…2012-2013, the Montana Cooperative Development Center helped the Big Flat Market Cooperative steering committee with its incorporation process and business planning. The result of this hard work is the Big…
Safety-Net Payments to Farmers
…receive safety-net payments due to market downturns during the 2015 crop year. “This fall, USDA will be making more than $7 billion in payments under the ARC-County and PLC programs…
Fruit Growers Fight for Market Share in China
…half of China’s fresh fruits each year. Still, USDA researchers say the export outlook to China remains good as the nation carries out a five-year plan to move citizens from…
Support for Rural Cooperative Businesses and Organizations
…strategic planning, leadership and operations training, and business plan development. Recipients are required to contribute matching funds that equal 25 percent of total project costs. Sam Rikkers, Administrator of USDA’s…
Training, Educating the Next Generation of Farmers and Ranchers
…management training (including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit) Natural resource management and planning Diversification and marketing strategies Curriculum development Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships Resources and referral Farm financial…
National Farm to School Month
…and small, rural and urban alike. With that in mind, we plan to build on this momentum! There are many ways USDA supports schools meals through farm to school efforts….
Most Consumers Say They Lack Access to Information about Food
…of consumers strongly agree they have access to all the information they want regarding food, how it’s produced and safety. Charlie Arnot, CEO of CFI says “the industry still has…
Banking Group Supports Bill Offering Tax Relief for Rural Lending
…in the rural farming and housing markets. As espoused in its Plan for Prosperity regulatory relief platform, ICBA supports targeted tax relief for community bank lending consistent with advantages enjoyed…
Fruit Fly’s Genetic Code Revealed
…to reproduce, withstand pathogens, find host plants, and break down environmental toxins. The advance should also foster greater understanding of how the insect’s genetics make it such a successful invasive…
NIFA Awards Community Food Projects
…food and agricultural needs such as infrastructure, long-term planning, and marketing that benefits agricultural producers and low-income consumers. The 2016 awards include: Fairbanks Native Association, Fairbanks, Alaska, $104,754 Fresno Metropolitan…
Mosquito Scents
…draw and also repel mosquitoes. The scents that attract the pesky critters include: Carbon Dioxide and Body Heat. The larger the person, the more carbon dioxide they tend to exhale,…
California Saw Snow Drought in 2016
…conservation a California way of life remains a statewide goal and a top priority in Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s State Water Action Plan. Furthermore, responding to climate change is…
China Wants GMOs, Citizens Don’t
A new report says China wants to incorporate the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture, but the Chinese people do not. And Bloomberg says the latest food safety scandal…
State Proposes Regulation on Pesticide Use
…child day care facility, as defined in Section 1596.750 of the Health and Safety Code, or for kindergarten, elementary, or secondary school purposes. It excludes family day care homes, postsecondary…