Livestock producers who had to euthanize animals during the pandemic will receive payments based on 80% of the fair market value, according to new details of the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program unveiled on July 13 by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Eligible livestock and poultry include swine, chickens and turkeys, but pork producers are expected to be the primary recipients of the assistance.
Read MoreA federal judge in Tennessee has ruled in favor of a Tennessee farmer, granting an injunction against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its effort to grant federal loan forgiveness to only “non-whites.” The Southeastern Legal Foundation and the Mountain States Legal Foundation joined to represent Union City farmer Robert Holman as he challenges a provision in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that allows for automatic loan forgiveness up to 120% of the federal loan for farmers or ranchers who are “socially disadvantaged,” which is defined as “Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic, or Asian, or Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.”
Read MoreThe Center for Rural Affairs has released a series of resource guides that aims to help farmers and ranchers new to implementing conservation practices like cover crops. The resources provide details on two of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s flagship working lands conservation programs: the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
Read MoreLivestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack announced the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) in [recorded] remarks at the National Pork Industry Conference in Wisconsin Dells, WI. The announcement is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Livestock and poultry producers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) July 20 through Sept. 17, 2021.
Read MoreAgricultural producers and landowners can apply for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands signup from today until August 20. This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated signup options to provide greater incentives for producers and increase the program’s conservation and climate benefits, including setting a minimum rental rate and identifying two national priority zones.
The CRP Grassland signup is competitive, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide for annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes.
Read MoreToday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it intends to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing to make agricultural markets more accessible, fair, competitive, and resilient for American farmers and ranchers.
This is one of several key steps that USDA will take to increase competition in agricultural markets, pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order on promoting competition and as part of USDA efforts to build a more resilient supply chain and better food system. Together, USDA’s actions will help farmers, ranchers, farmworkers and consumers all get a fair shake.
Read MoreThe city of Tallulah’s water treatment plant just received $7.7 million from the USDA in efforts to rehabilitate the plant.
The News Star of Monroe reports, of the $9.1 million being invested in rural Louisiana, Tallulah was allocated the biggest chunk of those funds.
USDA’s investment will be used to restore the town’s 65-year-old water treatment plant.
Read MorePhysical loss loans can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses. Examples of property commonly affected include essential farm buildings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit and nut bearing trees and harvested or stored crops and hay.
Louisiana Parishes: Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne and Webster
Read MoreHurricanes, wildfires, and droughts – oh my! Not only was 2020 defined by COVID-19-induced volatility, over 22 weather and climate disasters, each with damages reaching over a billion dollars, hit the U.S. coast to coast last year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that 2020 shattered a previous annual record of 16 individual billion dollar weather events which occurred in both 2011 and 2017. With over 262 lives lost and more than $96.4 billion in total economic damages, these disasters will haunt impacted communities for years to come.
Read MoreAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $307 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 34 states and Puerto Rico.
The investments being announced follow President Biden’s announcement last week of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework that will make the largest investment in clean drinking water in American history. The Framework will replace all of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines, helping address barriers faced by communities of color, Tribal communities, and people who live in rural America.
Read MoreThe Department of Agriculture plans to review the use of language featured on meat labels that many producers have said does not adequately describe the product’s origin.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday USDA would conduct a “top-to-bottom review of the ‘Product of the USA’ label” to help the department “determine what that label means to consumers,” among other things.
“I am committed to ensuring that the Product of USA label reflects what a plain understanding of those terms means to U.S. consumers,” he said in a statement.
Read MoreAgricultural producers with crop insurance can hay, graze or chop cover crops for silage, haylage, or baleage at any time and still receive 100 percent of the prevented planting payment. Previously, cover crops could only be hayed, grazed or chopped after November 1, otherwise the prevented planting payment was reduced by 65 percent.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) added this flexibility as part of a broader effort to encourage producers to use cover crops, an important conservation and good farming practice. Cover crops are especially important on fields prevented from planting as they help reduce soil erosion and boost soil health.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture announced loan interest rates for July 2021, which are effective July 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced $20.2 million in grant funding for the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives. This program supports USDA’s efforts to develop higher value uses for dairy products, diversify farmer income through processing and marketing innovation, and encourage the use of regional milk production.
“This program has already shown success in helping dairy farmers develop new business models and value-added products,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The additional funding provided will allow USDA to reach more farmers by increasing the capacity of current initiatives and expanding the program to new areas.”
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for July 2021, which are effective July 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.
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