Posts in USDA
Avoyelles Parish FSA Office is Hiring

The Avoyelles Parish Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Marksville is hiring a full time Program Technician (PT). The deadline to apply is May 14, 2024.

Duties include general office activities supporting FSA programs administered at the field level. Successful applicants must be reliable, have a professional attitude and enjoy working with the public.

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USDAAvery Davidson
Louisiana Crop Progress and Condition: April 29, 2024

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Louisiana, there were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, April 28, 2024. Topsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 72 percent adequate, and 22 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus.

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USDA Reports Number Of Farms, Acreage Since 1850

The number of farms in the United States has fallen below 2 million for the first time since before the Civil War, according to the recently released 2022 Census of Agriculture. In 2022, there were 1,900,487 farms in the country, a 7-percent decline from the level reported in the 2017 Census.

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Sweet Potato Quality Analysis is Enhanced with Hyperspectral Imaging and AI

Sweet potatoes are a popular food choice for consumers worldwide because of their delicious taste and nutritious quality. The red, tuberous root vegetable can be processed into chips and fries, and it has a range of industrial applications, including textiles, biodegradable polymers and biofuels.

The study is part of a multi-state collaboration funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that includes researchers from Mississippi, North Carolina, Michigan, Louisiana and Illinois.

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USDA Actions to Protect Livestock Health From Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza

To further protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, USDA is sharing a number of actions that we are taking with our federal partners to help us get ahead of this disease and limit its spread.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a Federal Order requiring the following measures, effective Monday, April 29, 2024.

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Livestock, USDAAvery Davidson
How a High-School Beekeeper Made Her Way to USDA Honey Bee Researcher

Elizabeth (Liz) Walsh, Ph.D., is a research scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, in the Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research unit in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in 2022 with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the guidance of Steve Pernal, Ph.D., at the Beaverlodge Research Farm in Alberta.

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USDAAvery Davidson
Louisiana Crop Progress and Condition Report: April 2024

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Louisiana, there were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, April 21, 2024. Topsoil moisture supplies were 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 22 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 15 percent surplus.

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USDA Announces 2024 Cotton Loan Rate Differentials

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the 2024 crop loan rate differentials for upland and extra-long staple cotton. 

The differentials, also referred to as loan rate premiums and discounts, were calculated based on market valuations of various cotton quality factors for the prior three years. This calculation procedure is identical to that used in past years.

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USDA Partners with FarmRaise to Offer Educational Tools and Resources to Promote Financial Access and Equity for Agricultural Producers

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today unveiled a new, online Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Decision Tool and farm loan resources available to agricultural producers and cooperators who help producers access USDA disaster assistance, farm loans and other federal farm programs. The new LIP tool and the farm loan informational video resources were developed in partnership with FarmRaise and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). These tools are now available at www.farmraise.com/usda-fsa.   

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Livestock, USDAAvery Davidson
USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Veterans Webinar Series

Register for a free webinar series for military veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses on how to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare for a career in agriculture. This webinar series is designed to provide information about USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher programs and resources for the military community. 

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Dairy Producers in Louisiana Reminded to Enroll in 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage by April 29   

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging dairy producers to enroll by April 29, 2024, for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program that helps offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup began Feb. 28, 2024, and payments, retroactive to January, began in March 2024. So far, DMC payments triggered in January and February of 2024 at margins of $8.48 and $9.44 respectively.

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Dairy, USDAAvery Davidson
USDA Invites Applications For Grants To Strengthen Rural Cooperatives That Serve Socially Disadvantaged Groups

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden today announced that USDA is inviting applications for grants to strengthen rural cooperatives that serve and are made up of people who are part of socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas.

USDA is making the $3 million in grants available under the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program to help new and existing cooperatives strengthen their hands-on assistance, like leadership training and strategic planning, to small business owners and agricultural producers.

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