California Ag Network

Tag: USDA

  • USDA Announces Contracts for Round 3 of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program

    Following President Donald Trump’s approval to include up to an additional $1 billion in the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved up to $1 billion in contracts to support American producers and communities in need through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Earlier this week, USDA reached a milestone of having distributed more than 90 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “These contract awards will go to vendors who submitted the strongest proposals in support of American agriculture and the American people. The high level of interest and quality of proposals are a testament that the program is accomplishing what we intended – supporting U.S. farmers and distributors and getting food to those who need it most. It’s a real trifecta, which is why we call it a win-win-win,” said Secretary Perdue. “Thanks to President Trump and his commitment to the program with the announcement of an additional $1 billion in funding, more farmers will be supported, and more families will receive the nutritious food they need during these difficult times.”

    The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has worked closely with USDA to ensure dairy remains a key part of the Farmers to Families Food Box program so that dairy companies can deliver nutritious dairy products to food insecure Americans via non-profits, food banks, and faith and community organizations. To date, USDA has purchased more than $400 million in dairy products since mid-May, including fresh fluid milk, various cheeses, yogurt, sour cream and more. IDFA engaged directly with USDA during Round 2 of the program to make changes to the program, including expanding the requested products to include hard, semi-firm or semi-soft cheeses.

    “With over 90 million Farmers to Families food boxes delivered, we continue to leverage and support our great American farmers and food distributors to feed those most vulnerable. Thanks to the President’s commitment of $1 billion in additional funding, I’m proud to see that we are well on our way to the third round of USDA Farmers to Families food box program purchases which focus on boxes containing fresh and nutritious fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy,” said Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump.

    These contract awards are a result of the third round of Farmers to Families Food Box program announced on July 24, 2020, and President Trump’s announcement on August 24 that up to an additional $1 billion was being made available for deliveries through October 31, 2020. A full list of approved suppliers is available on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program webpage.

    Background:

    In this third round of purchases, USDA announced plans to purchase combination boxes to ensure all recipient organizations have access to fresh produce, dairy products, fluid milk and meat products. These boxes will be distributed to every county in America.

    USDA solicited new proposals for the third round. Proposals were required to illustrate how coverage would be provided to areas identified as opportunity zones, detail subcontracting agreements, and address the “last mile” delivery of product into the hands of the food insecure population.

    Entities who met the government’s requirements and specifications were issued agreements and submitted pricing through a competitive acquisition process. Agreements were awarded based on the pricing submitted for the delivery locations proposed, box content, last mile delivery plans, means testing compliance, and support of small and local/regional food systems.

    In the ongoing second round of purchasing and distribution, which began July 1 and will conclude Sep. 18, 2020, USDA has purchased more than $1.113 billion of food through extended contracts of select vendors from the first round of the program as well as new contracts focused on Opportunity Zones in order to direct food to reach underserved areas, places where either no boxes have yet been delivered, or where boxes are being delivered but where there is additional need.

    The first round of purchases occurred from May 15 through June 30, 2020 and saw more than 35.5 million boxes delivered in the first 45 days.

    Updates to the number of food boxes verified as delivered will continue to be displayed on the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) website, with breakdowns by performance period on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program page.

  • USDA Assists Farmers, Ranchers & Communities Affected by Western Wildfires

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of assistance for residents and agricultural producers affected by recent wildfires.

    As of today, wildfires have burned nearly 6.9 million acres across 11 states. More than 31,000 personnel from the local, state and federal levels are working to contain 61 large fires. The USDA Forest Service has more than 7,800 personnel committed to firefighting efforts along with airtankers, helicopters, and other air and ground firefighting resources.

    Food waivers and flexibilities

    On August 27, 2020, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) approved California’s waiver request to allow for the purchase of hot foods with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in select counties. As many California residents are not able to store food or access cooking facilities, households in those counties can purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through September 23, 2020.

    On September 3, 2020, FNS also approved California’s request to issue automatic mass replacements of SNAP benefits to impacted households. This waiver allows households in certain counties and zip codes to receive replacement of 50% of their August SNAP benefits as a result of wildfires and power outages that began on August 17, 2020. For more information on either of these actions, contact the California Department of Social Services.

    Helping producers weather financial impacts of disasters

    When major disasters strike, USDA has an emergency loan program that provides eligible farmers low-interest loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. This program is triggered when a natural disaster is designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or a natural disaster or emergency is declared by the President under the Stafford Act. USDA also offers additional programs tailored to the needs of specific agricultural sectors to help producers weather the financial impacts of major disasters and rebuild their operations.

    Livestock owners and contract growers who experience above normal livestock deaths due to specific weather events, as well as to disease or animal attacks, may qualify for assistance under USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program.

    Livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses due to a qualifying drought condition or fire on federally-managed land during the normal grazing period for a county may qualify for help through USDA’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program. Producers of non-insurable crops who suffer crop losses, lower yields or are prevented from planting agricultural commodities may be eligible for assistance under USDA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.

    Helping operations recover after disasters

    USDA can also provide financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. Assistance may also be available for emergency animal mortality disposal from natural disasters and other causes.

    Farmers and ranchers needing to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters can apply for assistance through USDA’s Emergency Conservation Program. USDA also has assistance available for eligible private forest landowners who need to restore forestland damaged by natural disasters through the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. USDA’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program can also help relieve imminent threats to life and property caused by fires and other natural disasters that impair a watershed. Orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for assistance through USDA’s Tree Assistance Program to help replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters.

    Producers with coverage through the Risk Management Agency (RMA) administered federal crop insurance program should contact their crop insurance agent for issues in filing claims. Those who purchased crop insurance will be paid for covered losses. Producers should report crop damage within 72 hours of discovering damage and follow up in writing within 15 days. The Approved Insurance Providers (AIP), loss adjusters and agents are experienced and well trained in handling these types of events. As part of its commitment to delivering excellent customer service, RMA is working closely with AIPs that sell and service crop insurance policies to ensure enough loss adjusters will be available to process claims in the affected areas as quickly as possible. Visit the RMA website for more details.

    Helping with the long-term recovery of rural communities

    USDA Rural Development has more than 50 programs available to rural and tribal communities for the rebuild, repair or modernization of rural infrastructure including drinking and waste water systems, solid waste management, electric infrastructure, and essential community facilities such as public safety stations, health care centers and hospitals, and educational facilities. Visit theUSDA Rural Development website for more information on specific programs.

    Visit USDA’s disaster resources website to learn more about USDA disaster preparedness and response. For more information on USDA disaster assistance programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.

  • CA Citrus Mutual Commends Actions Regarding Seasonal & Perishable Products

    California Citrus Mutual commends the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) for the actions they recently announced to address the injury caused by increased imports of seasonal and perishable products. Low-priced imports have previously caused a substantial market disruption for the California citrus industry during its marketing season. We are encouraged by both the Administration’s plan and its determination to bring relief to fruit and vegetable growers who are suffering from similar import issues.

    The trade remedy steps announced include the self-initiation of Section 201 global safeguard action on certain imports, USTR’s coordination with specific sectors to monitor and investigate imports under the Section 201 provisions covering perishable agricultural products and citrus products, DOC’s coordination with effected sectors on possible self-initiated antidumping and countervailing duty actions, and the Administration’s indication that still other actions and investigations may be taken. These steps are essential safeguarding and supporting all U.S. fruit and vegetable growers harmed by this problem.

    In 2017, low-priced citrus imports from the Southern Hemisphere increased 40% over the prior year’s shipments, causing significant price declines and harm to California growers. Consistent with last week’s announcement, California Citrus Mutual will closely monitor imports in the coming California season and continue to coordinate with the U.S. Government regarding any import surges, unfair import practices, and injury to our citrus growers.

    About California Citrus Mutual (CCM)

    CCM is a voluntary, non-profit trade association representing CA citrus growers on the economic, regulatory, and political issues that impact them most.

  • Selecting the ‘Right’ Walnut Rootstock

    Walnut rootstock options were historically seedlings, either Northern California Black (Juglans nigra), or Paradox (a cross between English Walnut, Juglans regia, and Northern California Black). Those two options still exist, but as research and technology advances in walnut cloning, clonal rootstocks are becoming more available. With this new advancement, growers have questions. Hopefully, I can  provide some answers.

    What is the difference?

    There is a large difference between clonal rootstocks and Paradox seedlings. This is due in part to the genetic variability, or genetic differences, in Paradox seeds. UC/UCCE/USDA Walnut researchers, specialists, and farm advisors studied the genetic background of Paradox seedlings and found high variability from one seed to the next. This means that each seed is different from the next one. One seed might be more vigorous, one seed might be  more susceptible to phytophthora , one seed might encourage more seed production, while another encourages more leaf and branch growth. This leads to a highly variable stand of trees in an orchard. Clonal rootstocks, on the other hand, are cuttings of the same plant. Walnut varieties are a good example of this process, as every Chandler tree in California came from one single mother tree which was originally produced by a seed. Much like how every Chandler tree tends to produce the same nut (some differences do develop depending on the growing conditions), every RX1 clonal rootstock will develop similar characteristics in the tree. Therefore, a Chandler orchard on a clonal rootstock tends to be more uniform in growth than an orchard on Paradox seedlings.

    What is the RIGHT choice?

    I honestly cannot think of a single “right choice” in agriculture, there’s just options. Options are nice, but they can also be confusing. Here is some background information that might help the decision in the future. RX1 and VX211 are both UC selections,  chosen from acres of single seedling crosses based on their potential benefits. These were developed as a part of the Paradox diversity study done by UC/UCCE/USDA researchers, specialists and farm advisors. RX1 appears to show some tolerance to Phytophtora, a root infecting fungus like organism, but if disease pressure is high, the rootstock may still succumb to Phytophthora. VX211 was selected based on its potential tolerance to some nematode populations, but again, much like RX1 and Phytophthora, if nematode pressure is high, VX211 may still succumb. Both RX1 and VX211 were field tested against a handful of other selections as well as Paradox and Vlach. Vlach was developed by a private party which originated from a Paradox seedling tree in our very own county of Stanislaus. The tree was selected based on its high level of vigor.

    Are any commercially available walnut rootstocks resistant to crown gall?

    Short answer: no. Long answer: Paradox seedlings, RX1, VX211, and Vlach can all be infected with the causal agent of crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) and develop galls. YET the production of clonal  material AVOIDS many opportunities for infection. Paradox seedlings are collected from the field as walnut seeds. Previous UC/UCCE/USDA research (funded in large part by nurseries) demonstrated that Agrobacterium  tumefaciens is picked up from the ground in seed orchards. Nurseries funded this research to find ways to make their production better and have since developed ways to reduce crown gall in new Paradox  seedling  rootstocks  by  incorporating the use of tarps or catch frames. That said, Paradox seedlings are highly susceptible to Agrobacterium tumefaciens and clonal material skips this field collection step. Please be advised that orchards on RX1, VX211, and Vlach still require proper sanitation, ie,  cleaning pruners/loppers with 10% bleach solution or 70% ethanol and avoid wounding  the crown, trunk, and roots during planting and other practices.

    Are these our only options?

    When excluding Blackline (please see my summer 2019 issue for further information http://cestanislaus.ucanr.edu/newsletters/ Walnut_News_-_Fruit_For_Thought80737.pdf), for now, yes, but not forever. The California Walnut Board in combination with the US Specialty Crop Research Initiative is currently funding ongoing research in the breeding and development of future rootstocks. We are looking at three to four selections for various reasons, one of  which being resistance to crown gall. These rootstocks are being field tested now and will  be made available in the future provided they prove themselves worthy, in other words capable of producing a good crop.— By Kari Arnold Ph.D. UCCE Area Orchard and Vineyard Systems Advisor, Stanislaus County

  • Is the Gut Biome a Heritable Trait in Angus Cattle?

    While it’s long been said “you are what you eat,” a team of animal scientists in the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is taking an in-depth look at how what you are is influenced by your ability to eat, at least in cattle.

    Phillip Myer, an assistant professor and microbiologist in the Department of Animal Science, is leading a new study to determine how the rumen, the largest compartment of the cattle stomach, and the microbes that inhabit it affect the conversion of low-quality feedstuffs into usable energy for ruminants. Funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the $500,000 study seeks to identify whether the genetics of a particular cow influences the rumen microbiome and whether that influence can be passed on to future generations. “The overarching hypothesis of this project,” says Myer, “is that host beef cattle genetics are associated with the variation of microbes in the rumen, producing an individualized rumen microbiota among animals.”

    Myer believes that if certain microbes are significant for feed efficiency, disease resistance, and other desirable production traits in cattle, then ruminal microbes represent the greatest opportunity to rapidly improve beef cattle nutrition and influence growth to help producers meet future global protein demands.

    Specifically, the three-year project seeks to determine the microbes and microbial interactions in the rumen of Angus cattle as well as the microbes’ relation to feed efficiency. The scientists—including Jonathan Beever, director of the UTIA Genomics Center for Advancement of Agriculture; Brynn Voy, also a professor in the UT Department of Animal Science; and Larry Kuehn and James Wells, both with the USDA U.S. Meat Animal Research Center—also seek to estimate the heritability of the rumen microbes and microbial features and to identify host genomic markers that ensure heritability.

    The goal is microbiome manipulation to enhance agricultural production. Says Myer, “This project will ultimately provide a means to increase food availability while lowering environmental impacts, develop more sustainable cow-calf production systems, and enhance Angus breeding programs.”

    The project will dramatically advance the field of beef production agriculture to sustainably meet the protein requirements of an ever-increasing global population.

    The award is one of 23 that NIFA announced last month that should lead to better management strategies for animal production systems, enhance production efficiency, and further develop high quality animal products for human use. Each of the grants is part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

    Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.

  • More Eligible Commodities for USDA Coronavirus Aid

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that additional commodities are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) in response to public comments and data. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline to apply for the program to September 11th, and producers with approved applications will receive their final payment. After reviewing over 1,700 responses, even more farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity for assistance to help keep operations afloat during these tough times.

    “President Trump is standing with America’s farmers and ranchers to ensure they get through this pandemic and continue to produce enough food and fiber to feed America and the world. That is why he authorized this $16 billion of direct support in the CFAP program and today we are pleased to add additional commodities eligible to receive much needed assistance,” said Secretary Perdue. “CFAP is just one of the many ways USDA is helping producers weather the impacts of the pandemic. From deferring payments on loans to adding flexibilities to crop insurance and reporting deadlines, USDA has been leveraging many tools to help producers.”

    Background:

    USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities through June 22, 2020. The following additional commodities are now eligible for CFAP:

    • Specialty Crops – aloe leaves, bananas, batatas, bok choy, carambola (star fruit), cherimoya, chervil (french parsley), citron, curry leaves, daikon, dates, dill, donqua (winter melon), dragon fruit (red pitaya), endive, escarole, filberts, frisee, horseradish, kohlrabi, kumquats, leeks, mamey sapote, maple sap (for maple syrup), mesculin mix, microgreens, nectarines, parsley, persimmons, plantains, pomegranates, pummelos, pumpkins, rutabagas, shallots, tangelos, turnips/celeriac, turmeric, upland/winter cress, water cress, yautia/malanga, and yuca/cassava.
    • Non-Specialty Crops and Livestock – liquid eggs, frozen eggs and all sheep. Only lambs and yearlings (sheep less than two years old) were previously eligible.
    • Aquaculture – catfish, crawfish, largemouth bass and carp sold live as foodfish, hybrid striped bass, red drum, salmon, sturgeon, tilapia, trout, ornamental/tropical fish, and recreational sportfish.
    • Nursery Crops and Flowers – nursery crops and cut flowers.

    Other changes to CFAP include:

    • Seven commodities – onions (green), pistachios, peppermint, spearmint, walnuts and watermelons – are now eligible for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act funding for sales losses. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for payments on marketing adjustments.
    • Correcting payment rates for onions (green), pistachios, peppermint, spearmint, walnuts, and watermelons.

    Additional details can be found in the Federal Register in the Notice of Funding Availability and Final Rule Correction and at www.farmers.gov/cfap.

    Producers Who Have Applied:

    To ensure availability of funding, producers with approved applications initially received 80 percent of their payments. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will automatically issue the remaining 20 percent of the calculated payment to eligible producers. Going forward, producers who apply for CFAP will receive 100 percent of their total payment, not to exceed the payment limit, when their applications are approved.

    Applying for CFAP:

    Producers, especially those who have not worked with FSA previously, are recommended to call 877-508-8364 to begin the application process. An FSA staff member can help producers start their application during the phone call.

    On farmers.gov/cfap, producers can:

    • Download the AD-3114 application form and manually complete the form to submit to their local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to their local office or office drop box.
    • Complete the application form using the CFAP Application Generator and Payment Calculator. This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specific to their operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed, then signed and submitted to their local USDA Service Center.
    • If producers have login credentials known as eAuthentication, they can use the online CFAP Application Portal to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center.

    All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap. For existing FSA customers, these documents are likely already on file.

    All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors are also required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in the office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

  • USDA Offers Annual Installment Deferral Option for Farm Storage Facility Loan Borrowers

    To assist Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) borrowers experiencing financial hardship from the pandemic and other challenges in production agriculture, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering a one-time annual installment payment deferral option. No fees or prepayment penalties apply for borrowers who choose this FSFL loan flexibility option.

    “Farmers are facing challenging times because of the pandemic, and FSA is constantly looking for ways to offer flexibilities to our customers to help alleviate financial stressors,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “This storage facility loan servicing option affords eligible borrowers more time to make a payment and may stop loan acceleration, foreclosure or liquidation.”

    Eligible borrowers can request a one-time only annual installment payment deferral for loans having terms of three, five, seven or ten years. The installment deferral option is not available for 12-year term loans.

    The FSFL installment payments will remain the same, except for the last year. The original loan interest rate and annual payment due date will remain the same. However, because the installment payment deferral is a one-year loan term extension, the final payment will be higher due to additional accrued interest.

    Borrowers interested in exercising the one-time annual installment deferral option should contact FSA to make the request and to obtain, complete and sign required forms.

    FSFLs provide low-interest financing for producers to store, handle and transport eligible commodities.

    More Information

    In addition to offering flexibilities for FSFLs, FSA has also made other flexibilities to help producers impacted by the pandemic, including relaxing the loan-making process for farm operating and ownership loans and implementing the Disaster Set-Aside provision that enables an upcoming installment on a direct loan to be set aside for the year. More information on these flexibilities can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

    All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors may also be required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

    For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

  • USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs for Organic Certification

    USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program(OCCSP). Applications for eligible certification expenses paid between Oct. 1, 2019, and Sept. 30, 2020, are due Oct. 31, 2020.

    “For producers producing food with organic certification, this program helps cover a portion of those certification costs,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “Contact your local FSA county office to learn more about this program and other valuable USDA resources, like farm loans and conservation assistance, that can help you succeed.”

    OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification under the USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible producers include any certified producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Eligible expenses for cost-share reimbursement include application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, travel expenses for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage.

    Changes in Reimbursement

    Due to expected participation levels and the limited funds available, FSA revised the reimbursement amount available through fiscal year 2023. Certified producers and handlers are now eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 50 percent of the certified organic operation’s eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $500 per scope.

    This change is will allow a larger number of certified organic operations to receive assistance.  If Congress authorizes additional funding, FSA may provide additional assistance to certified operations that have applied for OCCSP, not to exceed 75 percent of their eligible costs, up to $750 per scope.

    The changes to the payment calculation and maximum payment amount are applicable to all certified organic operations, regardless of whether they apply through an FSA county office or a participating state agency. State agencies that are interested in overseeing reimbursements to producers and handlers in their states must establish new agreements with FSA for fiscal 2020.

    Opportunities for State Agencies

    Today’s announcement also includes the opportunity for state agencies to apply for grant agreements to administer the OCCSP program in fiscal 2020. State agencies that establish agreements may be able to extend their agreements and receive additional funds to administer the program in future years.

    FSA has not yet determined whether an additional application period will be announced for state agencies that choose not to participate in fiscal 2020. States that would like to administer OCCSP for multiple years are encouraged to establish an agreement for fiscal 2020.

    FSA will accept applications from state agencies from Aug. 10, 2020 through Sept. 9, 2020.

    State Agencies must submit the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 and 424B) electronically via Grants.gov, the Federal grants website, at http://www.grants.gov.

    More Information

    To learn more about organic certification cost share, please visit the OCCSP webpage, view the notice of funds availability on the Federal Register, or contact the FSA county office at your local USDA Service Center. All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors may also be required to wear a face covering during their appointment.

    To learn more about USDA support for organic agriculture, visit usda.gov/organic.

  • FARM Program Recognized Again for International Quality Certification

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service once again approved the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care Program’s animal welfare standards, determining that the program’s 4th version meets the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Specification. FARM was the first animal-care program in the world to have its updated standards verified through this process.

    “The ISO certification for the FARM Program demonstrates its importance and validates our industry’s commitment to animal care not only domestically but also in the world market,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, which administers the FARM program.

    The assessment to the ISO standard determines whether animal welfare programs meet international standards for animal care as set by an independent standards-setting organization. FARM was evaluated to ensure that the standards in Version 4.0 of its Animal Care program meet the highest quality in species-specific welfare practices.

    Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation

    The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and ISO work together to help farmers and programs like FARM standardize and implement their animal care guidelines. The OIE, the World Trade Organization-recognized body for setting animal health and welfare standards affecting international trade, adopted dairy cattle welfare standards in 2015.

    FARM was the first livestock program in the world recognized for the technical specification in 2018. It repeated the USDA verification process to provide an additional level of assurance for the improvements made to the program in its fourth iteration. The verification by USDA signifies to FARM Program participants that its standards are among the best in the world; it also signals to consumers they can have confidence their dairy products were produced in accordance with the highest level of science-based animal care.

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce the majority of U.S. milk, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. Created by the National Milk Producers Federation in partnership with Dairy Management Inc, the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) works with all U.S. dairy farmers, co-ops and processors, to demonstrate to dairy customers and consumers that the dairy industry is taking the very best care of cows and the environment, producing safe, wholesome milk and adhering to the highest standards of workforce development.

  • New USDA Survey to Measure Areas for Improvement

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a new annual survey of farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners. The survey will help USDA understand what it is doing well and where improvements are needed, specifically at the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA).

    A selection of 28,000 producers will receive the survey over the next few weeks, but all farmers are encouraged to take the survey at farmers.gov/survey.

    “We want to hear from our customers so we can learn what we’re doing right and where we’re missing the mark,” Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey said. “Good data is critical to good decision-making. The more responses we receive, the better we can understand what we need to do to improve our services to America’s farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners.”

    This survey is part of the President’s Management Agenda. It requires High Impact Service Provider agencies across the federal government, including FSA and NRCS, to conduct annual surveys to measure and respond to areas needing improvement.

    “We recognize producers and our staff may be experiencing a lot of change in how they interact with USDA,” Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “This is a good time to check in with our customers.”

    “We will use this input to help improve the delivery of our conservation programs as our sister agencies will do for their programs.” Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Matthew Lohr said.

    “We’re about our customers,” Risk Management Agency Administrator Martin Barbre said. “RMA works to provide producers with crop insurance policies that meet their needs and we need to know where we can improve.”

    The survey consists of 20 questions and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Responses are confidential, and individual responses will be aggregated. The survey will be open for at least six weeks and will be closed once USDA receives a 30% response rate.

    Learn more and take the survey at www.farmers.gov/survey.