Conservation
Winds topping 55 mph, along with dry soils, recently planted fields and the direction of the fierce winds, all created the “perfect storm” to cause the major dust storm that turned fatal Monday in Illinois.
Veteran farmer Don Guinnip knows the value of conservation. Farming in the Wabash Valley, the sixth-generation corn and soybean producer is accustomed to growing crops in what he says is “not prime farmland.”
What is the true cost of manufacturing green energies? John Phipps says in order to answer the question, it’s important to first clear up confusion about what green even means.
Funding for habitat management is being examined as legislators and lobbyists evaluate how farm bill programs will be administered in the future. Many want more flexibility in the programs for farmer and rancher use.
Industry experts say the new legislative package represents a ‘generational opportunity’ for conservation funding and needs to reach U.S. farmers and livestock producers sooner rather than later, starting this spring.
Rob Stout knows conservation practices help him leave the land in better shape than it was before. And he knows planting cover crops on 100% of his acreage is one method to help accomplish that.
As farmers in the Plains continue to see losses from drought, groups like NSP are discussing during Commodity Classic either permanent disaster aid or other changes to strengthen the safety net within Farm Bill.
“The prioritization of resource concerns must be left to the local level where producers decide how they can best address their unique and varied landscapes and needs,” said Sen. John Boozman.
SNAP, which historically receives the greatest amount of farm bill funding, will see an 82% increase of a quarter-trillion-dollars.
A Senate Ag Committee hearing Thursday on the new farm bill raised a issue that is now evident: the Title 1 farm bill safety net can no longer deal with the current ag environment.
Profitability and efficiency are big drivers for growers evaluating conservation-based farming practices. Each farmer who spoke at the Trust In Food Symposium said they have adopted at least one such practice, to date.
The House on Friday averted a government shutdown by voting 225 to 201 in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023—the omnibus spending bill. Here’s what’s in it for ag.
Text of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package was released early Tuesday morning. The Senate will vote first and intends to pass the measure before Thursday, leaving the House no time to demand changes.
From improving soil health to reducing tillage practices, conservation management techniques make sound economic sense to Noah Wendt.
In a moisture deficit area like southwest Nebraska conservation and regenerative practices have long been a staple for farmers. That’s important especially in drought years like 2022.
Farmers getting started on a path to improving soil health can only accomplish that if they Flip their Soil to make it more alive.
Mitchell Hora, agronomist and CEO of Continuum Ag, advises farmers to implement soil health practices within the context of each field, which includes working with local experts and doing research.
By the end of the year, the Biden administration is expected to issue new rules that Government Lawyer Brian Fletcher told the court will “provide greater clarity to the regulated public on all parts of the test.”
Have You Looked into NRCS Program Funding? New Opportunities Available in the Reconciliation Package
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into action on Tuesday, triggering a stream of funds to ag, including conservation. USDA penned a press release to break down its plans for roughly $60 billion in new funds.
The WOTUS case, Sackett v. EPA, centers on a long-running dispute involving an Idaho couple named Chantell and Michael Sackett. The Sacketts have won at the Supreme Court before.
In preparation for farm bill 2023, the House Ag Committee met on Tuesday to grasp the highs and lows of the current farm bill and fill any gaps in 2023.
With Ukraine and Russia at war in the midst of a world moving away from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot to consider in the 2023 Farm Bill. Industry experts weighed-in to share their predictions.
Prepare the field before converting to strip-till to set the stage for higher corn yields.
Research analyzes how no-till, reduced tillage and cover crops keep nutrients in place
If you plan to transition to vertical tillage this fall keep in mind it’s not a one-step process or a single tool. It’s a system that takes time to implement and a lot of attention to detail.
Sen. Joe Manchin went from being his party’s main holdout on major social policy, climate and tax legislation, to striking a domestic spending package deal that includes climate and energy programs and tax increases.
The definition of “sustainability” is changing, and that change is coming quickly to our doorsteps.
U.S. Forest Service reforestation funding rose to over $100 million this year as part of moves to plant more than a billion trees in a decade under the infrastructure package passed in 2021, USDA said in a statement.
Dick Billings passed away several years ago, but his wife, their son and granddaughters have been able to build upon his vision for the family’s operation, thanks to a team of farmers and a forestry consultant.
“Everything we do is conservation minded for water and soil erosion, and there is no incentive for that except the viability of our farm,” says Tracy Zink. “And if we don’t do that, then we won’t be here.”