Cotton and corn acreage in Mississippi are more than 30% below March projections, while growers of soybeans and peanuts planted much more than initially forecasted. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service released a report at the end of June updating the amount of crop acreage planted statewide. It compared those amounts to how much growers said they ... Read More »
The ongoing spread of the coronavirus has become one of the biggest threats to the global economy. The agricultural economy was already suffering from low commodity prices and they remain low as major markets are closed to potential buying. The loss of schools and restaurants has interrupted the food chain on a grand scale. The economy being locked down is ... Read More »
The year started with dire warnings about an increase in virus — tomato spotted wilt virus. “Last year, TSWV made a comeback in Southeastern peanuts after a 10-year hiatus,” says Barry Tillman, University of Florida peanut breeder, in a recent blog post. “The last time we had appreciable spotted wilt in peanuts at the UF-IFAS research station in Marianna was ... Read More »
Peanut growers say they plan to plant nearly 1.53 million acres this season, up 7% from the 1.42 million acres planted in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recently released Planting Intentions Report. Growers in nearly every peanut-producing state are expected to increase acreage slightly except for Oklahoma, where they are expected to decrease plantings to 12,000 acres, ... Read More »
The U.S. peanut market is said to be difficult with producers awaiting marketing signals on how many acres of peanuts to plant. Shellers are struggling to meet deliveries of current contracts and still show little interest to sell more until current contracts are filled. If a buyer does show interest and a price is offered, shellers are still choosing to ... Read More »
Program Enrollment Deadline The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency encourages producers to enroll now in the agriculture risk or price loss coverage programs. Sign up for the 2019 crop year closes March 15, 2020, while sign up for the 2020 crop year closes June 30, 2020. Producers who have not yet enrolled for 2019 can enroll for both ... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to issue the third and final round of 2019 Market Facilitation Program payments aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to trade retaliation by foreign nations. The payments will begin to show up in farmers’ bank accounts by the end of this week. “It’s been a great start to 2020 for American agriculture with ... Read More »
It was a star-studded event at the National Peanut Research Laboratory’s 50-year celebration. Guest speakers included U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Representative Sanford Bishop (D-Ga) and Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, the USDA Administrator for the Agricultural Marketing Service. Also speaking at the event was American Peanut Sheller Association President Karl Zimmer, and peanut producers Donald Chase and Casey Cox. Finally, ... Read More »
Due to the prolonged and extensive impacts of weather this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the deadline to Dec. 20 for producers to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage program for the 2020 calendar year. The deadline had been Dec. 13. USDA announced is also continuing to accept applications for the Market Facilitation Program through Dec. 20. ... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to begin making the second round of 2019 Market Facilitation Program payments the week before Thanksgiving to help farmers suffering from trade retaliations by foreign nations. Producers of MFP-eligible commodities will be eligible to receive 25% of the total payment expected in addition to the 50% they already have received from the 2019 ... Read More »
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