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June 2018

Other News

USDA urged to be proactive on farm suicide crisis

"Many farmers and ranchers are coping with alarming levels of stress, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) should serve a critical role in providing support to farmers in crisis, according to the nation’s second largest general farm organization."
MorningAgClips

Washington Politics Adding To Mental Health Crisis Among Farmers

"We need the safety net, we need our exports, we need a lot of things that are created and somewhat destroyed in Washington, D.C. So yeah, it is a big concern for us what's happening in Washington today."
NPR

Bipartisan bill to support farmer veterans

"The Farmer Veteran Opportunity Act of 2018 makes all new veterans eligible for support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill also improves access for farmer veterans across eight existing initiatives to make risk management tools more affordable, expand access to land and capital, and prioritize training for veterans."
MorningAgClips

A Farmer in Our Midst – An Interview with JAN’s Own Dr. Beth Loy

Dr. Beth Lory has "extensive experience providing accommodation information to JAN customers with diverse disabilities in a variety of work settings, as well as to having hands-on experience managing and operating a family farm."
Ask JAN Blog (Submitted by Lani Carlson, Maine AgrAbility)

Modernizing the H-2A agricultural visa program

"The Departments of State, Agriculture, Labor, and Homeland Security are embarking on a process to modernize the H-2A visa program."
MorningAgClips

USDA reopens disaster assistance programs

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting disaster assistance program applications as of June 4th from agricultural producers who suffered livestock, honeybees, farm-raised fish and other losses due to natural disasters."
MorningAgClips

$8.89M for risk management education

"The funding will allow organizations such as universities, county cooperative extension offices, and nonprofit organizations to develop training and educational tools to help farmers and ranchers learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges."
MorningAgClips

Streamlining produce safety requirements

"“Government should make things easier for our customers whenever possible and these important improvements help accomplish that goal,” said Secretary Perdue. “Specialty crop farmers who take advantage of a USDA Harmonized GAP audit now will have a much greater likelihood of passing a FSMA inspection as well."
MorningAgClips

Cover crops have benefits in high tunnels

"...the effects of cover crops in a high tunnel are much better than what we even found in the field,” said Gilmore. 'Cover crops hold moisture a lot longer in the soil and weed management is a lot better with cover crops used as compost in high tunnels.'"
MorningAgClips

Bayer sells ag businesses ahead of merger

"'This merger is going to have a devastating effect on African American farmers and other small farmers,' John Boyd, founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, said in a telephone interview. 'It means higher prices for small farmers, and more black farmers will end up going out of business due to these higher seed prices.'"
MorningAgClips