Congratulations to Bruce Rasa, TekWear, LLC, for obtaining a USDA grant in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia to evaluate the effectiveness of wireless, web-connected technologies for monitoring and growing specialty crops such as pecans. In the photo Dr. Lenny Wells, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, uses Google Glass as … Read More
Farm Bill Risk Managment Programs Unveiled
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday unveiled the new programs included in the 2014 Farm Bill to help farmers better manage risk. The new programs, Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), represent the end of direct payments by offering farmers protection when market forces cause substantial drops in crop prices and/or revenues. Producers will have through early spring … Read More
FAPRI: Corn, Soybean and Cotton Prices to Drop Even More
A crop that’s expected to be even bigger than just previously estimated is expected to push prices down even more than previously expected. Earlier this month, we told you how the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri expected corn, soybean and cotton prices to drop from what had been some pretty impressive highs of … Read More
Conservation Grants Announced
At a farm in Moline, Illinois Monday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of $15.7 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIGs) to 47 organizations in 36 states, funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Among the grant recipients, the National Corn Growers Association will receive almost $1 million to promote soil management practices aimed at improving productivity, profitability … Read More
USDA Increases Crop Estimate
USDA has increased its estimate of both the corn and soybean crops this month, building on already forecast record highs. Corn production is forecast at 14.4 billion bushels, up 3 percent from both the August forecast and from 2013. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 171.7 bushels per acre, up 4.3 bushels from the … Read More
Conservation Easement Program Investments
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday that $328 million in conservation funding is being invested to help landowners protect and restore key farmlands, grasslands and wetlands across the nation. The funding is provided through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which was created in the 2014 Farm Bill to protect critical wetlands and encourage producers to keep lands in farming … Read More
USDA Invests New Conservation Funds for Lake Erie
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is allocating $2 million in conservation funds for Ohio to help implement conservation techniques designed to improve water quality. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made that announcement this week and said USDA is also partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to expand “boots-on-the-ground” capacity in the area and will be contributing an additional … Read More
Big Crops in the Fields
A little bit more corn and a lot more soybeans and cotton compared to last year is what USDA is forecasting in the latest report out today. U.S. soybean producers are expected to produce a record 3.82 billion bushels in 2014, up 16 percent from last year according to the Crop Production report issued today by the U.S. Department of … Read More
New USDA Conservation Program Receives Nearly 600 Proposals
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that USDA’s new Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which brings together businesses, tribes, communities and other non-government partners to invest in conservation efforts, has drawn an overwhelming response from partners across the nation. Nearly 5,000 organizations partnered together to submit nearly 600 pre-proposals by the July deadline. “This program is an entirely new approach to … Read More
Farmers Reminded of Conservation Compliance Changes
USDA is reminding farmers of conservation compliance changes included in the 2014 Farm Bill that may impact their operations. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, producers are now required to have on file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026). The Farm Bill relinked highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation compliance with eligibility for premium support … Read More