Puerto Rico

The USDA is investing $633 million to reduce the impacts of climate change on rural communities. “Rural America is on the front lines of climate change, and our communities deserve investments that will strengthen all of our resilience,” said Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This inve ...

The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that Idaho is among six other states and Puerto Rico with the highest overall census response rate. According to the Lewiston Tribune, as of last week, 99.9% of Idaho households have been counted. Among the responses, 69 ...

The USDA is allocating $1.9 million to Washington, and $1.1 million to Oregon, as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nu ...

House and Senate negotiators are still hoping to get a final disaster aid bill for Midwest flood and other storm victims, across the finish line by the Memorial Day recess.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell planned a vote in his chamber, with or without a deal with the House on a disaster aid package nearing some $20 billion dollars, including 3-billion for farm and other rural losses.  ...

Congress will try again this week to pass a long-delayed disaster aid package for farmers hit by Midwest floods, as well as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and drought.  The third-try could be ‘the charm,’ as the Senate makes its latest bid.  American Farm ...

The goal of the USDA's Community Facilities Direct Loan Program is to help rural communities build or improve facilities or essential services.   “They can be used for  public facilities such as town halls, court houses, airport hangars, street improvements, community support services, child care centers or communities centers, fairgrounds, transitional housing for recovering addicts.” Indiana Ru.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote on disaster relief next week, right before the lawmakers leave town for Memorial Day. He’s hopeful that the Senate will vote on legislation that the president is willing to sign. Whil...

The U.S. House is set to work on a disaster aid bill that includes financial help for Midwestern and Southern Farmers.  The Hagstrom Report says House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made the announcement last week as the House adjourned until Tuesday.  Ho...

Senator Chuck Grassley is warning Democrats not to play politics with the USMCA or farm disaster aid, despite a hyper-partisan mood in Congress.  Grassley is the chair of the Senate Finance committee, and said the House will take up the USMCA first.  ...

Farm groups, Ag lenders and the American Farm Bureau continue to press Congress to put aside politics and pass “urgently needed” disaster relief for the Midwest and other regions.   A $13 billion disaster packages, which includes $5 billion for Ag assistance has already stalled in the Senate.  Now, 135 farm ...