Ag Groups Put Pressure on Congress to Protect Family-Owned Businesses
The Tax Aggie Coalition, sent a letter to House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committee leadership urging them to consider the implications that changes to federal tax policy will have on family-owned agricultural businesses. Nearly 330 trade associations representing family-owned food, agriculture and related businesses agree that, when drafting legislation to implement President Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda, it is critical that the “American Families Plan” must also support family farms and ranches.
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Farmers, Meatpacking Workers Eligible for $600 Checks Under New Plan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $700 million grant program Tuesday designed to give economic relief to food workers hit hard by the pandemic. Another $20 million is being set aside to pilot a program to support grocery workers, the USDA said.
The money will be divvied up among state agencies, Native American tribes and nonprofits. Those entities will reimburse farmworkers and meatpacking workers for COVID-19 expenses up to $600.
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SU Ag Center & the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences receives more than $700,000 in USDA Capacity Building Grants
The Southern University Ag Center and the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences (CAFCS) have received $749,795 in Capacity Building grants from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The announcement was made in July through a USDA press release discussing its $21.8 million investment to 1890 Land-grant Institutions to support research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities at our nation’s Land-grant University System.
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USDA Shares Farm Income Forecasts
On Sept. 2, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service released the Farm Sector Income Forecast report. Overall, the report shares promising data for farmers in 2021.
This report includes data spanning the entire farm sector, which includes 2 million farms, over 965 farm business and more than 6 million people living in farm households.
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AFBF Urges USDA to Address Supply Chain Issues
The American Farm Bureau Federation today sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack detailing a list of solutions to address critical supply chain issues facing America’s farmers and ranchers. AFBF details seven priorities for USDA to consider in response to President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains.
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Vilsack to Announce Investments in Renewable Energy Infrastructure in Communities Across the Country
On Wednesday, September 8, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will hold a media call to announce investments in renewable energy infrastructure in rural communities across the country as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) commitment under the Biden-Harris Administration to help rural America build back better.
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USDA Announces Sept '21 Lending Rates For Ag Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for September 2021, which are effective September 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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Outlook For US Agricultural Trade Could Reach Record Levels
U.S. Agricultural Exports in Fiscal Year 2022 Forecast Up $4.0 Billion to Record $177.5 Billion; Imports at $159.5 Billion.
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Lenders Can Now Apply For New Heirs' Property Relending Program
Intermediary lenders can now apply for loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications today through October 29, 2021, and cooperatives, credit unions and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply for these competitive loans, which ultimately will help agricultural producers and landowners resolve heirs’ land ownership and succession issues.
“Heirs’ property issues have long been a barrier for many producers and landowners to access USDA programs and services, and this relending program provides access to capital to help producers find a resolution to these issues,” said Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “USDA is committed to revising policies to be more equitable and removing barriers faced by heirs’ property owners is part of that effort.”
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USDA Crop Progress Report-- August 30, 2021
In its new weekly update, USDA says the national corn condition rating remained unchanged at 60 percent good to excellent as the crop races for the finish line. Illinois reported a three point improvement this week, but Indiana and Ohio both declined by two points. Nine percent of the nation's crop has already reached full maturity.
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Find Resources to Help You Recover from Hurricane Ida
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) will start allowing individuals and businesses to file claims as soon as the President has declared a federal emergency for areas impacted by Hurricane Ida.
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Hurricane Ida Potential Crop Damage
The cotton crop is in really good shape this year across the Delta and Southeast, with its highest rating in five years.
However, Hurricane Ida is threatening to become a major hurricane that could threaten flood and wind damage in that area by Sunday afternoon into Tuesday.
(To see daily updates from DTN meteorologists and follow the track on Ida, go to www.dtn.com/hurricane-ida)
First, a look at the current crop situation in the area that could potentially be hit.
According to the USDA NASS data, the good-to-excellent rating of 71% for the cotton crop is the highest rating in the past five years. All states in the Delta and Southeast have at least a 70% rating except for Tennessee, which is at 67%.
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Actual Product Use Not Reflected in Neonicotinoid Evaluation, Growers Say
Grower organizations representing a variety of crops are voicing disappointment with EPA’s Endangered Species Act-required draft biological evaluation (BE) for several neonicotinoid products, including imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin.
The groups representing farmers across the country say that the agency’s failure to consider real-world usage data in its analysis could limit growers’ ability to protect their crops and livelihoods – without making endangered species any safer.
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USDA One Step Ahead On Protecting US Pork Exports
News that African swine fever was detected in the Dominican Republic on July 28 takes on greater importance when considering it could shut down all of U.S. pork exports if it spreads just under 400 miles away to Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. As part of its continuing efforts to prevent ASF introduction into the Conterminous United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, APHIS is preparing to establish a Foreign Animal Disease protection zone in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the agency says in a notice.
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USDA on Track to Provide Record-Breaking Support for Rural Working Capital Needs
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson today announced that USDA is on track to provide a record level of support for rural working capital and other business capital needs in the fiscal year 2021.
The Department has invested $1.2 billion in loan guarantees to help rural businesses in 41 states, Guam and the Virgin Islands. These investments – made through the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program and the Business and Industry CARES Act Program – are expected to create or save more than 12,000 jobs for people in rural areas.
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