WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a first‑ever Office of Seafood , a new effort aimed at giving fishermen clearer access to USDA programs and strengthening the nation’s seafood industry. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the office Tuesday, April 14, alongside senior administration officials and bipartisan coastal lawmakers, calling it a major step toward recognizing fishermen as “farmers of the sea.” The office will coordinate across USDA agencies...

Source; NC Farm Bureau In honor of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Women in Agribusiness , in partnership with the American Farm Bureau Federation, is expanding their annual Demeter Award to include a female farmer category. Nominations are now being accepted through June 22. Almost one-third of farmers in North Carolina are women, based on the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture and state‑level reporting. Image credit - Greta Hoffman/Pexels This fourth category joins the three...

by Jeff Ishee What a difference 90 days can make! Comparing mid-January to mid-April shows a dramatic difference in drought conditions around the southeastern United States. The latest report from the US Drought Monitor indicated the worst areas are in northern Florida, southern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, as well as the western regions of the Carolinas. The US Drought Monitor report posted on April 16 states: " Continued dryness across the region led to widespread degradation in drought...