considerably from last year.

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AFBF Appreciates Farm Bill Extension, Urges New Bill

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the passage of a stopgap spending bill by both the House of Representatives and Senate, which includes a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill. Farm Bureau sent a letter to all members of Congress Tuesday urging passage of the continuing resolution that included a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill. 

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AFBF Congratulates Rep. Johnson On Speaker Election

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the election of Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) to be Speaker of the House.

“AFBF congratulates Rep. Mike Johnson on his election to Speaker of the House. Speaker Johnson has a strong history of supporting America’s farmers and ranchers, which has earned him the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award multiple times.

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Ten-Hut! Farm Bureau Women Sharpen Skills at Communications Boot Camp

Fifteen farm and ranch women leaders graduated from the fall session of Women’s Communications Boot Camp hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The agricultural leaders completed an intensive four-day course that featured hands-on sessions focused on public speaking, working with the media and messaging. Program graduates will use their training to strategically support Farm Bureau’s priority issues.

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