Conservation reserve program is ‘competitive’ this year, despite lower rental rates
Despite lower rental rates, enrollment in the land-idling Conservation Reserve Program is "competitive" this year, a USDA official said at a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. The 2018 farm bill raised the cap on the number of acres to be enrolled in the CRP from 24 million to 27 million, and Congress reduced the rates paid to farmers to fund the expansion.
At Pennsylvania hearing, dairy farmers testify about their struggling industry
On Tuesday, in Lairdsville, Pennsylvania, farmers gathered to discuss the current crisis in the dairy industry. They testified about the impact of falling milk prices, considered possible solutions, and expressed anger at federal policymakers’ spotty record of supporting the industry at a time when dairy farms across the country are going out of business.
Senators protest using farmers as pawns in China-U.S. trade battle
The White House ought to be expanding agriculture export markets rather than disrupting relations with leading trade partners, said farm-state senators during a hearing with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Tuesday. Sales to the three largest export markets—China, Canada and Mexico—are …
House committee considers SBA poultry loans
Members of the House Small Business Committee convened for a hearing Wednesday to discuss the findings of a recent report by the Office of the Inspector General on lending to poultry farmers.