The Agricultural Safety Awareness Program Week is March 7-11. U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers will join with the American Farm Bureau in promoting ag safety through the week with the theme “Prepare. Prevent. Protect.” Each day of the week will deal with a different safety topic, including livestock safety, the cost and finances of…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Fresno State Might Benefit from Additional USDA Dairy Industry Funding
The Department of Agriculture just announced an additional investment of $80 million in the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives. In November 2021, the program awarded $18.4 million to three current initiatives at the University of Tennessee, Vermont Agency for Food and Marketing and University of Wisconsin, and $1.8 million to a new initiative at California State…… MORE
USDA Gathering Data On Certified Organic Production
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is conducting the 2021 Organic Survey to gather new data on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the United States. USDA says the effort is critical to help determine the economic impact of certified organic agriculture production on the nation. NASS is mailing the survey to all known certified…… MORE
Vilsack says Ag Outlook is Strong
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack gave the keynote address last week at the USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum. The Hagstrom Report says that the secretary called the outlook for U.S. agriculture “bright, strong, and positive” despite the problems around the world. When asked about the impact of the battle in Ukraine, Vilsack said it’s too early…… MORE
USDA Commits $215 Million for Food Supply Chain
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the USDA will make available $215 million in grants and other support to make America’s food supply chain more resilient. The financing will help expand meat and poultry processing options, strengthen the food supply chain, and create jobs and economic opportunities in rural areas. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association…… MORE
Port Infrastructure Funding
The Biden Administration announces $450 million in grant funding for port-related projects through the Port Infrastructure Development Program. The grants can help ports expand capacity and improve the movement of goods through U.S. supply chains. The Department of Transportation says the effort is the largest investment in the program ever, made possible by the Bipartisan…… MORE
Organic Dairy Farms See Slower Productivity Growth
Organic dairy farm production growth is slower than conventional operations, according to new data from USDA’s Economic Research Service. Productivity is measured as total factor productivity, the ratio of the total amount of goods produced relative to all the inputs such as labor, fertilizer, and other costs used to produce those goods. USDA researchers studied…… MORE
Tracking Fertilizer Price Increases
Data from USDA’s Economic Research Service details the increase in fertilizer prices. Fertilizer represents an average of 36% of a farmer’s operating costs for corn and 36% for wheat according to estimates by USDA. Fertilizer prices declined from 2014 through 2017 before a gradual increase in 2019. In late 2021, prices began to spike alongside…… MORE
Ag Exports Shatter Records
U.S. Agriculture posted its highest annual export levels ever recorded in 2021. The final 2021 trade data published by the Department of Commerce shows that exports of U.S. farm and food products totaled $177 billion. The total beat the 2020 figure by 18% and eclipsed the previous record set in 2014, by 14.6%. Agriculture Secretary…… MORE
New Farm Market News Mobile App
The Department of Agriculture just released a new USDA Market News Mobile Application. The app provides producers and everyone else in the supply chain with instant access to current and historical market information. The initial version of the free app includes nearly 800 livestock, poultry, and grain market reports, with additional commodities added throughout the…… MORE
