U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday that the USDA will begin helping dairy producers affected by recent outbreaks of High-Path Avian Flu (HPAI) H5N1 in dairy cattle.
USDA will allow APHIS to spend $98 million for several relief efforts aimed at increasing biosecurity, testing, and compensation for lost milk production. Some of the measures include helping producers cover shipping costs for the required tests.
The Department will also offer financial support for protective gear for affected herds but only if those operations agree to participate in a CDC workplace study.
The full list of actions:
FACT SHEET: USDA, HHS Announce New Actions to Reduce Impact and Spread of H5N1Related Stories
Cattle imports from Mexico remain stalled amid the New World screwworm outbreak. At the same time, Tyson closures add pressure on Nebraska producers and markets ahead of the USDA’s upcoming Cattle on Feed Report.
Georgia has regained its HPAI-free status after a swift response to October’s detection. Commissioner Tyler Harper urges producers to stay vigilant and maintain biosecurity.
USTR Jamieson Greer signals a narrower trade deal with China, adding more market uncertainty. The Farm Bureau also supports reviewing China’s missed trade commitments under the Phase One.
Water access—not acreage alone—is driving where irrigation expands or contracts.
Reed Marcum started hosting a toy drive in 2015. Since then, he has distributed thousands of toys across his home state of Oklahoma and in Texas and Arkansas. Now serving in the Army, Reed’s family and local 4-H chapter are running the event.
RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen explains the basics of Low-Risk Credit in Farming, and how an understanding of the farm credit landscape lets producers tactfully approach debt.
The FAO Food Price Index for November fell by more than 1 percent in November, marking the third straight month of declines.
“The Expanding Access to Risk Protection (EARP) Final Rule streamlines requirements across multiple crops, responds to producer feedback, and strengthens USDA’s commitment to putting America’s farmers first,” said the USDA.
Low-risk credit farming is not a technique; it is a culture of financial discipline. It requires the same level of expertise in the farm office as it does in the field.