Articles tagged under: USDA
Sugarbeets, Spring Wheat Planting Progress in ND
Published May 7, 2018
North Dakota farmers are making planting progress. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Ag Statistics Service says 20 percent of the spring wheat crop is planted, which is behind last year’s 41 percent complete and the average. Seven percent of durum…Trump Names Food Safety Undersecretary
Published May 4, 2018
President Donald Trump has announced his intentions to nominate Mindy Brashears to be the next USDA undersecretary for food safety. Brashears is now the director of Texas Tech’s International Center for Food Industry Excellence. Brashears is also a past chair…USDA Releases Proposed Biotech Rule
Published May 4, 2018
USDA’s proposed biotech label rule is is designed to bring clarity to a very complex issue. The Russell Group president and partner Randy Russell says the most difficult challenge is with the refined ingredients. “If 92 percent of corn, 94…’18 Dry Bean Production by Class
Published May 3, 2018
According to USDA, dry bean planted are is projected to decline by more than 7 percent to a total of 1.37 million acres in 2018. In the most recent Vegetable and Pulses Outlook, projected production by class is similar to…USDA Announces Specialty Crop Support
Published May 1, 2018
USDA has announced $7 million of funding support for specialty crop industries. The funding will support 11 projects in six states to develop solutions for challenges impacting specialty crop producers. According to USDA, the program helps strengthen food safety, while…New USDA Administrators On-the-Job This Week
Published April 30, 2018
Monday afternoon, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will swear in five new USDA administrators. Foreign Agricultural Services Administrator Ken Isley, Risk Management Agency Administrator Martin Barbre, Rural Housing Authority Administrator Joel Baxley, Rural Utilities Service Administrator Ken Johnson and Rural Business-Cooperative…Filling Key USDA Positions
Published April 30, 2018
It’s taken time to get key positions filled at USDA. Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Bill Northey, understands all too well. Northey’s been in his role for just seven weeks. It took him about four months to get…Still Time to Fill Out Census of Ag
Published April 29, 2018
There is still time to participate in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. USDA's National Ag Statistics Service has received more than 1.5 million completed questionnaires. However, the national return rate is currently lower than it was at this point in…Senate Confirms Barbic
Published April 27, 2018
Ken Barbic has been confirmed to serve as USDA's assistant secretary for congressional relations. Most recently, Barbic was on the staff of the California-based Western Growers Association.