Articles tagged under: USDA
Drought Disaster Declared
Published May 29, 2018
Twenty-one North Dakota counties are designated as primary natural disaster areas, due to the drought that began nearly one year ago. Farmers and ranchers in these counties are eligible for emergency loans and other disaster assistance from the Farm Service…Section 32 Request Results in Bean Purchase
Published May 28, 2018
USDA is making $177 million in purchases for nutrition assistance programs, including $11 million worth of pinto beans. This purchase is through USDA’s Section 32, which was requested by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association and North Central Bean Dealers Association.USDA to Purchase Pork and Pinto Beans for Nutrition Assistance
Published May 25, 2018
USDA has announced up to $177 million in purchases for federal nutrition assistance programs. A new streamlined system is beginning, which is designed to offer a more consistent process to monitor market conditions and make food purchases. A large variety…H-2A Visa Improvements Proposed
Published May 25, 2018
USDA, the State Department, Labor Department and the Department of Homeland Security are proposing changes to the H-2A Agricultural Worker Visa program. The goal is to modernize and simplify the program. There will also be incentives for farmers to use…FY19 Ag Appropriations Bill Approved by Senate Committee
Published May 25, 2018
The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the agriculture spending bill. The bill maintains support for crop insurance and other farm bill programs. It fully funds the expected demand for Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed loan programs. There is language…FSA Seeking County Committee Members
Published May 23, 2018
USDA’s Farm Service Agency will start accepting nominations for county committee members on June 15. Acting FSA Administrator Steve Peterson says county committees make decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally to best serve community agriculture needs. Peterson…New Administrators Join USDA Wednesday
Published May 22, 2018
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will welcome newly appointed administrators to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wednesday. The Farm Service Agency Administrator, Richard Fordyce; Food Safety and Inspection Service Administrator, Carmen Rottenberg; and the Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator, Bruce Summers, will…ND Medical Center Receives Rural Development Loan
Published May 16, 2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a Rural Development Loan of over $14.7 million to Unity Medical Center in Grafton, North Dakota. The funds are in addition to five million dollars from the Bank of North Dakota. The dollars…NFU Urges USDA Response to Farmer Stress
Published May 16, 2018
The National Farmers Union is urging USDA to proactively address farmer and rancher stress. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, NFU President Roger Johnson urged the Department to “develop a response to the farm suicide crisis.” Johnson noted…