Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to guarantee farmers the right to repair their own equipment and end current restrictions on the repair market. The Agriculture Right to Repair Act, authored by Montana Democrat Jon Tester, is part of his effort to break up consolidation in the agriculture industry. Tester says farmers “need to…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Port of Oakland To Help Ease Shipping Problems
The Department of Agriculture is partnering with the Port of Oakland to set up a new 25-acre “pop-up” site to make it easier for agricultural companies to fill empty shipping containers with commodities. Fewer containers are available for U.S. agricultural commodities, as ocean carriers have circumvented traditional marketing channels and rushed containers back, exported empty.…… MORE
Cal Allocating Some Water Deliveries
The state finally green lights at least some water for valley farmers this year. The California Department of Water Resources is allocating a 15% water delivery. Just last month, the DWR made a first ever announcement of zero percent water deliveries beyond basic needs. Although DWR is making the 15% allocation now, the department will…… MORE
FFA Members Tour California Agriculture
46 current and former state FFA officers visited California to learn about the wide variety of agriculture the state has to offer. Stops included the largest U.S. producer of caviar, a fourth-generation ranch practicing responsible carbon farming, and many others. They also visited with California’s Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross, the vice-chair of California’s Water…… MORE
Family Farms Produce Most Poultry and Eggs, And Hay
USDA’s Economic Research Service reports most values of cotton, dairy and specialty crops are produced on large-scale family farms, according to 2020 data. USDA defines a family farm as one in which the principal operator and related family own the majority of the assets used in the operation. Large-scale family farms have an annual gross…… MORE
EPA Pesticide Policy May Limit New Chemistries
The Environmental Protection Agency is reversing decades of practice in an attempt to further the Agency’s compliance with the Endangered Species Act when evaluating new pesticides and ingredients. In the new policy, EPA will evaluate the potential effects of each new active ingredient on federally threatened or endangered species and their designated critical habitats before…… MORE
Farm Tractor & Combine Sales Climb
Nearly 360,000 total tractors and combines left dealer lots in 2021 in North America. U.S. and Canadian unit sales of ag tractors and combines finished 2021 with gains of more than 10% in nearly every segment in both countries. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers released the data this week that shows U.S. total farm tractor…… MORE
USDA Expands Climate-Smart Practices
The Department of Agriculture is providing a $9 million investment in new Cooperative Extension and USDA Climate Hubs partnerships. The investment seeks to bolster climate research and connect and share climate-smart solutions directly with the agricultural community. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the partnerships “will strengthen climate research efforts and accelerate the development, adoption and…… MORE
Supporting Existing Pesticide Law
CropLife America joined more than 350 organizations engaged with pesticide products in a letter sent to Congress affirming their support for the current pesticide regulatory system. The letter is in response to legislation that would undermine the science-based standards in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. “This legislation undermines the work of the EPA’s…… MORE
Farm Bureau Campaigning Against WOTUS Changes
American Farm Bureau successfully campaigned last year against changes to the stepped-up basis provision in estate tax law. Now, Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall asked members to put that same energy level into the Biden administration’s proposed changes to the Trump Waters of the United States rule. The administration wants to go back to an…… MORE
