Agriculture News
Land purchase paves way for Idaho Research Dairy
Feedstuffs | Posted on February 19, 2019A plan to create the nation’s largest research dairy advanced Feb. 14 with the Idaho State Board of Education’s vote to allow the University of Idaho to buy land for the $45 million project. The University of Idaho and Idaho dairy industry-led effort will create the Idaho Center for Agriculture Food & the Environment (CAFE). The project took a major step forward with the go-ahead to finalize purchase of land in Minidoka County near Rupert, Ida.The University of Idaho and the Idaho Dairymen’s Assn. (IDA) will jointly purchase 540 acres from members of the Whitesides family, who will in turn donate another parcel of land. The university will pay $2.5 million and IDA will pay $2 million toward the purchase
EPA published rule redefining WOTUS
Meating Place (free registration required) | Posted on February 19, 2019The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a proposed rule defining the scope of waters regulated under the federal Clean Water Act, opening a public comment period through April 15. The document, published in the Federal Register, revises the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) in line with a February 2017 executive order directing the agencies to review the 2015 WOTUS rule, the agencies said. Under the new rule, traditional navigable waters, tributaries to those waters, certain ditches, certain lakes and ponds, impoundments of jurisdictional waters, and wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters would be federally regulated.The rule also spells out what are not “waters of the United States,” including features that only contain water during or in response to rainfall (ephemeral features); groundwater; many ditches, including most roadside or farm ditches; prior converted cropland; storm water control features; and waste treatment systems.
Research Proves African Swine Fever Can Spread to Pigs Through Feed
Ag Web | Posted on February 19, 2019A Kansas State study confirms that African swine fever can be easily transmitted through the natural consumption of contaminated feed and liquid. This first-of-its-kind study emphasizes the critical need for feed biosecurity in the swine industry.
'Zombie' deer disease: What is it, and could it affect humans?
USA Today | Posted on February 19, 2019CWD was first observed in the 1960s at a research facility in Colorado. It has now been confirmed in 24 states and two Canadian provinces as of January, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CWD was first observed in the 1960s at a research facility in Colorado. It has now been confirmed in 24 states and two Canadian provinces as of January, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Farming's next generation has nowhere to grow
Talk Poverty | Posted on February 18, 2019The aging of the American farmer raises some big questions: Who will grow our food when these farmers are gone? And what will happen to the farmland currently managed by elderly farmers? Unless America’s fertile fields wind up in the hands of a new generation of independent farmers, they’re likely to become housing developments, fracking sites, or simply gobbled up by big agribusiness. The primary reason young farmers can’t enter the industry is land: High land costs effectively price them out, whether or not they come from a farming background. Between 2004 and 2018, farmland inflation rates increased by approximately 150 percent. While the national average was $3,040 per acre, some states had averages well over $10,000. Rhode Island has the highest average cost per acre at $13,800.
U.S. Soy Exports Won't Reach Pre-Trade War Levels for Years
Bloomberg | Posted on February 18, 2019U.S. soybean exports won’t return to their pre-trade war peak levels until the 2026-2027 season as competitors in South America gain global market share.Demand for American soy has taken a hit after China slapped tariffs on a host of U.S. farm goods as part of the nations’ trade war. At the same time, production has increased in rival producers including Brazil, the world’s largest exporter.
Farmland values stable, but risks to outlook remain
Kansas City Federal Reserve | Posted on February 18, 2019Farmland values in the Federal Reserve’s Tenth District held steady in the fourth quarter of 2018 despite risks to ongoing stability. While demand for farmland remained relatively strong across the District, weaknesses in the crop sector continued to dampen the overall agricultural economy. Risks to the outlook for farmland values in the quarter included slightly higher interest rates and an uptick in the pace of farmland sales in states with higher concentrations of crop production. In addition, continued deterioration in farm finances and credit conditions could put further pressure on values for farm real estate. Looking into 2019, bankers’ expectations for farmland values were slightly weaker than a year ago.
Nebraska’s first dedicated entity for agriculture and rural companies launches
Silicon Prairie News | Posted on February 18, 2019Roots Venture Group is Nebraska’s first ever 100 percent-focused incubator, accelerator, and venture fund dedicated to launching and growing companies within the agricultural and rural industries, including areas such as tech, non-tech, lifestyle, and tech-enabled businesses and startups. Their focus is to work with founders that are keen on transforming the agriculture sector, rural communities in a sustainable manner and make an impactful societal and systemic change.
Congress approves agriculture appropriations bill - without disaster relief
AM 1100 | Posted on February 18, 2019The appropriations "minibus," as it has been called because it covers several federal agencies, includes funding for the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. But the bill's report section also includes language directing USDA to submit estimates of costs to move employees of the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture out of the Washington metropolitan area, and says that Congress supports an "indefinite delay" in the Trump administration's plans to move the Economic Research Service to the Office of the Chief Economist. Other items:Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program- $27 million appropriated, representing a 6 percent increase from FY 2018 and the highest funding level in the program's 30-year history. Agriculture Research – $2.775 billion to support agricultural research conducted by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), including:Provides $415 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).Maintains formula researchfunding for land-grant universities.Provides a $1 million increase in ARS funding foreach of the following: Pulse Crop Health Initiative; Chronic Wasting Disease; Sugarbeets; Alfalfa Research; Small Grain Genomics. Maintains funding for UAS Precision Agriculture at $3 million and $8.7 million for the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative.Rural Broadband – Provides $550 million for the rural broadband loan and grant pilot program targeted to areas that currently lack access to broadband service.Rural Water and Wastewater – To help address the $3 billion backlog in infrastructure needs in rural America, the bill provides an additional $75 million for rural water and waste program loans and grants. Combatting Opioid Abuse – The legislation helps to combat the opioid abuse epidemic including:$47 million for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to combat the opioid epidemic using regulatory science, enforcement and innovation.$16 million for Rural Development Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants to help rural communities combat the opioid abuse crisis. $3 million through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture for extension and outreach programs in rural communities.
Activist group launches ‘surveillance’ program
Meating Place (free registration required) | Posted on February 14, 2019I’ve written many times previously about the latest happenings of extreme activist group Direct Action Everywhere. While I hate to give them any more of the attention they so desperately seek, I think it is important to keep you informed of their tactics and strategies as they work toward their goal of “total animal liberation.” Earlier this month, one of DXE’s main ‘organizers’ went live on Facebook to announce a new initiative – a “Frontline Surveillance Program.” She described the program as “essentially open rescue but in a different way” – “open rescue” is DXE’s term for when they trespass onto farms or into plants and steal livestock or poultry. The purpose of the new ‘surveillance’ program is to “to accumulate an extensive amount of investigatory footage, evidence, data…and basically all of this is to showcase that criminal animal cruelty is happening all the time, everywhere.”Farmers, plant employees, drivers and anyone else working with livestock should be increasingly vigilant for suspicious activity including drone sightings, suspicious vehicles, strange phone calls/emails, etc. Any suspicious activity should be immediately reported to company contacts, trade associations and the Alliance so we can spread the word.