USDA report looks at ways to grow biomass market
Expanding the market for biomass-based products, which include furniture, bioplastics, and biofuels, would create new sources of revenue for the agricultural sector, said a USDA report released on Thursday. It recommends a broad-ranging effort by the government to encourage greater production.
Protect SNAP benefits, create farm revenue streams in farm bill — White House
The White House warned lawmakers against cutting SNAP in the new farm bill on Monday and said they should embrace climate-smart agriculture and other practices that would boost farmer income across the board, rather than pamper big operators. Farm bill leaders have been deadlocked for months over crop subsidies, SNAP, and climate funds.
Congress avoids government shutdown, for fourth time
The House and Senate speedily passed a short-term government funding bill on Thursday, averting a partial government shutdown this weekend that would have included the USDA. “Now let us finish the job of funding the government so we don’t have to do this again,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Equity Commission recommends ‘sweeping and generational change’ at USDA
The Agriculture Department, whose programs range from crop subsidies to public nutrition, would reform its operations to assure fair treatment of everyone under the recommendations of an administration-appointed commission, delivered in a final report on Thursday. Co-chair Ertharin Cousin said the goal was “to ensure equity becomes part of the DNA as well as the culture of this great organization.”
USDA announces $772.6 million in rural infrastructure awards
During a town hall meeting in North Carolina on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $772.6 million in funding for projects promoting rural growth, including high-speed internet, clean water, and community facilities. The bulk of the money, $664.2 million, would go to rural water and sewer projects across the country.
Crop insurance costs to leap by 29 percent, says CBO
The federally subsidized crop insurance program will cost an additional $27.7 billion over the coming decade, said the Congressional Budget Office in projections released on Monday. The government pays roughly 62 cents of each $1 in premiums, and sales of livestock and forage policies are exploding.
USDA launches Working Lands Climate Corps
The new Working Lands Climate Corps will train young adults for careers in climate-smart agriculture and conservation, said Agriculture deputy secretary Xochitl Torres Small on Monday. She announced the initiative at the National Association of Conservation Districts convention in San Diego, with the NACD, Americorps, and The Corps Network as partners.
Analyst: Record U.S. corn and soybean crops are possible this year
U.S. farmers will plant enough land to corn and soybeans this spring to put record harvests within reach with normal weather and “trend-type” yields, said an S&P Global update. It was the second report this week to suggest that despite the USDA’s projection of a shift toward soybeans, many farmers will stick with corn.
USDA pilot program will test remote grading of beef carcasses
The USDA is launching a pilot program that will grade cattle carcasses by using images submitted electronically by small meatpackers rather than sending an inspector to the plant, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce on Friday. The Remote Grading Pilot for Beef is intended to reduce costs for small packers while giving them an opportunity to increase the value of the meat they produce.
Six-week government funding bill is proposed
The Senate was scheduled to take a procedural vote on Tuesday afternoon to keep the government running until early March, a six-week extension of the stop-gap funding bill now in place. If Congress fails to act, funding for the USDA and four other federal departments would expire on Friday.
School food directors call for free meals for all students
Congress should offer free meals to all school students and increase the federal reimbursement for each meal that is served, said the School Nutrition Association on Tuesday, speaking for school food directors. "Research shows students eat their healthiest meals at school, and school nutrition programs need Congress' support to sustain that achievement," said SNA president Chris Derico.
USDA to hire climate change fellows
Facing a record number of applications for clean energy funding, the USDA said it would hire 40 Climate Change Fellows to speed up the disbursal of $2 billion through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The $2 billion was part of the 2022 climate, healthcare, and tax law.
USDA names Watkins new APHIS chief
Michael Watson, the No. 2 official at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service since 2018, will be the agency’s new administrator, announced the USDA on Wednesday. He will succeed Kevin Shea, who will become a senior adviser to Xochitl Torres Small, USDA deputy secretary.
USDA announces plan to conserve old-growth forests
In a first-of-its-kind step, the Agriculture Department proposed to amend all of its 128 forest management plans to conserve and steward old-growth forests in its 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands on Tuesday. "This will provide consistent direction across the Forest Service on how to conserve and restore old-growth forest conditions across the nation," said the White House.
Foreign buyers of ag land show interest in its potential to generate renewable energy
When foreign investors acquire U.S. forest and farm land, they frequently are interested in the possibility of solar, wind, or renewable energy generation on their new property, said an Agriculture Department report. Companies with the words "wind," "solar," or "renewable" in their names hold 28 percent of the 43.4 million acres of foreign-owned or -leased agricultural land in the country.
Grasslands surge to No. 1 in Conservation Reserve enrollment
The skyrocketing popularity of the grasslands option is adding a working lands dimension to the Conservation Reserve, created four decades ago to take fragile cropland out of production. Grasslands now account for 35 percent of the land enrolled in the reserve, up from 28 percent in fiscal 2023, according to USDA data.
House votes to make whole milk part of school lunches
The House passed, on an overwhelming 330-99 roll call on Wednesday, a bill that overrides USDA regulations to allow schools to serve whole milk as part of the school lunch program. “Let’s end the war on milk,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx, chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee.
USDA allots $300 million for first year of export program
The government will provide up to $300 million for the first year of a new program to build food and ag export sales in nontraditional markets, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday. The USDA has committed $1.2 billion over five years for the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) after the second year in a row of declining ag exports.