While the 2024 Farm Bill has been stalled for multiple months, the legislative logjam is showing a few signs of breaking after key ag groups took to Capitol Hill to share the economic reality facing farmers and ranchers. In a letter last week to House Ag Committee Democrats, Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) said, “We…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Bipartisan Group Want Dairy Industry Protection
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led a bipartisan group of colleagues in calling on the administration to protect America’s dairy industry. They want to ensure that plant-based imitation products are not equated in upcoming dietary guideline changes. The officials are asking the Department of Health and Human Services and USDA to carefully consider any changes to…… MORE
House Passes Bill to Protect U.S. Farmland
The House of Representatives passed the “Protecting U.S. Farmland from Foreign Adversaries Act.” Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced a companion bill in the Senate. The legislation would increase scrutiny of foreign bids to purchase U.S. farmland, particularly from adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran. It would add the Secretary…… MORE
USDA Launches Interactive Census of Ag Maps
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service just released a collection of interactive maps to allow data users to access key Census of Agriculture information. The newly redesigned Ag Census Web Maps application offers the public access to maps and accompanying data to help visualize, download and analyze Census of Agriculture data down to…… MORE
California Ag Industry Part of Trade Mission to Vietnam
The USDA trade mission to Vietnam includes agribusinesses and farm organizations from many states including California. The goal is to develop and expand business opportunities with importers in Vietnam and other nearby countries. Among those taking part, the California Fresh Fruit Association and the California Table Grape Commission, both based in Fresno. USDA points out…… MORE
Medfly Quarantine Zone
The California Department of Food and Agriculture says a portion of Alameda County is now under quarantine for the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, also known as the Medfly. This follows the detection of a medfly found in Fremont. The USDA, the Alameda County Agricultural Commissioner, and CDFA are working together on this project. CDFA has successfully…… MORE
New Organic Tomato Shows Promise
Vitaetom, a Belgium company specializing in organic greenhouse-grown vegetables, recently introduced a new organic variety of tomatoes called Ruby Red. This deep red plum tomato is a first in the organic market, and its cultivation earned Koen Van Hauteghem, the third-generation owner of Vitaetom, a nomination for the BioVLAM 2024 award. HortiDaily reports adapting the…… MORE
Farmer Outlook Drops
The August Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dipped 13 points from July to a reading of 100. That drop echoes levels seen from fall 2015 through winter 2016 during the early stages of a significant downturn in the U.S. farm economy. The Index of Current Conditions also dropped 17 points to 83, while the…… MORE
Cost Report for Milk Production by Herd Size
U.S. dairy farms vary widely in size, from fewer than 50 dairy cows to having 2,000 or more. While many factors can influence a dairy farm’s production cost per unit of milk, such as technology use, management, and input prices paid, farm size can also affect costs. The Economic Research Service estimates the cost of…… MORE
USDA Launches an Online Debt Consolidation Tool for Farmers
The new debt consolidation tool allows producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate the potential savings that might come from debt consolidation. That consolidation could come from either a local lender or the farm service agency. By combining multiple eligible debts into a single, larger loan, farmers may get more favorable payment terms…… MORE
