Biotech Labeling Rules Finalized

Feb 11, 2019 09:32 PM

After a lengthy, contentious process, USDA finalized its rules for labeling foods containing GMO ingredients on December 21, 2018. U.S. food processing companies must be in compliance by January 1, 2022.

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The Impact of the Federal Shutdown on U.S. Agriculture

Jan 16, 2019 10:18 AM

While some USDA employees are still working on 'essential functions' on the job, a lot of services that matter to U.S. farmers are not available. These includes USDA loans, some farm program payments, most USDA reports, with more programs at risk the longer the shutdown persists.

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Other Highlights of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

Jan 09, 2019 11:01 AM

This blog describes some of the interesting and/or important provisions that appear in the eight smaller titles of the 2018 farm bill.

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Why the Midwest Should Care About the Future of New Orleans

Jan 03, 2019 08:36 AM

The devastation that Hurricane Katrina brought to New Orleans in 2005 demonstrated to city and state officials the serious vulnerability of the region to future problems. They are now pursuing a Coastal Master Plan to improve protections in the region with multiple approaches.

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At Long Last--a 2018 Farm Bill

Dec 21, 2018 10:39 AM

President Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 on December 20th, establishing U.S. farm policy for the next five years. This blog describes the key provisions in the four major titles--commodities, conservation, nutrition, and crop insurance.

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The Latest on the Agricultural Trade Front

Oct 09, 2018 08:29 AM

Agricultural exports have not yet provided the boost to farm income that U.S. farmers have been hoping for. Instead, they are now harvesting large crops this fall without knowing if their corn and soybeans will find buyers in overseas markets. USDA is already sending out checks under the Trade Mitigation Program to offset some of these losses.

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A Brief Foray into Indian Country Agriculture

Sep 12, 2018 08:08 AM

Many Native Americans rely on farming and rancher as their main occupation, but USDA did not pay any attention to their needs until the last few decades. This prompted a class action lawsuit in 1999, which was settled in 2010. Final action taken under that case was the establishment of a Native American Agriculture Fund, designed to fund services to help Native American agriculture prosper.

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