Agriculture

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin issuing final pandemic assistance payments to timber harvesters and timber hauling businesses through the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) program starting next week. In total, $200 million will be provided to loggers and log trucking businesses who experienced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, […]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the theme and program of the 98th Agricultural Outlook Forum, a virtual event that will be held on February 24-25, 2022. The 2022 Forum theme is “New Paths to Sustainability and Productivity Growth” and the program will focus on innovations to minimize the environmental footprint of agriculture and ensure sustainability while improving crop yields.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is helping to ensure that underserved farmers, ranchers, and foresters have the tools, programs and support they need to succeed in agriculture. Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA will provide approximately $75 million in American Rescue Plan funding to 20 organizations to provide technical assistance to connect underserved producers with USDA programs and services.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the Department has begun accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet. This announcement comes on the heels of the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides another nearly $2 billion in additional funding for the ReConnect program.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a $90.2 million investment in 203 projects to strengthen and explore new market opportunities for local and regional food businesses.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the investment of $32 million in grants awarded to 167 meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to support expanded capacity and efficiency through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2021 – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) commends Canada for implementing the necessary plant health (phytosanitary) measures to safeguard against the transmission of potato wart disease from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, to the United States.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is taking steps to repeal the 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule and restore protections to more than nine million acres of inventoried roadless areas on the Tongass National Forest. The Alaska Roadless Rule, approved on Oct. 29, 2020, exempted the Tongass from the 2001 Roadless Rule, which prohibited road construction, reconstruction and timber harvest in inventoried roadless […]

WASHINGTON, November 19, 2021 — Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement after the swearing in of Robert Bonnie to serve as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA.