The Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the USDA’s chief intramural scientific research agency, has named four scientists to the Science Hall of Fame. Their accomplishments are in the fields of sustainable farming, fruit tree breeding, air quality, climate change, crop mineral nutrition and discoveries in genomics. They were honored for outstanding, lifelong achievements in agricultural science and technology at a … Read More
Agren Awarded Grant Funds to Support Continued R&D
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to central Iowa-based small business, Agren, Inc., to further technological innovations and solutions for American agriculture. USDA SBIR has awarded over 2000 research and development projects since 1983, allowing hundreds of small businesses to explore their technological potential, … Read More
Most Rented Ground Owned by Non-Farmers
A total of 353.8 million acres were farmed in the U.S. last year, according to the 2014 Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land (TOTAL) survey done by the USDA. 80% of this ground is owned by landlords who are not farmers. The value of the rented land and buildings are valued at $1.1 trillion. This is owned by 2.1 … Read More
USDA Expands Farm Safety Net
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden has announced that Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance will be available in every county in the nation in 2016. The USDA is also making changes to help a variety of farmers and ranchers, such as beginning, organic, and fruit and vegetable growers, get more use of Whole-Farm Revenue Protection. “Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance allows producers who have previously had … Read More
USDA Unveils Strategy for Sage Grouse
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week announced a four-year strategy that will invest approximately $211 million in the next three years to conserve the habitat of the greater sage grouse. The Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0, will continue the conservation efforts that began in 2010 to improve sage grouse habitat. The new plan gives ranchers assistance to make conservation improvements to their land. “The Sage Grouse Initiative … Read More
Big Drop in Farm Income Forecast
Farm sector profitability is forecast to decline for the second straight year, according to the latest report from USDA. Net cash income is forecast at $100.3 billion, down about 21 percent from 2014 levels. Lower crop and livestock receipts are the main drivers of the change in 2015 net cash farm income from 2014, while cash production expenses are projected … Read More
Farm Internet Use Continues to Grow
A new USDA-NASS report shows that internet access on the farm continues to grow. According to the Computer Usage and Ownership report, 70 percent of U.S. farms and ranches now have access to internet, up three percent from 2013. DSL remains the most popular method for accessing internet, accounting for 30 percent of all farms and ranches with internet access. … Read More
USDA Launches Improved AMS Website
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has launched a redesigned website (www.ams.usda.gov) to make it more user-friendly for stakeholders. “Whether you are looking for information about our services, want to comment on proposed regulations, or are interested in selling food to USDA, our new website makes it easier to find the right information and tools,” said AMS Administrator Anne L. Alonzo. … Read More
USDA Invests in Western Lake Erie Basin Water Quality
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest an additional $5 million to help Ohio, Michigan and Indiana improve water quality in the western Lake Erie basin. These investments will enable the region’s farmers to reduce the amount of nutrients entering the watershed, one of the sources of disruptive algae blooms. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the targeted funding will … Read More
USDA Makes Disaster Declarations in Three States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated counties in at least three states as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain and flooding since June of this year. The declarations include 87 counties in Illinois, 53 counties in Indiana, and 33 counties in Arkansas. The declarations also include contiguous counties, which encompass at … Read More