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Archive for August, 2009
Friday, August 28th, 2009
The USDA has responded to the pork industry’s request for more money. Iowa Governor Chet Culver and eight other governor’s asked the USDA to support the industry by purchasing more pork.
However, the USDA cannot find extra money in the budget to do this.
The USDA has purchased $117 million in pork products for the nutrition assistance programs during the fiscal year, but the governors are asking the department to purchase $50 million more.
“Due to economic conditions, the value of requests for commodity purchases far exceeds the amount of remaining funding, but we will continue to monitor market developments and make decisions accordingly,†USDA spokesman Justin DeJong said.
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Tags: pork, usda
Posted in General, Iowa farm loans | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
More information has been released about the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) program. Those interested in signing up for the program have been able to apply since August 10. However, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced August 6 that the cutoff for the first period payment schedule is September 30.
The NRCS program is appealing because unlike past programs that allow only certain areas to participate, anyone can apply to be eligible for this program. The only qualifications are that the land must be: cropland, grassland, prairie, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial forestland, and agriculture land under jurisdiction of an Indian tribe.
To apply participants must complete the 2009 conservation stewardship self-screening checklist available here.
Following application the landowner must set up a meeting with NRCS staff to evaluate the land. Once the applicant has been approved, a contract can be developed that is valid for five years.
Tags: Kathleen Merrrigan, NRCS
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
The USDA’s Economic Research Service released its annual survey of cantaloupe statistics.
The survey includes 41 charts of information dating back to 1947, and touched on acreage, yields, production, price, value, supply, disappearance, per capita usage, exports, imports, arrivals, chemical use and more.
According to statistics, cantaloupe have increased by 1.3 billion pounds over the last five decades. The study also showed that cantaloupe imports rose from 79 million to 945 million from 1960 to 2009. This is mostly due to the increase in consumption from six to 34 percent.
Even prices increased from 1960 to 2008. During this time period, prices quintupled rising from $4.33 per cwt. to $19.20.
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Tags: cantaloupe, Research, usda
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
The USDA announced it is increasing the payments to farmers under the government’s dairy price-support program.
Until the end of October, producers will be paid 10 percent more for any milk and cheddar cheese produced. The USDA estimates that this increase will boost revenue by $243 million.
USDA Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack said the increase was made to help farmers continue to operate during the dairy crisis.
The change comes following the poor conditions many farmers are facing with the current economic crisis in the dairy industry. Lawmakers and legislators from high-producing diary states were pushed for the USDA to increase payments.
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Tags: dairy, government, Vislack
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
The Food-Safety Bill has passed in The House. The Food and Drug Administration now has more authority to prevent and stop food-borne illnesses. This law follows a large outbreak of diseases from peanuts, spinach, hot peppers and more.
The law passed with a vote of 283-142 and rural districts won concessions that exempt farms from paying registration fees, curb the FDA’S access to records and limit the ability to set production standards to foods that could easily be contaminated.
All farms and food facilities regulated by the USDA are exempt. The Senate will vote on similar legislation later this year.
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Tags: FDA, Food Safety, usda
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
Socially disadvantaged farmers in Madison and Yazoo counties (MISSISSIPPI) can apply for loans with the local Farm Service Agency to buy and operate farms.
Women, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians and African Americans qualify for this program developed by Congress. Those who qualify can apply for a farm ownership loan at the FSA office. The agency can sell or lease to anyone who qualifies.
Loans are also available for operations and early business costs. Regardless if you feel you qualify or not, all farmers are encouraged to apply.
Looking to make your farming dream a reality? Contact Farm Plus today! Low-rate loans are available and we work alongside government agencies to get you the farm loans you need. Call 866-929-5585 or visit our website for more information.
Tags: farm loans, mississippi
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
The USDA is offering a new program for grassland owners, especially those in South Texas.
The Grassland Reserve Program is a conservation program that applies to any grassland used for grazing. The money is to defer cattle grazing until conditions improve meaning drought like conditions disappear.
$4 million have been set aside for the program and South Texas producers are at the top of the list because they have been the most affected. 78 counties in Texas have been declared drought zones by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Are you in need of a farm loan or ranch loan? Contact Farm Plus today for information on low-rate loans. Call 866-929-5585 to speak with a representative or visit our website for information on farm loans and ranch loans.
Tags: grassland reserve program, texas
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell is asking the federal government to assist dairy farmers with their current economic .
problems
The governor and seven colleagues wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for debt forgiveness and interest-free extension for at least six months for dairy farmers.
According to the governor, marketing assistance, federal housing administration, USDA guaranteed and direct or low interest loans is the majority of debt that the farmers have.
This change would help keep many farmers afloat in the harsh economic times.
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Tags: dairy, edward rendell, tim vilsack, usda
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and California’s senior senator Dianne Feinstein promised farmers they would work towards a solution for the ever-growing water crisis that has hit California in recent years.
Vilsack toured the state on Wednesday listening to concerns from farmers, meat packers and other producers. These concerns ranged from trade tariffs to problems in the citrus industry. However, the biggest concern was California’s failing ecosystem.
California producers have faced a drought for the last three years. The restrictions on delta water deliveries, to protect native fish, have caused farmers to lose more than a quarter-million acres of land as well as left thousands of people without jobs.
“I understand these are serious issues with serious consequences,” Vilsack said. “I will tell the President it’s not just about California, but it’s about the country and the world.”
Feinstein began a water summit following Vilsack’s visit in Coalinga. Major growers from Sacramento Valley to Los Angeles made the journey to be heard.
“We are the largest agricultural state in the union and if agriculture can’t function here, it means more and more of our food will be brought in from other countries,” Feinstein said. “I think we need to stay out of the courts and sit down around the table … to find solutions.”
Recently there have been a number of legal battles over the slim water supply causuing reduced irrigation flows to the valley. Drought has resulted from the low level of rainfall, leaving delta and rivers for the soul purpose of housing native fish. For the past two years salmon season has been called off due to the drought as well.
Water managers are looking to take steps to prevent harm to the fish by presenting the “Two Gates Proposal.” Water management has $27 million available to finance a gate that would keep fish from being killed by the pumps.
During his tour, Vilsack said this problem may just be affecting California now, but it should be a wake up call for every other state.
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Tags: drought, Tom Vislack
Posted in Calfornia Farm Loans, General | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
The USDA announced Texas farmers and ranchers will have to wait until the fall to receive money from $3 billion provided for crop losses after drought conditions.
Producers are unhappy with the announcement because of the crop losses they are seeing from the droughts. The Supplement Revenue Assistance program is a part of the 2008 farm bill approved by congress totaling in $290 billion.
The program reimburses farmers for 60 percent of losses, but these payments will not be sent out until October or November. The losses from the 2009 harvest will be paid in 2010.
U.S. Sen. John Coryn wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on behalf of the producers stating, “These producers have done all that USDA has asked of them in order to prove their dire conditions and confirm eligibility, and yet they wait.”
Reports say Texas ranchers lost $569 million from November to March. 167 Texas counties have been declared states of disaster because of fire damage from the drought.
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Tags: crop losses, texas, usda
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