PNW Ag Source
Vilsack: First Step in Rebuilding Ag Workforce
It's not enough to provide loans and grants to support local farmers, or to build or improve local food processing facilities.
"There's also the people that are needed to be trained and experienced to do the work."
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said one of the biggest problems farmers and food processing companies have is a shortage of workers, and so, "we're going to make $40 m
USDA: Best April Ever for U.S. Ag Exports
The latest Ag trade numbers come from April, a month in which the United States exported $17.6 billion worth of Ag products; imported almost the same amounts of foreign products.
"It was the largest value of agricultural exports and agricultural imports for any other April on record," USDA Economist Bart Kenner said, adding for the first seven months of this fiscal year, October through
Can Diet Help Address Alzheimer’s Disease?
According to the Centers for Disease Control: Right now 5.8 million Americans over age 65 live with Alzheimer's disease."
And that number could double by 2050, according to Kansas State University Extension Food Scientist Karen Blakeslee
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Smithfield Foods Closing Plant in California
Smithfield Foods said it will stop all harvest and processing operations in Vernon, CA, in early 2023 due to the rising cost of doing business in the state. At the same time, the company will align its hog production system by reducing its sow herd in the western region
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Senate Confirms Jacobs-Young as USDA Undersecretary
On a 95-4 vote, the Senate confirmed Chavonda Jacobs-Young as the USDA’s new Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics. In a floor statement before the vote, Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow called Jacobs-Young extremely qualified and says she’ll be the first woman of color to serve in the USDA’s highest scientific post.
The Hagstrom
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Pasture & Rangeland Conditions Improve Nationwide
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says pasture and rangeland conditions have improved nationwide.
"As of the weekending June 5th, the number for a very port of poor ratings improves 3% points from 46 to 43%. Meanwhile, the good to excellent ratings increasing four percentage points from 24 to 28%. So
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General Mills Invests $3 Million to Scale Eco-Harvest by ESMC
General Mills and Ecosystem Services Market Consortium Tuesday announced a multi-year roadmap to scale Eco-Harvest. The market program by ESMC recognizes and rewards farmers for beneficial environmental outcomes from regenerative agriculture
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USDA Participates In Food Insecurity
The State Department recently hosted a virtual round table, with public and private sector stakeholders, focused on the subject of food security issues arising from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Among the participants, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack:
"We really want to know what you know, we also want you to know what the Biden administration is doing to addressing these problems with an
Spring Wheat Continues To Lag Behind
Meteorologist Brad Rippey said when it comes to the Spring Wheat crop, the USDA continues to report a record slow planting pace. As of Sunday June 5th, only 82% of the crop has been planted; the five year average is 97%. Some locations, especially in the upper Midwest are well off those numbers
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AFBF Encouraging Producers To Provide Input On 2023 Farm Bill
With the process of creating the 2023 Farm Bill underway, the American Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging producers nationwide to make their thoughts known. Sam Kieffer, AFBF Vice President of Public Policy, said many lawmakers will be gathering information from farmers this summer before the crafting process begins to ramp up in January
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