Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention several major developments at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will benefit farmers, ranchers and producers across the nation. “At USDA, our goal is to provide all farmers, including new and underserved producers, with the opportunity to receive the assistance they need to continue …
NCDA&CS Accepting Applications for 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting grant applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Nonprofits and government agencies wishing to apply have until March 3 at 5 p.m. Applicants can submit a draft application for staff review by Jan. 25 to gain feedback on their grant proposals. A pdf of the draft …
Registration open for 2023 Georgia Ag Forecast
By Jordan Powers Registration is now open for the 2023 Georgia Ag Forecast, which will be held Jan. 27 at the University of Georgia (UGA) Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. A live virtual option will also be available. The annual seminar, offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and UGA Extension, shares the latest research …
APHIS Prohibiting Fresh Bell Pepper Imports from Spain into U.S.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is prohibiting the importation of fresh bell peppers for consumption from Spain into the U.S. effective Dec. 29, 2022. The decision was made to prevent the introduction of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Medfly). APHIS is also prohibiting overland in-bond transit movements of these materials south of 39° latitude and west …
Farm Bill’s Importance for Specialty Crop Farmers
By Clint Thompson The year 2023 will be the year of the Farm Bill for farmers across the U.S. The piece of legislation that is renewed every five years will be vital to producers in all areas of agriculture. It will be especially important for Southeast specialty crop producers, says Adam Rabinowitz, Alabama Extension economist. “Specialty crops within the Farm …
H-2A Worker Numbers Still Rising
U.S. agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of U.S. domestic workers can fill seasonal farm jobs with temporary foreign workers through the H-2A visa program. The Department of Labor certified around 317,000 temporary jobs in fiscal year (FY) 2021 under the H-2A visa program, more than six times the number certified in 2005. Only about 80% of the certified jobs …
Potato Production, Price Update
Potato production was down in 2022 as planted acres and yield production dropped, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service Situation and Outlook Report. Production is down 3% from last year due mostly to a decrease of 2% in planted acres. It is the first time that annual potato production has declined five straight years since 1866. …
2022 Census of Agriculture Underway
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mailed the 2022 Census of Agriculture paper questionnaires to all known agriculture producers across the nation and Puerto Rico in mid-December. Last month, producers in the states received their survey codes with an invitation to respond online. Any producer who did not respond online now has the option to complete the ag census …
Are You Running in the Holiday Food Marathon?
Runners lose weight in most marathons. But the holiday food marathon can do the opposite. Starting in Halloween and going through Thanksgiving and now Christmas, Americans tend to eat more and more this time of year. Gary Crawford with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has the story. Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More …
Christmas Tree Growers Optimistic About Industry’s Future
It wasn’t long ago that Christmas tree growers were worried about the long-term future of their industry. But today that worry has transformed into renewed optimism, according to Gary Crawford with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board, says, ”The industry met the demand in 2021 and will do so again …