…Land of Ours. Christmas Dogs Each year an Idaho Christmas tree grower helps out a local charity and some homeless animals by letting his farm go to the dogs. Tom…
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council Members Named
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed 13 members and their alternates to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council to serve 3-year terms of office beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Newly appointed producer…
National Processed Raspberry Council Members Named
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today appointed seven members and five alternates to serve on the National Processed Raspberry Council. The appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2017, and…
China Will Deal With Trade Dispute Appropriately
…Rate Quotas were put in place when it joined the WTO back in 2011. U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Tom Sleight says, “We believe in a strong trade policy…
Fair Practices Rules Protect Contract Farmers
…industry. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds Secretary Vilsack for moving forward on these common-sense rules and protecting producers from abusive, unfair, and anti-competitive practices. “American contract farmers have…
Idaho Governor May Be Next Ag Secretary
…He’s one of several candidates mentioned as a possible successor to Tom Vilsack. Otter’s name came up as a possible nomination for Interior Secretary, but reports surfaced this week that…
Ag Groups React to Proposed GIPSA Rules
…was interested in real solutions, they wouldn’t rush the rules out the door at the end of the current administration. He adds, “Cattlemen and women don’t appreciate Secretary Vilsack throwing…
Report on Investments to Grow the Rural Economy
FY 2016 Rural Development Progress Report Released Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released the final year-end report of the Obama administration’s results creating jobs and investing in rural communities nationwide. “USDA…
Conaway Disappointed With USDA Midnight Rule-Making
…suggestion to Secretary Vilsack in an October 20th letter that all three rules be withdrawn. “I’m disappointed that the generally productive and non-partisan relationship I’ve developed with USDA over the…
White House Issues ‘Midnight’ GIPSA Rule
…the PSA. When a rider wasn’t included in the fiscal 2016 agricultural funding bill, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack vowed his agency would move forward with the blocked regulation. “The rule…
Detector Dogs Funded to Protect Agriculture and Plants from Pests and Diseases
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is allocating $57,762,405 from Section 10007 of the 2014 Farm Bill…
USDA Boosts Healthy Food Access
Final Rule Balances Concerns Raised by Retailers While Still Improving Access to Healthy Food Choices for SNAP Participants U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced final changes to…
Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes…
Western View: Pulse Irrigating Saves the Farm
Last month I got to meet a couple of Madera county almond growers who overcame adversity in a big way. To Tom and Dan Rogers the drought was more than…