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Agriculture

USDA announces stops to enhance organic markets

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking additional steps as part of its commitment to strengthen the market for domestically grown organic goods, and to support producers seeking organic certification. These funding opportunities are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic Transition Initiative, launched in fall 2022, which is a suite of offerings to help existing organic farmers and those transitioning to organic production and processing. “As USDA works to help make our nation’s food system more resilient and create more ...

STATE COLLEGE — Pennsylvania Farm Link has announced the Founders Award has been presented to John Vogel, founder of PA Farm Link, during the recent board meeting at ReFarm Café. The award was presented to commemorate Vogel’s devotion to PA Farm Link’s mission and acknowledge his vital role in Pennsylvania agriculture. The award celebrates the valuable services PA Farm Link has provided since its founding over 27 years ago where it began under the Center for Rural Pennsylvania in 1993. Vogel has provided continuous support to PA Farm Link as both founder and board member. He ...

Right-to-repair laws are the leading edge of a pushback against growing corporate power

The Conversation As tractors became more sophisticated over the past two decades, the big manufacturers allowed farmers fewer options for repairs. Rather than hiring independent repair shops, farmers have increasingly had to wait for company-authorized dealers to arrive. Getting repairs could take days, often leading to lost time and high costs. A new memorandum of understanding between the country’s largest farm equipment maker, John Deere Corp., and the American Farm Bureau Federation is now raising hopes that U.S. farmers will finally regain the right to repair more of their own ...

US, Philippines’ collaboration highlighted at food dialogue

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently hosted a high-level Food Security Dialogue with the Philippines Department of Agriculture that showcased critical bilateral efforts to address global food security and climate change. USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor and Philippines Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations Mercedita Sombilla chaired an interagency meeting with representatives from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development ...

$130 million in assistance for farm loan program

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that nearly $130 million in additional, automatic financial assistance has been obligated for qualifying farm loan program borrowers who are facing financial risk. The announcement is part of the $3.1 billion to help distressed farm loan borrowers that was provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). USDA is providing approximately $1.1 billion in immediate assistance to more than 20,000 distressed borrowers. “Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress directed USDA to deliver ...

Agriculture, food security go together

Metro The world faces many unique challenges in the decades to come, including a rapidly expanding global population. The United Nations estimates that the global population will reach 9.71 billion in 2050. That’s an increase of more than 1.7 billion people between 2023 and 2050. Food security is among the more significant challenges the world will face as the population increases. The United States Agency for International Development notes that food security means all individuals, regardless of their physical or economic circumstances, have access to sufficient food to meet the ...