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Source: USDA news release

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) recently announced it will authorize Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to extend deadlines for premium and administrative fee payments, defer the resulting interest accrual and allow other flexibilities to help farmers, ranchers, and insurance providers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

"USDA recogniz...

Source - Univ. of KY Cooperative Extension

LEXINGTON, KY -Birds have long been considered the nemesis of many farmers, as they can feast on agriculturally important crops like blueberries and corn. But University of Kentucky research suggests, in some instances, the benefits of some birds may outweigh their negative effects.

Birds provide an often unseen benefit to farmers as they can consume a large number of inse...

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Northeast Beef Expo for 2020 has been canceled. The event typically draws more than 400 people to the AgResearch and Education Center at Greeneville every October. Event organizers say the decision to cancel the Expo, which has occurred annually since 1989, was difficult.

The UT Institute of Agriculture’s Northeast Beef Expo for 2020 has bee...

SUFFOLK, VA—In the town dubbed “The Peanut Capital of the World,” farmer James Harrell has created a uniquely Virginia product by making roasted coffee out of peanuts.

Harrell got the idea several years ago as he was driving through Suffolk with a cup of coffee in hand and smelling the aroma of commercial coffee roasters in town.

“I had an aha moment,” said Harrell, a fifth-generation Suffolk peanut farmer. “I wa...

Source: NC State Extension, Marne Coit, Agricultural Law Lecturer, Agricultural & Resource Economics

RALEIGH, NC - We have received a number of questions recently about who is allowed to sell hemp and hemp-derived products such as CBD. A few of the questions were about whether it is legal to sell them at farmers’ markets, while others were about retail stores.

The short answer

Anyone can sell CBD products. There is...

Mt. Sidney, VA - The month of July was not good for many Virginia farmers. On the 30th day of June, the National Drought Monitor (NOAA) listed less than 1% of Virginia as "abnormally dry" and no areas were officially in drought status.

As the month progressed, however, numerous Virginia farmers began to observe decreasing topsoil moisture because of "spotty" or "scattered" rain showers. Corn fields began showing sig...

WASHINGTON, DC - USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and State departments of agriculture to investigate the situation.

USDA urges anyone who...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A new federal grant will allow a research team led by Iowa State University, Penn State and Roeslein Alternative Energy to develop new methods of turning biomass and manure into fuel.

The five-year, $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture will power the Consortium for Cultivating Human and Natural reGenerative Enterprise (C-CHAN...

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation report:

 

Washington, DC - The American Farm Bureau Federation recently released its final report on priorities for milk pricing reform, calling for more democracy and a more equitable program for dairy farmers.

Among AFBF's priorities is amending the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act to give dairy farmers an opportunity to directly vote on Federal Milk Marketing Order (F...

Retail potato sales are soaring, increasing 31% in dollar sales and 32% in volume sales between March 16, 2020 and June 14, 2020, according to industry analysts. All potato categories across the retail store, except deli-prepared sides, increased in dollar and volume sales.

The majority of potato categories saw double-digit growth in both dollar sales and volume sales. Dehydrated potatoes had the largest increase...