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Agribusiness

Seed innovation improves food security: ASA president

During a recent listening session on competition in the seek industry, American Soybean Association Presient Brad Doyle said growers support steps to enable greater market participation and innovation in the seed industry. “New technologies, such as gene editing, will enable greater grower access to new traits and improved germplasm,” Doyle said. “In turn, these valuable tools will help U.S. agriculture tackle significant societal challenges, such as global food security, climate change, among others.” Doyle said maintaining a pro-innovation regulatory strategy, reducing ...

Specialty crop grants awarded to state ag department

WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service today awarded more than $1.3 million in Fiscal Year 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding to Minnesota. This USDA grant will help the Minnesota Department of Agriculture fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research. “USDA applauds Minnesota’s continued commitment to supporting our nation’s producers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops through the ...

US asks farmers: Can you plant 2 crops instead of 1?

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — There is only so much farmland in the United States, so when Russia's invasion of Ukraine last spring prompted worries that people would go hungry as wheat remained stuck in blockaded ports, there was little U.S. farmers could do to meet the new demand. But that may be changing. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture instituted new policies to encourage American farmers to begin growing two crops on one piece of land, one after the other, a practice known as double-cropping. By changing insurance rules to lessen the risk of growing two ...

Agriculture’s impact exhibition displayed at fair

EAGAN, Minn. — A showcase focusing on the impact of Minnesota agriculture will be displayed at the Minnesota State Fair by the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. The exhibit is titled “Farmers Produce more than Produce,” which will be located in the Farm Bureau’s building on Underwood ...

Biofuel infrastructure grants now available

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2022 – Funding to increase the availability of clean fuels nationwide is available through infrastructure grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the USDA is accepting applications for $100 million in grants to increase the sale and use of biofuels derived from U.S. agricultural products. USDA is making the funding available through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, which seeks to market higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel by sharing the costs to build and retrofit ...

Farm to School program expanded to serve more students

ST. PAUL — More funding for the state’s Farm to School program will provide fair food prices for growers, and will connect farmers to more consumers, said Gary Wertish, president of the Minnesota Farmers Union. “Minnesota’s Farm to School program provides a venue for family farmers to feed their community and is a win-win-win,” said Wertish. “The program is a great way to connect family farmers to consumers through their food and it provides a local market for local growers. The program also helps farmers earn a fair price for their products.” USDA’s Agricultural ...