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Posts Tagged ‘usda’
Saturday, January 28th, 2012
In a statement earlier this week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that the settlement ceiling for Hispanic and women farmers involved in a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been raised to $250,000 (an increase from the previous amount of $50,000).
The lawsuits, which have been tied up in legal decisions for over a year, stem from the 1980s. Plaintiffs claimed that the USDA issued farm loans discriminatorily, denying loans to Hispanic farmers as well as female farmers.
The USDA has already settled a similar lawsuit filed by African American farmers who claimed that they faced the same discriminatory treatment by USDA loan officers.
The settlement program was announced in February 2011. Up to $1.33 billion is available to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who agree to settle voluntarily their claims. Participation is not compulsory and farmers are still able to pursue their claims through the court system.
In his statement announcing the increased ceiling, Vilsack reiterated his commitment to diversity in the USDA. “The Obama Administration has made it a priority to resolve all claims of past discrimination at USDA, and we are committed to closing this sad chapter in USDA’s history,” he said. “Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege past discrimination are encouraged to participate in an improved claims process.”
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: discrimination, tom vilsack, usda
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2012
In an announcement earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that they were expanding eligibility for loans for beginning and disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Over the past several years, the average age of American farmers has been increasing, leading to a graying of the profession. In addition, while agriculture remains a major part of the American economy, the number of Americans engaged in farming has decreased, with more and more agricultural production being consolidated in the hands of large-scale agribusinesses.
According to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, one of the biggest complaints he has heard as he tours the country is the difficulty in acquiring enough capital for new farmers to open up an agricultural business.
The new rules being considered would provide flexibility for Farm Service Agency officers to consider prior farm training (including formal and informal education) when making loans. In addition, the rules would encourage farmers and ranchers to sell their property to a new generation of farmers by offering landowners a 90 percent guarantee against losses to the seller.
Vilsack and the USDA hope that these new rules will help bring young farmers into the agricultural profession.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm subsidies, tom vilsack, usda
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Saturday, January 21st, 2012
Earlier this week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture was adding more than $300 million to federal emergency funds. The money goes to supporting USDA programs aimed at helping farmers recover from natural disasters and extreme weather.
The $300 million increase is significantly more than last year’s emergency spending of about $136 million. The reason for the increase, USDA officials say, is the rise in extreme weather and natural disasters seen over the last year.
The largest portion of the money, about $110 million, is headed towards Utah and Missouri both of which experienced heavy flooding over the past year. Last spring, for example, flooding along the Mississippi forced the Army Corps of Engineers to destroy levees in southern Missouri in order to prevent flooding in major metropolitan areas in Illinois. About $50 million is going to Missouri farmers to help them recover from the damage.
Smaller amounts of money are heading across the country. In New York, for example, the USDA is releasing about $40 million to help the state repair damage to watersheds and reverse erosion that occurred in the wake of Hurricane Irene. Alabama is set to receive about $6 million to help recover from last summer’s tornadoes.
Reflecting on the wide scale nature of requests for emergency funding, Secretary Vilsack stated, “There have been years that have had more intensive damage in a particular geographic area, but what’s unique about last year is that virtually every part of the country was affected.”
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: disaster funding, farm subsidies, usda
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Saturday, January 21st, 2012
Earlier this week, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton met with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to hammer out a commitment from the state and federal governments regarding water quality in Minnesota.
In a ceremony at the Minnesota capitol, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Dayton and Vilsack committing both governments to develop new programs to encourage voluntary conservation practices designed to improve water quality.
Praising the signing, Dayton stated, “Water and food are two of society’s essential resources. Today, we are taking a bold step for a program, which keeps agriculture a cornerstone of our economy and also protects the health of our rivers, lakes and streams. It is vital that we have both.”
Secretary Vilsack promised that the program would serve to reward farmers who made serious commitments to environmental conservation, stating, “Establishment of this program will protect our water resources by providing assurances and incentives to participating farmers that their good deeds – their strong commitment to conservation – will be recognized.”
While the details of the program will be worked out over the next months, the basics revolve around the creation of a conservation certification program. When farmers comply with these certifications, they would be prioritized for federal cost-share funding and would be exempted from certain water quality regulations for their duration of their commitment.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Mark Dayton, tom vilsack, usda, water quality
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Saturday, January 14th, 2012
At the annual Farm Bureau Federation meeting in Honolulu, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced about $150 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture budget cuts.
According to Vilsack’s message, the cuts are necessary because of the roughly $3 billion in discretionary budget cuts the USDA has experienced since 2010. “Over the course of the last year or so we have obviously been challenged with reduced budgets,” Vilsack said.
Vilsack portrayed the cuts as a way to streamline USDA programs. In addition to closing over 100 Farm Service Agency offices, the department will shut down a variety of support centers, including a number of farm research centers across the country.
According to Vilsack, “It’s reasonable to assume we’re all going to be faced with this because we have to get our fiscal house in order. My thought was I would rather be proactive. I would rather take the time to do it comprehensively than be forced to do it in a short period of time when your options are very limited.”
Vilsack also pointed out that the $150 million saved in budget cuts is not related to the $23 to $40 billion in cuts expected when Congress gets back in session.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm bill, tom vilsack, usda
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Saturday, January 14th, 2012
In a survey done at the latest Farm Bureau Federation meeting in Honolulu, farmers indicated their hope that farm safety programs will continue in the next Farm Bill.
The past several months have been difficult for many American farmers. While commodity prices have skyrocketed, leading to record high farm profits, many farmers have experienced major losses due to extreme weather in nearly every region of the country. In addition, with the 2008 Farm Bill about to expire, many farmers are nervous due to Congress’ inability to pass the long-debated 2012 Farm Bill.
At a Farm Bureau meeting in Honolulu, farmers expressed a hope that the next farm bill will continue major farm safety net programs. Currently, the 2008 Farm Bill authorizes a series of safety programs that include direct farm payments, subsidies triggered by low farm prices, and government subsidized crop insurance.
While farmers are nearly unanimous in hoping that farm support programs will continue, there is some disagreement as to how best to maintain these programs. 39 percent of farmers surveyed at the meeting indicated that they would prefer to maintain the supports contained in the 2008 Farm Bill. About 36 percent responded that they would support switching the current system to a revenue insurance program.
The 2012 Farm Bill is set to resume debate in the House and Senate when both houses return from recess.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm subsidies, tom vilsack, usda
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Saturday, January 14th, 2012
Earlier this week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that the Department of Agriculture planned to close nearly 250 offices across the country, most of them dealing with aid for farmers.
Currently the USDA operates thousands of offices across the country, ensuring that each rural county has at least one Farm Service Agency office.
USDA office closures have been debated before. In the past several years, the USDA has attempted to shut down unnecessary and inefficient offices around the country. Each time, however, the organization has run into opposition from Congress. Prompted by resistance from farm advocacy organizations, Congress has refused to shutter offices without adequate notification and proof that the local office is not needed.
Vilsack has stated that the closures will not hinder the USDA’s larger mission, saying, “Even with these changes, USDA will still have a strong presence in virtually all counties in the country as well as around the world. Over the long haul, we believe farmers and ranchers across the country will be better served by the choice we made.”
Vilsack claims that the closures will help streamline USDA operations. Replacing physical offices with an increased electronic presence, the USDA claims, will make it easier for farmers to receive federal services. In addition, the closures will help save up to $150 million a year.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm bureau, tom vilsack, usda
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Sunday, January 8th, 2012
In an announcement earlier this week, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam revealed that 14 counties have qualified to receive federal disaster funding. The disaster declaration was caused by excessive heat and drought from earlier in 2011.
Like much of the rest of the United States, Tennessee has been suffering from an ongoing drought. Farmers across the state have reported up to thirty percent crop losses ranging from corn and soybeans to tobacco.
In his statement, Haslam praised the Agriculture Department, saying, “Agriculture is important to the state and contributes significantly to our rural economy. I’m pleased that USDA has acted on my request so promptly. I hope this assistance helps eligible farmers recover and better prepare for the upcoming growing season.”
The counties in question include Blount, Cumberland, Fayette, Fentress, Haywood, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott and Wilson.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Bill Haslam, Tennessee, usda
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Sunday, January 8th, 2012
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a drought resistant strain of corn developed by Monsanto, clearing the corn for sale in the United States.
Corn is the most prevalent crop grown in the United States with over 91 million acres grown this year alone. Over the last several years, corn production in the United States has skyrocketed, largely due to increased overseas demand and ethanol production.
Given the importance of corn to American farmers, the development of heartier strains has been a top concern for genetically modified food producers like Monsanto. When they applied for approval of their modified corn, Monsanto reported that about 40 percent of crop loss in North America was due to a lack of moisture.
According to a Monsanto official, “Our drought system is designed to help farmers mitigate the risk of yield loss when experiencing drought stress, primarily in areas of annual drought stress.”
Now that the USDA has approved their corn, Monsanto has announced that it plans farm trials across the Great Plains in order to prepare for commercial development and marketing.
Assuming the trials are successful, this new strain of corn could be sold globally, helping to ease international food shortages, particularly in drought-afflicted regions.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: genetically modified food, Monsanto, usda
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Sunday, January 8th, 2012
According to surveys in the Progressive Farmer, a country life magazine, the confidence and optimism of American farmers is on the rise.
Begun in April of 2010, the Progressive Farmer surveys are intended to measure the economic confidence of the American agricultural sector. According to the editor of Progressive Farmer, the overall outlook on the farm sector is positive. “Things are really good today,” he said, “Even if they are not as good in the future, that’s still a pretty good outlook.”
Farmers have good reason to be confident. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farm incomes will increase nearly 30 percent this year and are expected to reach record highs. Cattle and hog futures have risen last year, 12 and 6 percent respectively, and prices for major commodities like corn, wheat, and soybeans were all up at least 21 percent. In addition, farm exports have dramatically increased, with trade revenue reaching nearly $140 billion.
However, some farmers are still uneasy about the future. While the survey indicated an increased confidence regarding farmers’ present situation in the larger farm economy, the survey also revealed that confidence for the next 12 months remains largely unchanged.
This contradiction can partially be explained by the response of one Iowa farmer, who stated, “When we hear that the farm economy is good, we know deep down in our souls that that is transitory. Our business is cyclical. When it is good, we plan for when the next foot falls.”
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: farm income, progressive farmer, usda
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