The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) continues making improvements for specialty crops. RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger says recent crop insurance changes give specialty crops some of the benefits that other …
Michigan Cherry Production Keeps National Totals Up
It’s cherry pie season, and Michigan is the nation’s top grower of tart cherries – the favorite pick for those pies. Nationally, the outlook for production this year is 222,000,000 …
Sweet Cherry Production Report
There’s good news for cherry lovers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. How does the addition of a state impact this season’s sweet cherry production forecast from USDA? …
Wildfires Threaten CA Wine Country
Wine enthusiasts around the nation know the reputation of wines from California’s Napa Valley, but those wine grapes and the farmers who grow them, are in constant peril each summer …
ASCE Program Accepting Applications
USDA’s new Assisting Specialty Crop Exports Initiative, ASCE, is now accepting applications. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor says the projects addresses challenges within the specialty crop …
Bill Seeks to Bolster the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
Legislation has been introduced to help better support the specialty crop industry. The Specialty Crops Security Act of 2024 seeks to bolster the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), increasing …
US Sugar Production Strong
The University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute recently released its 2024 Outlook for U.S. Agriculture (.pdf). They project that American sugar production remains strong and expect production …
2024 Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus Formed
Specialty crops are once again getting a special focus in congress with the bipartisan 2024 Congressional Specialty Crops Caucus. Co-chairs include Republicans David Valadao of California and David Rouzer of …
USDA Seeks Nominees for Mushroom Council
Want to joint the national Mushroom Council. Now’s your chance. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA wants nominations for the Mushroom Council to fill three seats …
Risk Management Tool for Specialty Crop Producers
The RMA is making it easier for specialty crop growers to find crop insurance agents. The Risk Management Agency says finding the right risk management tools for specialty crops and …
Lawmakers Pushing for Mechanization Funding for Specialty Crops
A coalition of 30 U.S. House members is encouraging the House Agriculture Committee to prioritize federal support for specialty crop mechanization research in the 2024 Farm Bill. The bipartisan effort …
U.S. Rice Growing in Demand
U.S. rice growers are seeing a growing demand for their products. Gary Crawford has more in today’s This Land of Ours report. Listen to Sabrina Halvorson and Gary Crwford’s This …
USDA Spotlight on Specialty Crops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is putting a focus on specialty crops with new investments and the Specialty Crop Competitiveness Initiative (SCCI) which it announced back in November. USDA undersecretary …
Federal Investments to Support U.S. Specialty Crops
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced two USDA investments to support the U.S. specialty crops industry. The Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) initiative, part of the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program …