U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed more than 400 USDA staffers, stakeholders and friends and pledged to bring greater efficiency to USDA to ensure it better serves American farmers, ranchers, and the agriculture community. She reviewed findings from the Department of Government Efficiency and welcomes the opportunity to optimize the USDA workforce and stop wasteful spending.
Read MoreThe Trump administration is preparing a plan for combatting avian flu that will move away from depopulating entire infected flocks and rely instead on “biosecurity and medication” to contain outbreaks, says President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser.
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday that he has been working on the plan with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and “all the best people in government, including academics around the country and around the world.”
Read MoreU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered opening remarks at the Department of Agriculture to more than 400 USDA employees, stakeholders, and congressional members and staff as they welcomed her to her first full day on the job.
Read MoreBrooke Rollins was sworn in as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a private ceremony today at the Supreme Court building. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rollins by a vote of 72-to-28.
Read MoreAmerican Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Senate vote to confirm Brooke Rollins as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
“Farm Bureau congratulates Brooke Rollins on her confirmation to be Secretary of Agriculture. We look forward to her leadership as she takes over USDA at a critical time for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
Read MoreAs the 2025 crop production season begins, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season.
“Each spring, the agriculture industry anticipates USDA’s Prospective Plantings report, which provides initial survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers’ planting intentions for the year,” said NASS Louisiana State Statistician Kathy Broussard.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the following statement commending Mexico’s action to declare ineffective measures concerning genetically engineered (GE) corn that the United States successfully challenged in the USMCA dispute. The action safeguards approximately $5.6 billion in U.S. corn exports to Mexico. USDA, in coordination with USTR, will continue to monitor Mexico’s compliance with its USMCA commitments.
Read MoreThe National Organic Program is aware that certifiers and certified operations have received emails from sources pretending to be the USDA. These emails, referred to as phishing emails, have been sent using the following information:
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for February 2025, which are effective Feb. 3, 2025. USDA 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 United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing the resumption of cattle and bison imports from Mexico. Imports are scheduled to resume within the next several days.
To protect U.S. livestock and other animals, APHIS halted shipments of Mexican cattle and bison in November 2024 after a positive detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in southern Mexico.
Read MoreMarch 3, 2025, is the deadline to apply for ELAP, LFP and LIP for 2024 losses
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) updated three livestock disaster assistance programs to synchronize deadlines and streamline program delivery. The changes take effect for the 2024 program applications for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).
Read MoreAll cattle and calves in Louisiana as of January 1, 2025, totaled 720,000 head, were unchanged from January 1, 2024. The calf crop for the full year of 2024 was 325,000 head, down 2 percent from last year. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 425,000 head, were down 2 percent from January 1, 2024.
Read MoreNeed help paying off that student debt AND plan on practicing in Louisiana?! Listen up!!
The USDA offers a veterinary medicine loan repayment program (VLRMP) that helps pay off student debt in return for service in areas where there is a shortage of large animal veterinarians. This program allows you to live in attractive locations, while practicing food animal medicine in a more rural setting.
Read MoreThere were 86.7 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Cattle report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the publication of an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks. The interim rule establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of biofuel feedstock commodity crops grown in the United States. These guidelines will facilitate the recognition of climate-smart agriculture within clean transportation fuel programs, creating new market opportunities for biofuel feedstock producers while enhancing climate benefits.
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