USDA to Purchase up to $36 Million Worth of Wild-Caught Gulf and Atlantic Shrimp, Graves Pushes for Fourth Deal to Help Industry

U.S. Representative Garret Graves (Louisiana) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is purchasing up to $36 million of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Wild-Caught Shrimp. This will alleviate pressure felt by Louisiana’s shrimp industry caused by natural disasters, higher fuel prices, labor and supply chain issues, and the effects of foreign governments flooding the market with illegally caught, foreign, farmed seafood. This purchase will also provide schools, food banks, and disaster-stricken households with another sustainable, nutritious source of protein.

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AquacultureAllie Shipley
Profit Tracker: Cattle, Hog Margins Worst Since Summer 2020

Closeouts fell another $10 deeper into the red for cattle feeders last week as losses totaled an average of $110 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker. Meanwhile, beef packers saw their margins improve $44 per head, pulling packer margins out of the red and $28 into the black. Cattle feeders have now seen a month’s worth of losses on closeouts.

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Livestockkristen oaks
Free Estate Planning Workshop Set for January 11 in Farmerville

A free estate planning presentation will be offered on January 11, 2024, in the Union Parish Police Jury Meeting Room in Farmerville, Louisiana. Attorney Paul Spillers will provide valuable information on wills and trusts, asset protection, tax consequences, property ownership, and estate planning tools.  Mr. Spillers is senior counsel at the Law Offices of Theus, Grisham, Davis & Leigh in Monroe, Louisiana.  He specializes in estate planning and probate; litigation; oil, gas, and mineral law; taxation, and timber law.  This workshop is sponsored by Trailblazer RC&D.   

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kristen oaks
Scientist Trains Computer To Spot Invasive Weed

To manage johnsongrass, a noxious weed that crowds out cotton and sickens horses, farmers have tried herbicides, burning and hand-pulling. Now, researchers at University of California, Davis, have developed a more high-tech weapon against the invasive weed: artificial intelligence and machine learning.

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Soybeansdon molino
Advocating Cotton's Policy Priorities

Prior to and throughout 2023, the National Cotton Council (NCC) focused on policy development for the 2023 farm bill.  

Through the NCC’s Farm Policy Task Force, the industry segments came together to develop recommendations for the new bill. The NCC has actively conveyed to Congress and the administration its priorities for a meaningful farm bill with an effective safety net and comprehensive risk management tools.

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Cottondon molino
Ag Economist Says Fed Could Lower Interest Rates In '24

An ag economist says there was a tone shift from the Federal Reserve after it held interest rates steady for a third consecutive month. David Widmar, with Agricultural Economic Insights, says there have been some gains in the battle against inflation. “And then they signaled the possibility of three rate declines for 2024,” he says.

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don molino
October Rainfall, Cooler Temperatures Ease Worries for 2023 Iberville Sugarcane Harvest

The worst drought Louisiana endured in decades brought concerns of significant declines in sugar tonnage this year at Cora Texas Manufacturing Co., but prospects now look brighter.

Rain and mild weather in mid-October fueled growth of sugarcane and a better outlook for the 2023 harvest, said Charles Schudmak, chief operating officer/secretary for Cora Texas in White Castle.

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Sugarcanekristen oaks
USDA Offering Additional Assistance For Distress Borrowers

USDA officials want farmers to know that the deadline for a special loan assistance program is fast approaching. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included a provision to help borrowers who have taken extraordinary measures to continue making their Farm Service Agency loan payments. Those borrowers have until Dec. 31 to apply for assistance.

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USDAdon molino
Ranking Ag Democrat Blasts Speaker Over Farm Bill

As the House of Representatives headed home for the holidays, Agriculture Committee Ranking Democrat David Scott fired a parting shot at Speaker Mike Johson. The Georgia Democrat says Johnson failed to begin farm bill negotiations with the Senate as he previously proposed.

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don molino
USDA Launches Workshops On Livestock Risk Management Practices

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is hosting more than a dozen in-person and virtual workshops this winter for producers to learn about new and expanded livestock risk management products. The “Livestock Roadshow,” hosted by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), will highlight policy improvements based on feedback from America’s livestock producers as part of the agency’s broader outreach and education efforts

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Livestock, USDAdon molino