Articles tagged under: coronavirus

A Little Bit of Try

Published May 13, 2020

National FFA Western Region Vice President Lyle Logemann was a guest speaker during the first general session of the South Dakota FFA Convention. Logemenn said it’s amazing what can be done with a little motivation. "My cousin and I learned…

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Agriculture Awaits Details of COVID-19 Direct Payment Program

Published May 11, 2020

The agriculture industry is awaiting USDA’s publication of the final rule for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says the rule moved to the Office of Management and Budget last week. There’s been lots of…

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Supply Chain Bottleneck Recovery Ahead, But Not Straight Line

Published May 11, 2020

A bottleneck in the U.S. meat and livestock supply chain is impacting meat supplies at the grocery store. CoBank Lead Animal Protein Economist Will Sawyer says there is recovery ahead, but it’s not a vertical line. "It's a v shape.…

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USDA COVID-19 Food Distribution Program Begins Soon

Published May 8, 2020

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved $1.2 billion in contracts through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. This is part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The food box program will purchase up to $3 billion in fresh…

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AFBF Report: Few Farmers Secure PPP Loans in Round One

Published May 7, 2020

A new report from the American Farm Bureau Federation says few farmers have been able to take advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program. Of the $349 billion originally allocated for the program, it’s estimated $4.37 billion or 1.3 percent was…

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The Mosaic Company Reveals Q1 Financials

Published May 7, 2020

The Mosaic Company is reporting a net first quarter loss of $202 million for the quarter that ended March 31. The Mosaic Company says demand for crop nutrients remains strong and operations are relatively unchanged by the coronavirus pandemic. However,…

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New CoBank Report Looks at COVID-19 Impact on Meat

Published May 6, 2020

A decline in U.S. meat production is expected to reduce grocery store supplies in May and June. According to a new CoBank report, meat supplies for retail grocery stores could decline 30 percent by Memorial Day, leading to pork and…

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April Ag Economy Barometer Highlights Low Producer Sentiment

Published May 6, 2020

Producer sentiment dropped to a three-year low in the latest Purdue University - CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. For April, the barometer reads 96. That's the first time the barometer has fallen below 100 since October 2016. According to Purdue…

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MN Hog Farmer Speaks to Coronavirus Impacts

Published May 4, 2020

Minnesota hog farmers continue to face challenges with temporary packing plant closures. While the pigs on the Olson Farm near Cottonwood are owner by their neighbor, Carolyn and her husband Jonathan own the buildings and feed the hogs until a…

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OCM Seeks to “Breakup” Big Four Meatpackers

Published May 4, 2020

The Organization for Competitive Markets is calling for the breakup of the “big four” meat packing companies. Together, Cargill, JBS, National Beef and Tyson process 85 percent of the U.S. beef supply. In a statement, Organization Interim Executive Director Ben…

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