Author Archives: cassiebable

FSA Loan Helps a New Generation of Dairy Farmers Say ‘Cheese’ in Southern Illinois

Posted on January 9, 2017 by cassiebable

By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist Generations of the Marcoot family have raised and milked Jersey dairy cows in southern Illinois since the mid-1800s. John Marcoot took over the operations at Marcoot Jersey Farm in 1979, starting the sixth … Continue reading →

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CRP Offers New Opportunity for Small Livestock Operations

Posted on November 10, 2016 by cassiebable

By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist During a tour of Emerald Valley Farm in Newville, Pennsylvania, USDA Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor announced that the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has expanded the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands program … Continue reading →

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Mapping the Ag-Nation: USDA Farm Service Agency Gets Weather-Ready

Posted on November 4, 2016 by cassiebable

GIS Specialist Recognized for Serving as Weather-Ready Ambassador Jeffrey Bloomquist is an ambassador. He’s not stationed overseas, but does his important work from his Minnesota Farm Service Agency (FSA) state office in St. Paul.  And while he helps farmers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atop the Fence Post, Features, Regional Posts | 4 Comments

Beginning Farmer Evolves into Successful Vegetable Grower

Posted on October 12, 2016 by cassiebable

  Young Producer Overcomes Limited English Proficiency By Kaylyn Franks, Idaho Farm Service Agency When some farmers talk about challenges experienced during their journey to success, they mention financial hardship or weather disasters. Once in a while, a farmer has a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atop the Fence Post, Features, Regional Posts | 4 Comments

The McCalls Keep Ag ‘All in the Family’

Posted on September 20, 2016 by cassiebable

By Scott Whittington, Public Affairs Specialist A lot of American families “make it work” through hard times. One family in Arkansas has seen ups and downs on their family farm with droughts, floods and other property damages. Other families may quit, … Continue reading →

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400 Participate in Community-Supported Agriculture

Posted on September 19, 2016 by cassiebable

By Tanya Brown, Outreach Marketing Editor For a few years, Kacie Luckett, who had only two acres of growing space, was told there was no way she could compete against large farms at a farmers market. They were right.

Posted in Atop the Fence Post, Features, Regional Posts | 1 Comment

Patience and Passion: Oregon Hazelnut Farmer Revives Family’s Farming History

Posted on August 31, 2016 by cassiebable

By Michael Booth, Public Affairs Specialist Jim Gerig grew up in a western Oregon farm family, but in the 1980s his father had to lease out the family land due to dwindling profit margins. Since then, he has kept a … Continue reading →

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Young Entrepreneur Continues Father’s Almond Legacy

Posted on August 18, 2016 by cassiebable

By Scott Whittington, Public Affairs Specialist At 26 years old, Andre Alves owns his own successful almond orchard in a beautiful California countryside and strives to grow the best product for his customers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) started an … Continue reading →

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Fresh Out of the Frey’s Pond

Posted on August 12, 2016 by cassiebable

By Scott Whittington, Public Affairs Specialist Successful people have many characteristics in common, and one of the most important is never giving up. One farming family’s crop was devastated when they lost their entire crop yield, but they kept their … Continue reading →

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Texas Rancher Recovers from Drought

Posted on August 11, 2016 by cassiebable

By Shawn McCowan, Public Affairs Specialist, Texas Farm Service Agency Cheryl Wright is a third-generation rancher in Houston and Anderson Counties. Despite a lifetime in agriculture, she never considered turning to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for assistance. Wright was … Continue reading →

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