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A somewhat quiet January outlook on both U.S. and world wheat.   “Global consumption was reduced about 600,000 tons," noted USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board chairman Mark Jekanowski.  "Feed use, a component of that, was reduced 100,000 tons. Trade, we redu...

Finalizing a poultry tournament system rule designed to improve fairness.   “This is a system that has come under a great deal of concern and criticism by producers across the United States," Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack noted this week.  "And we'...

You are probably familiar with food date labels on items at your supermarket or food retailer.  You know: “sell by, use by, or best buy with a date on it”    Yet Greg Jaffe, senior adviser for the office of the Secretary under Secretary Tom Vilsack asked how might various food labels and indicate sell, use, or best buy dates impact food waste and in turn grocery cost.  He evidently is not the only

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service led a trade mission to Morocco in early December.  FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley said the mission was a success.   “We had almost 300 business-to-business meetings, and we were able to get a glimpse of what the future of American agriculture products receptivity will be in Africa over the next couple of decades. I can tell you that it's a bri...

The USDA is providing a total of $14.4 million in grants and technical assistance through two separately funded projects to support urban agriculture and innovative production.  The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production is making $2.5 mi...

The American Relief Act of 2025 provides $31 billion in ad hoc disaster assistance for farmers.  Farmdoc Daily says $20.78 billion will help farmers who suffered natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.  The USDA hasn’t announced how the aid will be distributed.  The ARA also had anothe...

The USDA is accepting applications for its 1890 National Scholars Program.  The program’s goal is to encourage students in 1890 land-grant universities to pursue career paths in food, agriculture, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines.  The appl...

How will Tom Vilsack’s service as the 32nd Ag Secretary be best recalled?   Perhaps his efforts to promote a circular economic model to agriculture and rural America as reflected through the use of a whiteboard diagram.  It’s a message refined not just by multiple presentations over a three-year period, but as the secretary notes, through the feedback and guidance of wife Christie.    “Turns out w

On Monday, the USDA announced that specialty crop producers have an additional two days to apply for assistance to help offset higher marketing and production costs.  FSA increased the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program payment limit from $125,000 to $900,000 per operation.   ...

Back in August, the USDA gave the greenlight for a genetically modified wheat to be grown in the United States.  Does this mean growers across the Northwest will soon plant and grow HB4 wheat, which is modified to be drought tolerate?   ...