Category Archives: Agriculture News

Antibiotic-free Chicken More Popular

The Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service released a report titled “The Market for Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics, 2012–17.” The report studies consumer attitudes for chicken raised without antibiotics and their purchases of the products. The analysis grouped chicken products into three distinct market segments: classic, processed, and sausage. Between 2012 and 2017, household expenditure…MORE

Bayer Launching Organic Seeds

Bayer is expanding its vegetable seeds offerings under the Bayer umbrella to include organically produced seed.The launch will focus on certified organic production in three key crops for the greenhouse and glasshouse market, including tomato, sweet pepper and cucumber.These will be followed by tomato rootstock varieties in 2023.Bayer’s expanded portfolio is in direct response to…MORE

Real Christmas Tree Outlook

  Christmas tree growers are overcoming logistical challenges of COVID-19 and a heatwave in the Pacific Northwest to provide enough trees for this year’s demand. After close evaluation and making tree-by-tree decisions, growers expect to supply the same overall number of real Christmas trees to the marketplace this season as they had planned before the…MORE

Ag Labor Concerns Continue

  Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled against the Democrats’ plan to provide eight million green cards as a part of their $3.5 trillion spending bill. The Hill says that decision makes getting immigration reform to President Biden’s desk that much harder. MacDonough’s guidance all but closes the door on Democrats’ chances to be able to…MORE

Livestock Producer Help Extended

  The Department of Agriculture is providing additional time for livestock and poultry producers to apply for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program, or PLIP. Producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing may now apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals…MORE

Chicken Industry Inaugural Sustainability Report

  The National Chicken Council has released its inaugural sustainability report. The report provides a comprehensive overview of U.S. chickens raised for meat, known as “broilers,” and the industry’s collective progress in its environmental, broiler welfare and social impact journey, as well as efforts to build a more sustainable food system. The 2020 U.S. Broiler…MORE

2.5 million Acres Accepted in Grassland CRP Signup

  The USDA accepted offers for more than 2.5 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment through this year’s Grassland Conservation Reserve Program Signup. This is double last year’s enrollment and brings the total acres enrolled across all CRP signups in 2021 to more than 5.3 million acres, surpassing USDA’s goal of…MORE

USDA Expands Help For Feed Hauling Costs

  In response to the severe drought conditions in the Western U.S. and Great Plains, USDA says it plans to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing. USDA will update the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) to immediately cover feed transportation costs for drought-impacted…MORE

USDA Has Pandemic Relief for Farmworkers

  The Department of Agriculture announced $700 million in competitive grant funding to help farmworkers and meatpacking workers with pandemic-related health and safety costs. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the new Farm and Food Workers Relief grant program funding this week. Additionally, $20 million of the funding was set aside for at least one pilot…MORE

USDA Seeking Labeling Meat Comments

  The Department of Agriculture is seeking comments regarding the labeling of meat and poultry products made using cultured cells derived from animals. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit comments. FSIS will use the comments to create future regulatory requirements for labeling the food products. In…MORE