December 21, 2020
The Stone House Farm in New York is home to a new carbon marketplace tied to regenerative agriculture. Photo courtesy of C.J. Clouse
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The contraption Matt Sheffer wants to show me sits at the far end of a field of alfalfa and grasses, a weave of green and pale gold, broken only by the parallel grooves we’re trudging along, a path carved by the tires of a pickup truck. It’s Nov. 4, and America is in the midst of a presidential election that feels like being trapped, upside down and spinning, on a ramshackle carnival ride. So I’m grateful for this opportunity to escape, to walk on sturdy ground and see all the way to where the earth touches the sky.
Jason Johnson
HELP IS AVAILABLE: NRCS provided more than $8 million to Iowa farmers in 2020 for conservation practices on grazing lands, like this brush management project in Warren County helping improve pasture conditions so livestock can easily access better forage quantity and quality. NRCS obligates nearly $60 million to Iowa farmers in conservation assistance.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service contracted with Iowa farmers and landowners to treat natural resources on more than 316,000 acres, obligating $59.8 million in financial assistance during fiscal year 2020 that ended Sept. 30.
NRCS also wrote 12,624 conservation plans that cover 889,071 acres during FY 2020. The conservation plans will help Iowa farmers reduce soil erosion, improve soil health and water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and treat other environmental issues.
The back to the future Secretary of Agriculture | American Enterprise Institute aei.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aei.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MacXever/iStock/Thinkstock New nominees for EPA, Department of Interior and climate advisers could bring new direction in addressing the changing climate.
President-elect Joe Biden has made it clear from day one he intends to lead with action on the climate. And now he’s filling his climate team with some familiar faces and some new ones that could bring a change to agriculture.
“We have a good idea of the vision President-elect Biden is trying to accomplish. And as it relates to agriculture it is positive,” says Ethan Lane, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s vice president of government affairs. The concern comes in when the progressive left of the party tries to take actions further.
BY USDA | December 18, 2020
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the accomplishments made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over the past year.
“While this was a tough year with the coronavirus, historic wildfires, and weather damage, USDA met these challenges with a multitude of programs and services to support Americans and keep our agricultural sector running and responsive to the country’s needs,” said Secretary Perdue. “We salute our mission areas and agencies for keeping our customers front and center, serving the American people, farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers.”
Farmers to Families Food Box Program:
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) purchased $8.6 billion in food for delivery to food banks, churches, schools, community organizations, tribal organizations, and international food aid organizations through