USDA Seeks Comments on Agricultural Coexistence

Posted on November 8, 2013 by tanya brown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on how the coexistence of all sectors of agricultural production can be strengthened. From traditionally produced crops, to organic, identity preserved and genetically engineered crops, USDA supports all sectors and wants each to successfully provide products to U.S. markets and abroad.  Comments should offer suggestions on how to foster communication and collaboration among all sectors. The comment period ends Jan. 3, 2014. Learn more or submit comments.

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USDA builds the American Dream

Posted on November 7, 2013 by tanya brown

By Val Dolcini, State Executive Director, USDA Farm Service Agency

The following is excerpted from a speech given Oct. 24 at the 46th annual Farm-City Harvest Awards Luncheon sponsored by the Woodland Chamber of Commerce.

Farm-City luncheon oct2013

Val Dolcini

I frequently tell people that I’ve got the best job in California. Most days, my “office” is one of the many thousands of farms in our great state and as often as my schedule will allow, I’m on the road, traveling the blue highways and back roads of California working with my USDA colleagues in 30 county offices from Mount Shasta in Siskiyou County to Mount Signal on the U.S.-Mexico border.

I’ve learned a lot from my travels about what it takes to farm in California in the 21st century and about the many different kinds of farming operations that represent the diversity of the Golden State. From 90,000-acre cattle ranches in Kern County to half-acre organic plots just a mile or two from here and everything in between. What’s more, I get the opportunity to work with and for the men, women, and farm families who not only feed you and me, and our fellow citizens, but who truly feed the world! Continue reading →

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New App Frees Farmers from Paperwork

Posted on November 6, 2013 by tanya brown

A new app helps farmers map crops and monitor irrigation systems so they can avoid clunky binders, antiquated spreadsheets and tedious paperwork. Created by the University of Vermont Extension with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the goCrop Web and mobile app will allow farmers to manage manure and fertilizer applications, coordinate harvests and check weather and real-time agricultural markets. The new app keeps farming focused without the need for little scrap pieces of paper farmers use to write down information. The app is available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Learn more.

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USDA Aligns Mad Cow Disease Regulation with International Health Standards

Posted on November 5, 2013 by tanya brown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized import regulations for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease. The final rule bases BSE regulations on internationally accepted scientific literature and standards set by the World Organization for Animal Health. The regulation allows for the safe trade of bovines and bovine products, while protecting the United States from the disease. This measure doesn’t change safeguards currently in place in the United States, but allows USDA to use the same criteria and categories as the World Organization for Animal Health to identify a country’s BSE risk status. Learn more or read the Q&As.

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FSA Resumes 2013 Commodity Loan Disbursements

Posted on November 1, 2013 by tanya brown

The Farm Service Agency has resumed disbursement of 2013 crop commodity loans. The loan provides interim financing to producers for agricultural commodities stored after harvest and then sold throughout the year.   “We must comply with the laws established by Congress in accordance with sequestration policy,” said FSA Administrator Juan Garcia.  “We regret the delay this has created in USDA issuing marketing assistance loans because we know how critical the loans are to farmers’ cash flows at this time of year.” Producers receiving the loans will have a 5.1 percent reduction to the loan amount upon its disbursement, due to sequestration. Learn more.

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Man Jailed for Passing off Empty Bin as 54,000 Bushels of Soybeans

Posted on November 1, 2013 by tanya brown

A North Carolina man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for lying about how many bushels of soybeans he had. William L. Whaley, Jr., pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with USDA Commodity Credit Corporation loan. Whaley took out a loan for $272,986.56 and used the bushels of soybeans as collateral. When USDA employees went to Whaley’s farm to verify the quantity, he tried to pass off an empty bin as 54,000 bushels of soybeans. Read more (WNCN).

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Today is Last Day Dairy Producers Can Submit MILC Documentation for Nov. 1 Deadline

Posted on November 1, 2013 by tanya brown

Dairy producers participating in the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program must submit final production evidence and any supporting documentation by today, Nov. 1, 2013. Documentation must be submitted for all eligible months that MILC payments were available, which include fiscal years 2009, 2010, 2012 and 1013. More information is available at local county offices. Learn more or find a local county office.

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Commodity Credit Corporation Releases Lending Rates for November

Posted on November 1, 2013 by tanya brown

The USDA Commodity Credit Corporation, which helps stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices, released interest rates for November 2013. The borrowing rate-based charge is 0.125, which is unchanged from October 2013, while the 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans dispersed during November 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.

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Scientist Find Secret to Improving Taste of Tomatoes

Posted on October 31, 2013 by tanya brown

cov1013Researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service may have discovered ways for tomatoes to keep their fresh-from-the-garden taste. Scientist found that sugar and acid are the key characteristics in tomato varieties that determine the overall flavor. Although the amount of acid varied slightly, it was the amount of sugar that determined the flavor; the greater the ratio of sugar to acid, the sweeter the tomato. The sweeter the tomato, the more flavor it contained. The finding will provide a broad range of possibilities for breeders to adjust sugar levels and develop more flavorful tomatoes. Learn more.

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First-Ever Report Highlights Benefits of Agroforestry to Farmers, Ranchers

Posted on October 31, 2013 by tanya brown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the first-ever report on the department’s role in agroforestry. Agroforestry: USDA Reports to America highlights ways agroforestry practices help farmers and ranchers enhance agricultural productivity, protect the environment and increase profits. Agroforestry is a management approach that combines agriculture and forestry to create more sustainable land-use systems. Over the past five years, USDA has assisted landowners financially and with technical guidance to establish nearly 336,000 acres of windbreaks, riparian forest buffers and ally cropping; about 2,000 acres of silvopasture and about 500 acres of forest farming. Learn more or review the report.

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