More growers, less hemp in industry slowed by uncertainty, pandemic The first year of nationwide cultivation of industrial hemp has been a mixture of retrenchment and optimism for growth in the longer term. “The industry isn’t going to go away,” said hemp entrepreneur Morris Beegle on Thursday. “It’s going to… Continue reading

Administration prepares another multibillion-dollar aid package for agriculture The USDA aims to release a new version of its coronavirus relief program for farmers and ranchers in the next couple of weeks, said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, with at least $14 billion available. President Trump has suggested the new… Continue reading

U.S. Army Corps key to Trump’s move on Pebble Mine This week, the Trump administration placed a major hurdle in front of the company seeking to develop the largest gold and copper mine in North America. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday stated that the proposed Pebble Mine… Continue reading

Trump boosts food-box funding by $1 billion Hours after he was nominated for a second term, President Trump announced at a produce packing house in North Carolina an additional $1 billion on Monday for the food-box giveaway program that is his administration’s answer to hunger during the pandemic.   Farm… Continue reading

USDA tightens eligibility rules for farm subsidies Loopholes remain, but the USDA is tightening its crop subsidy rules by limiting who can collect a payment for managing a farm, historically one of its most porous definitions. The new regulation, to be published on Monday, requires people to perform at least… Continue reading

AG INSIDER Meatpackers ignored warnings to plan for a pandemic, report finds Experts and federal agencies repeatedly urged meatpackers to prepare for a potential future pandemic as far back as the Bush administration, yet none of the major packers had stocked personal protective equipment or trained personnel on pandemic response… Continue reading

More money for agriculture to flow from Washington Federal payments to farmers are forecast at a record $32 billion this year, with additional outlays all but certain due to the pandemic and economic recession, said two farm policy experts in gauging potential action in the near term.   Survey shows… Continue reading

Former education secretary joins calls for school food flexibility The Trump administration should immediately extend two waivers that allow schools during the coronavirus pandemic to serve meals at no charge to students, whether in the cafeteria, the classroom, or as grab-and-go meals at the curbside, said former education secretary Arne… Continue reading