The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior today announced that farmers, ranchers and landowners implementing Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practices intended to protect and increase lesser prairie-chicken populations will not be subject to additional regulations as a result of the species’ listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. … Read More
ASA Pushes for Broad Land Grant Coalition
In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this morning, the American Soybean Association (ASA) and six other national farm groups urged USDA to consider the needs of soybean growers and growers of all crops when awarding funds included in the 2014 Farm Bill to land grant universities for the development of websites and web-based tools to assist producers in … Read More
NRCS Chief Reviews Conservation Programs
The chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reviewed the conservation programs included in the new farm bill with members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting in Washington DC this week. “We are very excited to finally have a new farm bill and Congress has provided a very significant investment in natural resources conservation,” said NRCS Chief … Read More
2012 Ag Census Reveals Conservation Trends
The 2012 Census of Agriculture released today by the USDA reveals there are now 3.28 million farmers operating 2.1 million farms on 914.5 million acres of farmland across the United States. Those numbers are all lower than 2007 when the census reported 3.18 million farmers, 2.2 million farms and 922 million acres. Highlights of the new census include: – 474,028 … Read More
USDA Announces New Conservation Initiatives
USDA is now accepting applications for new, landmark conservation initiatives created by the 2014 Farm Bill. The programs will provide up to $386 million to help farmers restore wetlands, protect working agriculture lands, support outdoor recreation activities and boost the economy. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the new initiatives today at Kuhn Orchards in Orrtanna, Pennsylvania. The farm’s owners participate … Read More
Simpler Pyrolysis Means On-Farm Fuel Production
U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers are getting closer to developing a system that will help farmers make their own energy on the farm or produce biofuels for commercial purposes. This article from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) says scientists have found a way to simplify the pyrolysis processes for bio-oil. These findings by ARS scientists Charles Mullen and Akwasi … Read More
Forest Service Helps Farming Trees as Fuel Source
In honor of Earth Day today, the U.S. Forest Service is seeking proposals that expand wood energy use and support responsible forest management. This news release says the service is also offering a Wood Energy Financial App to help business leaders see a positive bottom line for these efforts. “USDA through the Forest Service is supporting development of wood energy … Read More
Census of Agriculture Report Coming Soon
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced it will publish the 2012 Census of Agriculture full report on May 2. The announcement was made last week as NASS Census and Survey Division Director Renee Picanso was attending the National Agri-Marketing Association conference in Jacksonville, Florida. “Agribusinesses are highly represented here and they are definitely big users … Read More
NCGA Joins REAP Initiative as Founding Partner
At the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), the ATIP Foundation (Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership) has established a public-private partnership to enhance research on sustainable soil health for multiple land uses in agriculture. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has joined USDA and ATIP along with four other founding partners of … Read More
Ag Day Celebration in DC Features Policy
The National Agriculture Day celebration in Washington DC has events spread across three days – and really it should be more because it is officially National Agriculture Week. Official events to celebrate agriculture kicked off Monday with the Farm to Fork politics session sponsored by Agri-Pulse. With a live audience of nearly 400, USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden … Read More