…communities with fresh, nutritious food directly from farms. The fact that many of them now accept CalFresh cards means that some of California’s neediest families are getting the access they…
Bioeconomy Brings Big Opportunity to Rural America
Vilsack Today, small businesses and global companies alike have harnessed the power of America’s farms to create new biobased products that are used all around the world. Everything from…
USDA Expands Access to Credit to Help More Beginning and Family Farmers
…to $50,000; simplify the lending processes; updating required “farming experience” to include other valuable experiences; and expanding eligible business entities to reflect changes in the way family farms are owned…
Weekly Column: Farm to School Programs Create New Opportunities for Farmers
…ages will dig up lessons in school gardens, visit farms, harvest pumpkins, and don hair nets for tours of processing facilities. Science teachers – and English, math, and social studies…
Soil Health Takes Main Stage at California State Board of Food and Agriculture Meeting on Oct. 7th
…initiative, Unlock the Secrets in the Soil, which provides regional assistance to producers who want to improve soil health on their farms and spreads awareness through fact sheets, videos, farmer…
USDA Helps Deliver the Latest in Innovative Agricultural Methods to Small, Socially Disadvantaged Agricultural Producers
…producers develop diversified farms and utilize production and management strategies that will enhance their long-term viability. Mississippi Association of Cooperatives – $200,000 grant; To provide technical assistance tools such as…
Nation’s Ag Co-ops Set Record for Annual Sales and Income
…2 million memberships in cooperatives in 2013, down about 7 percent from 2012. The number of cooperative memberships is slightly less than the number of U.S. farms, but this does…
USDA Unveils Key New Programs to Help Farmers Manage Risk
…effect,” said Vilsack. “Farming is one of the riskiest businesses in the world. These new programs help ensure that risk can be effectively managed so that families don’t lose farms…
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Unveils Key New Risk Management Programs
…families don’t lose farms that have been passed down through generations because of events beyond their control. But unlike the old direct payment program, which paid farmers in good years…
USDA: 2013 Potato Production Down 6 Percent
…an 8 percent increase from 2012. Shrinkage and loss is estimated at 26.2 million cwt for 2013, 8 percent below 2012. Potatoes used for livestock feed on farms where grown…
Leopold Conservation Award Finalists Announced
…on-site for field irrigation. Kautz Farms steadfastly advocates for California agriculture and agriculture education. Hear from past recipients: Craig McNamara, Sierra Orchards Jill Giacomini-Basch, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company The…
Ag Leaders On Hand as Governor Brown Signs Landmark Groundwater Legislation
…the biggest economic gamble. Thousands of homes and small farms cannot keep pace with the race to drill deeper and deeper wells. The bills take a balanced approach – they…
Federal Officials to Tour Southern California Agriculture
…Headquarters. Sept. 15 (San Diego County): Altman’s Nursery; Archi’s Acres; Go Green Agriculture; Stehly Farms Organics; Vesper Vineyards. Sept. 16 (San Diego and Imperial counties): Egg ranches; Otay Mesa border…
Class 45 Fellows Selected for California Agricultural Leadership Program
…Ranch/Ruby Fresh Tou Her, Merced, Turlock Irrigation District Tyson Heusser, Gridley, DuPont Pioneer Chris Jensen, Visalia, Nichols Farms Stanley Kjar, Jr., Fresno, Pearson Realty Brad Lindemann, Livermore, Taylor Farms Cameron…