USDA Grants Will Connect Local Farmers to School Cafeterias

Posted on December 4, 2014 by tanya brown

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week the awarding of several grants that support efforts to connect school cafeterias with local farmers and ranchers. More than $5 million in grants were awarded to 82 projects spanning 42 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “USDA is proud to support communities across the country as they plan and implement innovative farm to school projects,” said Vilsack. “These inspiring collaborations provide students with healthy, fresh food, while supporting healthy local economies. Through farm to school projects, community partners are coming together to ensure a bright future for students, and for local farmers and ranchers.” According to USDA’s first-ever Farm to School Census released earlier this year, school districts participating in farm to school programs purchased and served over $385 million in local food in school year 2011-2012, with more than half of participating schools planning to increase their purchases of local food in the future. Read more or review the Farm to School Census

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on USDA Grants Will Connect Local Farmers to School Cafeterias

USDA Awards $9.7 Million in Outreach and Technical Assistance to Diversify Agriculture

Posted on December 4, 2014 by tanya brown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $9.7 million in grants to 62 community-based and non-profit organizations, and educational institutions to conduct training, outreach and technical assistance to socially disadvantaged (including tribal) and veteran farmers and ranchers. These awards are distributed through the Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, also known as the 2501 Program. “Our nation’s farmers and ranchers are diverse in experience, background and knowledge, giving us the tools we need to build a resilient agricultural system,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Today’s announcement is part of our ongoing commitment to identify, recruit and train a vibrant next generation of farmers and ranchers who can carry American agriculture into the future. It is also part of our pledge to assist military veterans find economic opportunity as they return to civilian life.” Read more or learn more about the 2501 Program.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on USDA Awards $9.7 Million in Outreach and Technical Assistance to Diversify Agriculture

Commodity Credit Corporation Releases Lending Rates for December

Posted on December 1, 2014 by tanya brown

The USDA Commodity Credit Corporation, which helps stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices, released interest rates for December 2014. The borrowing rate-based charge is 0.125, which is unchanged from November 2014, while the 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans dispersed during December is 1.125, unchanged from last month. Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans and discount rates for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program also are available. Read more.

Posted in News | Tagged | Comments Off on Commodity Credit Corporation Releases Lending Rates for December

Agricultural Producers Begin Receiving Disaster Assistance from ELAP

Posted on November 25, 2014 by tanya brown

Nearly 2,500 agricultural producers and beekeepers will begin receiving disaster assistance from the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). “For certain agricultural producers who raise bees, farm-raised fish and livestock, and who suffered weather or disease related losses in 2012 and 2013, these funds will help cover some of those losses,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Funding for ELAP is limited to $20 million in any federal fiscal year. Because the number of applicants exceeded available funds, payments will be prorated to cover 90 percent of eligible losses occurring from Oct. 1, 2011, through Sept. 30, 2012, and 68 percent of eligible losses occurring from Oct. 1, 2012, through Sept. 30, 2013. Learn more.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Agricultural Producers Begin Receiving Disaster Assistance from ELAP

USDA and Partners Complete First-of-its-Kind Sale of Carbon Credits

Posted on November 21, 2014 by tanya brown

A U.S. Department of Agriculture grant has helped initiate a partnership that is improving the environment. Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, purchased nearly 40,000 carbon dioxide reduction tons generated on working ranch grasslands in the Prairie Pothole region of North Dakota. The amount of carbon dioxide removed from our atmosphere by Chevrolet’s purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking more than 5,000 cars off the road,” Secretary Vilsack said. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded $161,000 through a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to Ducks Unlimited in 2011 to develop the necessary methodology to quantify the carbon stored in the soil by avoiding grassland conversions, resulting in the generation of carbon credits.  Learn how the carbon credit system works by reading more.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on USDA and Partners Complete First-of-its-Kind Sale of Carbon Credits

Agricultural Prices Program Modified

Posted on November 21, 2014 by tanya brown

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service is modifying the agricultural prices program. Only full month prices will be published starting January 2015. Preliminary prices will be discontinued after December 2014. Adjusted base prices will be published in the February report instead of the January report and the annual average group indexes published in the January report will be based on an annual weight rather than a simple average as in previous years. Each report will have the previous full month price instead of the current preliminary or mid-month price. Read more.

Posted in News | Tagged | Comments Off on Agricultural Prices Program Modified

Coverage Selection for New 2014 Farm Bill Safety Net Programs Begins Nov. 17

Posted on November 14, 2014 by tanya brown

Producers can begin enrolling in one of two safety net programs beginning Monday, Nov. 17. The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs were created under the 2014 Farm Bill and are designed to help producers better manage risk. “The new ARC and PLC programs provide a more rational approach to helping farmers manage risk by ensuring families don’t lose the farm because of events beyond their control,” said FSA Administrator Val Dolcini. Online tools are available to help producers with the decision process. Farmers can enter information about their operation and see projections that show what ARC and/or PLC will mean for their operation under possible future scenarios. Learn more about ARC/PLC or use the online tools.

Posted in News | Tagged | Comments Off on Coverage Selection for New 2014 Farm Bill Safety Net Programs Begins Nov. 17

Corn, Soybeans Expected to Reach Record-High Yields

Posted on November 14, 2014 by tanya brown

Corn production is expected to reach 14.4 billion bushels this year, up 3 percent from 2013, according to the Crop Production report released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows. Soybean production is forecast at 3.96 billion bushels this year, up 18 percent from 2013. Both crops are on target for record-high yields and production. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields for corn are expected to average 173.4 bushels per acre, down 0.8 bushel from the October forecast, but 14.6 bushels above the 2013 average. As for soybeans, yields are expected to average a record high 47.5 bushels per acre, up 0.4 bushel from October and up 3.5 bushels from last year. Read the report.

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Corn, Soybeans Expected to Reach Record-High Yields

Microloan Cap Grows to $50,000 Starting Today, Nov. 7

Posted on November 7, 2014 by tanya brown

The FSA borrowing limit for microloans increased today from $35,000 to $50,000. Microloans offer borrowers simplified lending with less paperwork and makes borrowing from FSA a “first opportunity” to farm or quickly expand an existing operation. The microloan change allows beginning, small and mid-sized farmers to access an additional $15,000 in loans using a simplified application process with up to seven years to repay. Microloans are part of USDA’s continued commitment to small and midsized farming operations. Learn more.

Posted in News | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Agricultural Exports Hit Record Levels in 2014

Posted on November 6, 2014 by tanya brown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its final total for U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year 2014, which hit a record high of $152.5 billion, up from $141 billion from last year. “American farmers and ranchers have once again achieved another year of record exports Agricultural exports have climbed 41 percent in value over the past five years. U.S. agricultural exports have increased in volume as well as in monetary value, which demonstrates an increasing global appetite for high-quality, American-grown products,” said Vilsack.

Posted in News | Tagged , , | 1 Comment