Secretary Rollins Increases Funding to Reimburse States for Food Safety Inspections
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced she will exercise the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) authority to provide a much-needed funding increase of $14.5 million in reimbursements to states for meat and poultry inspection programs.
“This is much welcome news. This has been an issue and major concern for the states. I thank the Trump Administration for funding this critical work to ensure the safety of our meat and poultry products for the American people,” said Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain.
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Farmers Market Promotion Program
The FY 2025 grant application period is open. Applications are due on June 27, 2025. Applications received after the due date will be subject to the AMS' - Policy on Late Applications. For any questions related to FMPP, contact FMLFPPgrants@usda.gov.
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Thompson, Boozman Respond to MAHA Commission Initial Assessment
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) issued the following statement after the release of the MAHA Commission initial assessment:
“We share President Trump’s vision for a healthier nation; however, we are troubled by the initial findings of the MAHA Commission Assessment and their impact on America’s farmers and ranchers.
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For These Louisiana Schools, USDA Cuts Could Mean Local, Grass-fed Beef is Off the Menu
It’s lunchtime at Northwestern Elementary outside Baton Rouge.
The school’s kindergarteners pick out a box of milk and place it on a tray. There’s fried chicken, a roll, a vegetable of their choice, and some pineapple.
“I ate it all,” said a 5-year-old with a gap-toothed grin, pointing to his empty fruit cup.
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Louisiana Crop Progress And Condition: May 19, 2025
According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Louisiana, there were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, May 18, 2025. Topsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 27 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 20 percent surplus.
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USDA Seeks Feedback From Producers About '25 Crops, Stocks, Inventories & Values
Over the next several weeks, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the June Agricultural Survey. The agency will contact nearly 92,000 producers across the nation to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1, 2025.
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Louisiana NRCS Announces Notice of Public Meeting and Opportunity to Comment on Lower Vermilion River Watershed Draft Plan and Environmental Assessment
The USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in Louisiana along with the Vermilion Soil and Water Conservation District (VSWCD) have announced a watershed plan and environmental assessment for the Lower Vermilion River Watershed (LVRW) and offer the public an opportunity to comment on the plan via a public meeting and/or in written comments.
Local residents, agricultural producers and the VSWCD have been developing a plan to manage water issues in the LVRW since conceptual ideas were formulated in a 1964 plan.
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USA Rice Trade Fly-in Part Two: Logistics, Iraq, and Trade Policy
The afternoon session of this week’s USA Rice Trade Fly-in sparked excellent conversation and policy analysis and debate from attendees and distinguished guests.
Staff from the U.S. Department of State’s Iraq desk and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff responsible for Iraq shared the U.S. government’s view towards the U.S.-Iraq relationship, in which normal and growing trade and U.S. rice play a major role today and going forward.
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House GOP Agriculture Bill Advances Out of Committee
The House Agriculture Committee voted to advance legislation that would make significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as part of the effort to institute federal spending cuts to pay for President Trump’s legislative agenda.
The legislation directs states to cover a portion of SNAP benefit costs, narrows eligibility requirements for the program, and aims to prevent the federal government from being able to increase monthly benefits in the future.
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Second Harvest Food Bank Facing ‘Critical’ Shortage as USDA Cuts Programs
Second Harvest Food Bank is the largest of its kind in Southeast Louisiana, distributing more than 38 million meals throughout this region last year alone.
But this year, the food bank’s chief strategy officer John Sillars says he’s worried about the help the organization can provide to needy families.
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USDA Announces $26.5 Million in Grant Funding Available through the Local Agriculture Market Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced $26.5 million in grant funding available through the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) to help local and regional food entities develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises. LAMP includes the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP). USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is accepting applications for the grant programs until June 27, 2025.
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Crop Market Report for Corn, Soybeans, Rice, and Cotton: May, 2025
The 2025/26 U.S. corn outlook is for record supplies and total use, and higher ending stocks. The corn crop is projected at 15.8 billion bushels, up 6 percent from a year ago on increases to both area and yield. Planted area of 95.3 million acres if realized would be the highest in over a decade. The yield projection of 181.0 bushels per acre is based on a weather-adjusted trend assuming normal planting progress and summer growing season weather.
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Louisiana Crop Progress And Condition: May 12, 2025
According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Louisiana, there were 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, May 11, 2025. Topsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 49 percent adequate, and 45 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 59 percent adequate, and 39 percent surplus.
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USDA Forecasts Winter Wheat Production Up 2% in 2025
U.S. farmers are expected to produce 1.38 billion bushels of winter wheat this year, according to the Crop Production report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In NASS’s first winter wheat production forecast for 2025, production is expected to increase 2% from 2024. As of May 1, the U.S. yield is expected to average 53.7 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels from last year’s average of 51.7 bushels per acre.
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USDA to Open General and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment for 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning today through June 6, 2025.
CRP, USDA’s flagship conservation program, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. For four decades, CRP has provided financial and technical support to agricultural producers and landowners who place unproductive or marginal cropland under contract for 10-15 years and who agree to voluntarily convert the land to beneficial vegetative cover to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat.
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