Author: Dave Alexander

  • USDA To Buy Frozen Carrots

    USDA To Buy Frozen Carrots

    The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a solicitation for the procurement of diced carrots.

    Bids are due Wednesday, May 15, 2019 by 1:00 PM, Central Time.

    Questions regarding this procurement should be directed to the following contact:
    Raquel Clinton, Raquel.Clinton@ams.usda.gov, 816-926-6395

    DOWNLOAD THE SOLICITATION

  • USDA Grants and Resources for Going Organic

    USDA Grants and Resources for Going Organic

    USDA Resources for Organic National Institute on Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

    USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently published the following funding opportunities for FY 2019 and FY 2020. Access the links provided to learn more.

    Request for Application (RFA) Type FY 2019
    Application Deadline
    FY 2020
    Application Deadline

    Organic Agriculture Research and
    Extension Initiative (OREI)

    May 2, 2019

    January 23, 2020

    Organic Transitions (ORG) May 16, 2019 February 27, 2020

    National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

    USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service offers several communications, training and support products for organic or transitioning farmers and ranchers:

  • SNAP Goes Online

    SNAP Goes Online

    For the first time, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants will be able to select and pay for their groceries online, during a two-year test (pilot) launched today in New York State. In making the announcement, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue highlighted online purchasing’s potential, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) commitment to program integrity by looking carefully at the pilot. Lessons learned from this pilot are expected to inform future efforts to expand online purchasing in SNAP.

    The system is developed to allow online purchasing only by SNAP households with electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards issued by New York for this start of the online pilot project.  Online retailers will be limited to delivery in the pilot areas in New York only.  Information regarding expansion will be available after this launch is determined successful and other pilot states indicate their readiness to implement.

    Amazon and Walmart will participate in the initial pilot launch today with ShopRite joining early next week. ShopRite and Amazon are providing service to the New York City area and Walmart is providing online service in upstate New York locations. Additional retailers are slated to participate in the pilot in coming months. The pilot will eventually expand to other areas of New York as well as Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington.

    The pilot will test both online ordering and payment. SNAP participants will be able to use their benefits to purchase eligible food items, but will not be able to use SNAP benefits to pay for service or delivery charges.

    More info here:

    SNAP Online Purchasing pilot webpage.

     

  • Cover Crop Acreage Surged 50% in a 5-Year Period

    Cover Crop Acreage Surged 50% in a 5-Year Period

    The adoption of cover crops as a key soil health practice continues at a rapid rate throughout the U.S., according to data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Cover crops were planted on 15.4 million acres in 2017, an increase of 50% over five years, the census shows. Iowa led the way with a 156.3% increase during that period, and a number of other states also more than doubled their cover crop acreage, including Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Mississippi, Nebraska, Vermont and Arizona.

    The remarkable expansion of cover crop acreage is a result of countless efforts by conservation advocates and others across the country. “This significant growth in cover crop acreage is providing major dividends in soil health and conservation on many types of farms and in all regions of the United States,” says Dr. Rob Myers, director of Extension programs for North Central Region SARE. “My hope is that this pace of increase will continue and even accelerate, leading us to 40 or 50 million acres of cover crops in the next decade.”

    “Getting significant additional growth in cover crop adoption will take continued interest by farmers and a coordinated effort among many different partner organizations and agencies, which I believe we can accomplish,” Myers says. “The need for additional protection and improvement of our nation’s soils is paramount, as our whole food system depends on having healthy soils.”

    According to Myers, a number of factors have contributed to this growth in cover crop acreage:

    • Perhaps most notable is the growing interest by farmers in increasing soil health. Along the way, a number of organizations have contributed to education on soil health, including USDA NRCS, the Soil Health Institute, the Soil Health Partnership, SARE, other conservation and farm organizations, and the agricultural media.
    • Awareness of how to best use and manage cover crops has grown in part through the innovative work done by leading farmers. The SARE program has supported some of these farmers directly with grants, while other farmers have gained incentive funds to try cover crops through NRCS or state agency programs.
    • Farmers are recognizing that cover crops can help with the efficiency and performance of their cropping system, including under extreme weather conditions. A national cover crop survey, conducted by the Conservation Technology and Information Center and funded by SARE and the American Seed Trade Association, found that soybean yields increased 11.6 percent and corn yields increased 9.6 percent in the drought year of 2012 following use of cover crops versus no cover crops.

    The SARE program has funded close to 1,000 research and education projects on cover crops in the 30 years since SARE was first funded by USDA, including grants awarded directly to farmers to try new ideas such as different cover crop management approaches on their land. Program staff and grantees have also developed a wealth of educational materials on cover crops, much of which can be found at www.sare.org/covercrops.

    Source: SARE

  • USDA Updates Frozen Specs

    USDA Updates Frozen Specs

    The USDA has updated the Commodity Specification for Frozen Vegetables.

    The update includes minor formatting adjustments, incorporates Amendments 1 and 2, clarifies existing labeling and packaging requirements, and specifies material codes for household sized packages of carrots.

    The frozen carrot section reads:

    Frozen, Carrots
    1. Grade – U.S. Grade A.

    2. Style –
    a. Sliced (straight cut or crinkle cut), maximum diameter 1 ½ inches.
    b. Diced (⅜ inch to ½ inch cube).

    3. Net Weight –
    a. 30 pounds.
    b. 12/2 pound bags per case – Material Code: 111052

    The full Specification can be see here:

    Commodity Specification for Frozen Vegetables

  • Crop Insurance Industry Stable in 2019

    Crop Insurance Industry Stable in 2019

    By Cindy Zimmerman

    The latest crop insurance industry outlook shows a stable picture right now, according to a presentation at last week’s Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) annual meeting in San Diego.

    “The crop insurance industry should be feeling pretty good about its current state, and stability is how we’d describe it,” said Steve Webersen, Head of Insurance Research at Conning, Inc. “The industry has strung together several years of good, solid profitability, the premium base appears quite stable and you’ve got operating efficiency that seems to be running quite high. Finally you’ve got very strong support from your reinsurers and from the new farm bill.”

    Listen to Webersen’s comments on the state of the industry here:

    CLICK TO LISTEN

  • BASF Invests in Alchemist Accelerator to Promote Digital Innovations

    BASF Invests in Alchemist Accelerator to Promote Digital Innovations

    ◼ Alchemist will fund digital startups driving growth of the chemical industry
    ◼ BASF accelerates its outreach towards technologies like artificial intelligence, internet of things and robotics

    BASF Venture Capital is investing $2 million into Alchemist Accelerator’s fund, allocating at least half towards investments in 3D printing, agtech, material informatics, nutrition, and technology game-changers. This investment supports BASF’s strategy to leverage digital technologies to drive business growth.

    Since Alchemist’s debut in 2013, 24 companies funded by Alchemist have been acquired and over a hundred have gone on to raise significant funding rounds from the top venture capital firms in the Silicon Valley – including Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Foundation Capital, Founders Fund, Greylock Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Social + Capital Partnership, and True Ventures.

    The Alchemist Accelerator seeds 75 startups per year and provides a structured path toward their first customers and fundraising. The 6-month program offers privileged connections to the top enterprise coaches, early adopter customers and investors.

    SOURCE: BASF

  • John Deere Adds Power and Acceleration to 6R Tractors

    John Deere Adds Power and Acceleration to 6R Tractors

    John Deere has strengthened its lineup of 6R Tractors by adding two more models, the 6230R and 6250R that bring customers faster, stronger, smarter tractors in the 6 Family that excel in hauling, transport and loader work.

    Both models are loaded with new levels of power and premium features to make them an ideal choice for hauling hay, forage and slurry, yet versatile enough for loader and PTO work. The 6230R and 6250R Tractors expand the upper limits of horsepower available for the 6R lineup, delivering 230 and 250 rated engine horsepower respectively. When power bulge and John Deere Intelligent Power Management (IPM) are factored in, the larger 6250R is capable of up to 300 horsepower.

    To ensure quick acceleration, John Deere included an Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT) as base equipment on the 6230R and 6250R. When ordering, customers have two IVT choices – one capable of a 25-mph top speed, or one with a 31-mph (49.89 kph) top speed. Using the stepless IVT, operators can match the exact speed desired for any application ranging from 0.03 mph (.05 kph) up to 25/31 mph (40.23/49.80 kph).

    A factory-installed Generation 4 4200 CommandCenter™ with an 8.4-inch (21.3 cm) color display is another premium feature included as base equipment, or customers can upgrade to the optional 4600 CommandCenter. Customers can also add Field Documentation with an AutoTrac™ activation and Section Control and Wireless Data Transfer if desired.

    Compared to the 6215R, the 6230R and 6250R feature a frame that’s four inches (10.2 cm) longer and contributes to enhanced ride quality. Both tractors are factory-equipped with Triple-Link Suspension™ Plus (TLS™ Plus), which utilize two double-acting-control cylinders that act independently or together to dampen shock loads, while supplying a constant downforce on the axle for better traction. The suspension further improves ride comfort and traction during transport or in the field as well as increases pulling performance up to 10 percent. TLS Plus is base equipment.

    For more details about the 6230R and 6250R Tractors or to request a demo, visit JohnDeere.com or see your local dealer.

    Using the Infinitely Variable Transmission, operators can match the exact speed desired for any application.
  • TPS Lab Sets Soil Test Webinar for February 19

    TPS Lab Sets Soil Test Webinar for February 19

    TPS Lab has a free webinar scheduled for February 19 at 11 am (MST) titled, “The secret to bigger yields is understanding what your soil test isn’t telling you.”  Presented by Noel Garcia, Senior Certified Crop Advisor and COO of TPS Lab, the webinar is appropriate for growers, farm owners, ag consultants, and agricultural professionals.

    On the agenda:

    • TPSL’s Top Soil Building Strategies Revealed.
    • Best Practices for Turning Your Soil into a Nutrient Producing Machine.
    • Utilize a “Forgotten” Method for More Root Growth and Plant Vitality.
    • Take the Headaches out of the Picture. 
    • Answer Your Questions Live.

    MORE INFO HERE

    REGISTER HERE

    Noel Garcia

  • President Trump Addresses 100th AFBF Convention

    President Trump Addresses 100th AFBF Convention

    By Cindy Zimmerman

    For the second year in a row, President Donald J. Trump addressed the members of the American Farm Bureau Federation at its 100th annual convention Monday in New Orleans.

    Despite being nearly an hour late, the president was greeted by thousands of farmers and ranchers who had been in place waiting to see him since early in the morning, and he did not disappoint. President Trump spent about half of the speech talking about the importance of border security and getting a wall, which is a very big issue for agriculture and especially for ranchers like Jim Chilton of Arizona who lives on the border and has smugglers coming into the country through his property. “Mr. President, we need a wall,” said Chilton when he was invited on stage by the president.

    Trump hit on all the important agricultural issues of the day, from trade and the estate tax, to WOTUS and ethanol. “We are fighting for the American farmer and we are fighting for the American dream,” the president said as he wrapped up his one hour address. “The greatest harvest is yet to come. The future for America’s farmers is bigger, better, bolder and brighter than ever before.”