Reorganization of USDA Elevates Rural Development as Department Priority U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the creation of an undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs in the U.S. …
EPA Extends Timeline for Pesticide Applicators Rule
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt announced a 12-month extension for implementation of the revised final Certification and Training of Pesticide Applicators (C&T) rule. EPA received feedback from states …
Almond Board: Nitrogen Calculator
Proper nitrogen application and management is crucial for a healthy almond crop, and there are tools available to help growers make sure they’re using the right amount of nitrogen. Franklin …
NPPC President Ken Maschhoff on USDA Establishing an Undersecretary for Trade
NPPC is very pleased that Secretary Perdue is establishing within USDA an undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, a position that we and others in agriculture fought to get …
May WASDE Report Mostly Neutral
The monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report by the Department of Agriculture released Wednesday predicts a U.S. corn crop of 14.06 billion bushels, down 1.08 billion from last …
Secretary Perdue to Attend House Ag Committee Hearing on Rural Economy
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will take part in a House Agriculture Committee hearing next week on the rural economy. The House Agriculture Committee will hold the hearing next Wednesday, May …
Perdue to Announce USDA Reorganization Thursday Afternoon
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will announce “ USDA reorganization ” during an event in Cincinnati, Ohio Thursday afternoon. While details remain sparse, many suspect the Department of Agriculture will announce …
Agriculture Vulnerable Amid Trade Risks
U.S. agriculture stands to lose big if a trade dispute with Mexico or Canada surfaces. CoBank CEO Tom Halverson told Bloomberg News recently that agriculture is in a “vulnerable position.” …
U.S. Views NAFTA Less Favorable than Canada, Mexico
A new poll released by the Pew Research Center says American’s view of the North American Free Trade Agreement is more negative than other NAFTA partner countries. The research shows …
Canada Considering Trade Retaliatory Options
Canada is exploring retaliatory options after the Donald Trump administration announced tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber last month. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (true-doh) is exploring ways to push back …
Almond Matters: Controlling NOW Populations Early
In this week’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent U.S.A. Corporation, good sanitation is key to controlling navel orangeworm (NOW). Coupling sanitation with an early treatment will help control …
First Loans Awarded in the Rural Energy Savings Program
Acting Deputy Under Secretary Roger Glendenning announced that USDA is providing zero-interest loans to two rural energy providers to help business and residential customers lower energy use and costs. “Funding …
ASTA Hosts Meeting to Discuss Palmer Amaranth, other Weed Issues
On May 9, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) hosted a meeting of grower groups, seed companies, and state government officials to discuss a collaborative approach to addressing Palmer amaranth …
Robotic Apple Picker a labor Solution for Orchards
A robotic apple picker is inching closer to commercialization and possible relief from labor issues for the nation’s apple growers. Abundant Robotics is in the process of perfecting a prototype …