Rural Investment to Protect our Environment, known as RIPE, seeks to reward farmers for voluntary stewardship through the RIPE100 plan. The farmer-led nonprofit seeks to pay farmers $100 per acre, rewarding farmers for the total public value of their conservation practices. In addition to carbon sequestration, the voluntary federal program…
WASHINGTON (Oct. 7, 2021) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the appointment of Rod Snyder to become EPA’s Agriculture Advisor. Snyder will lead outreach and engagement efforts with the agricultural community for EPA, working to advance the Biden-Harris environmental agenda for farmers and rural communities.…
With an eye to the future of agriculture and technology, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is seeking federal relief dollars to fund two projects that could work in tandem to grow innovation and feed economic growth statewide. The university’s proposals — which include construction of a companion facility to a major U.S. Department of…
The Department of Agriculture is rolling out a new insurance option specifically for agricultural producers with small farms who sell locally. The new Micro Farm policy, announced Wednesday, simplifies record keeping and covers post-production costs like washing and value-added products. USDA’s Risk Management Agency created the new policy based on…
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Western Caucus, has joined several of her colleagues in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in releasing a blueprint of “Western Conservation Principles.” The document outlines steps for responsible and effective conservation supported by rural communities and serves as…
Sentiment among agricultural producers weakened in September as the Ag Economy Barometer declined 14 points to a reading of 124. This is the weakest farmer sentiment reading since July 2020, when the index stood at 118. Producers were less optimistic about current and future conditions on their farms and the…
The Biden Administration has completed a months-long review of the U.S. trade relationship with China. Pointing out that the previous administration’s unilateral approach alienated allies and trading partners while hurting large sections of the economy, the administration says it took a more deliberate, long-term look at the relationship. The administration…
WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 4, 2021 – As part of the Administration’s efforts to address food systems challenges arising from the pandemic as well as those going back decades, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA plans for another $100 million in funding from the American…
This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment…
The Senate voted 50-45 to approve the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning as Director of the Bureau of Land Management. The Montana resident takes over a department that manages about 12 percent of the total landmass in the U.S. The Montana Free Press says her nomination was supported by Montana Democrat…
