WASHINGTON, April 22, 2015 - Since mid-December 2014, there have been several ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 incidents along the Pacific, Central and Mississippi Flyways. Cases in wild birds, captive wild birds, backyard poultry or commercial poultry have been reported in Arkansas, California, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford, CDC Medical Officer Dr. Alicia Fry and USDA Southeast Poultry Research Director David Swayne will provide an update on the recent outbreaks, current U.S. and State government response efforts, and research efforts underway for a vaccine.

 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. EDT

WHAT: USDA and CDC will provide an update on current HPAI H5N2 response.

WHO: Dr. John Clifford, USDA Chief Veterinary Officer

Dr. Alicia Fry, CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Influenza Division, Epidemiology and Prevention Branch Medical Officer

Dr. David Swayne, USDA Southeast Poultry Research Lab Director

WHERE: Participant number: 800-779-2608

Passcode: HPAIH5 (Given Verbally)

Trouble number - 202-720-8560

All callers using the above passcode will be placed in listen only mode.  To join the Q&A portion of the meeting, these callers are instructed to press *1 on their touch tone phone.

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Producers May Need to Take Action to Remain Eligible for Crop Insurance Premium Support

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 16, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers that the 2014 Farm Bill requires producers to file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form (AD-1026) with their local USDA service center by June 1, 2015, in order to become or remain eligible for crop insurance premium support.

Most farmers already have a certification form on file since it's required for participation in most USDA programs such as marketing assistance loans, farm storage facility loans and disaster assistance. However farmers, such as specialty crop growers who receive federal crop insurance premium support, but may not participate in other USDA programs, also must now file a certification form to maintain their crop insurance premium support.

"USDA employees are working very hard to get the word out about this new Farm Bill provision," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "While many producers will not need to take action, we want to help make sure that those who are required to act do so by the June 1 deadline. We want all eligible producers to be able to maintain their ability to protect their operations with affordable insurance."

Producers should visit their local USDA service center and talk with their crop insurance agent before the June 1, 2015, deadline to ask questions, get additional information or learn more about conservation compliance procedures. Producers that file their form by the deadline will be eligible for federal crop insurance premium support during the 2016 reinsurance year, which begins July, 1, 2015. USDA will publish a rule outlining the linkage of conservation compliance with federal crop insurance premium support. Go to http://go.usa.gov/3Wy5J to view a copy of the rule.

The Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form is available at local USDA service center or online at www.fsa.usda.gov/AD1026form. When a farmer completes this form, USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service staff will outline any additional actions that may be required for compliance with highly erodible land and wetland provisions. USDA's Risk Management Agency, through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, manages the federal crop insurance program that provides the modern farm safety net for America's farmers and ranchers.

Today's announcement was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has implemented many provisions of this critical legislation, providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

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USDA Continues to Remove Barriers and Open Trade Opportunities for U.S. Farmers and Ranchers

DES MOINES, Iowa, April 10, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently reached agreements allowing U.S. beef and pork producers greater access to consumers in Mexico and Peru. The two agreements announced Friday will allow U.S. producers to export slaughter cattle to Mexico and expand access to consumer markets in Peru for U.S. fresh and chilled pork. The Secretary made the announcements during a meeting with producers in Des Moines, Iowa.

"Our priority at USDA is not only to open or reopen markets for our producers, but to help drive U.S. economic growth through trade by supporting and creating American jobs on and off the farm," said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. "Mexico is an important market for U.S. cattle producers, with the potential to import $15 million of live U.S. cattle per year and we expect Peru's market could generate $5 million annually in additional pork sales."

The United States and Mexico reached an agreement that takes effect immediately and will allow U.S. producers to export slaughter cattle to Mexico for the first time in over a decade. The USDA has been working with Mexico since 2008 to reopen this market and the final agreement was reached between USDA Under Secretary Ed Avalos and Enrique Sanchez-Cruz with SAGARPA during meetings this week in Washington, DC. Exporters and producers can find the required documents on the APHIS website or through their local Veterinary Services office.

Similarly, USDA has conducted extensive negotiations with Peru's Servicio National De Sanidad Agraria (SENASA) since 2012 to expand access for U.S. fresh, chilled pork and pork products. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service export library will be updated to the new export requirements for these pork and pork products exports.

"More than one million people go to work every day thanks to exports of American-grown products. Expanded U.S. agricultural exports mean more new jobs, but our farmers and ranchers will miss out on new markets for American products if Congress doesn't act on Trade Promotion Authority early this year and if we don't continue to build support for a Trans-Pacific Partnership with Asian nations."

USDA continues its push to eliminate all remaining trade barriers to U.S. cattle and cattle products stemming from past detections of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service continues to work with its trading partners to ensure any unnecessary requirements for U.S. origin beef are eliminated. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) considers the United States' to have negligible risk for BSE. This is OIE's lowest risk category for this disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture continuously seeks opportunities for U.S. agricultural products and producers to expand access to overseas markets and contribute to a positive U.S. trade balance, to create jobs and to support economic growth. The past six years have represented the strongest period for American agricultural exports in the history of our country. In fiscal year 2014 American farmers and ranchers exported a record $152.5 billion of food and agricultural products to consumers worldwide.

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DES MOINES, April 9-10, 2015 - THURSDAY, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will attend the McCombs Boys & Girls Club dinner program to highlight the USDA's efforts to address childhood hunger and access to nutrition.

USDA programs help families gain access to healthy, nutritious food. Yet, in 2013, nearly 16 million children lived in families that had trouble getting adequate food. More than 75 percent of educators say their students often show up hungry, and one in four children in rural America live in food-insecure households.

The McCombs Boys & Girls Club in Des Moines helps to overcome these challenges by providing meals through USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program.

While in Des Moines, Secretary Vilsack will interview with Iowa Press and hold a media availability following the interview.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

EVENT #1

5 p.m. CST

WHAT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will serve dinner at the McCombs Boys and Girls Club dinner program and discuss USDA efforts to address childhood hunger, including after school meal programs.

*Press should arrive at 4:45 to set up for photos/b-roll as dinner begins promptly at 5p.m. Press availability to follow at 5:15pm*

WHERE: McCombs Boys & Girls Club
McCombs Middle School
201 SW County Line Road
Des Moines, Iowa 50320

Friday, April 10, 2015

EVENT #2

11:30 a.m. CST

WHAT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will interview with Iowa Press.

*Press availability to follow*

WHERE: Iowa Public Television
6450 Corporate Drive
Johnston, IA 50131

13 States to receive support.

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2015 - Targeted conservation work in the Mississippi River basin will unite the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), farmers and local organizations to help clean waterways that flow into the nation's largest river. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing $10 million this year in 27 new high-priority watersheds and 13 existing projects that will help improve water quality and strengthen agricultural operations. This investment is part of a commitment of $100 million over four years to address critical water quality concerns in priority watersheds while boosting rural economies.

"We know that when we target our efforts to the places most in need, we see stronger results," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "These projects focus on watersheds in need, where we have opportunities to work with partners and farmers to get conservation work on the ground. "

NRCS worked with state agencies, farmers and other partners to identify high-priority watersheds that align with established state priorities and have strong partnerships in place ? and where targeted conservation on agricultural land can make the most gains in improving local and regional water quality. Conservation systems implemented in these areas will reduce the amount of nutrients flowing from agricultural land into waterways, curb erosion and improve the resiliency of working lands in the face of droughts and floods. This investment builds on $18.5 million already allocated to projects in the basin in fiscal 2015.

These projects are funded through the agency's Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI), which uses funding from several Farm Bill conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), to help farmers adopt conservation systems to improve water quality and habitat and restore wetlands. Since MRBI's start in 2009, NRCS has worked with more than 600 partners and 5,000 private landowners to improve more than 1 million acres in the region. Through these partnerships, the initiative more than quadrupled the number of contracts addressing water quality concerns in targeted project areas.

New projects include :

  • Lower South Fork Root River Watershed, Minnesota: NRCS will work with the Root River and Fillmore soil and water conservation districts, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center, Monsanto and others to achieve a 40 percent reduction in sediment and associated phosphorus by 2020. NRCS plans to invest $39,000 in fiscal 2015 as part of a $1.2 million commitment in the watershed over four years.
  • Headwaters-Big Pine Creek, Indiana: NRCS will work with the Benton and White county soil and water conservation districts, Big Pine Creek Watershed Group, The Nature Conservancy, Conservation Technology Information Center, Ceres Solutions LLC, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Pheasants Forever and Indiana Department of Environmental Management to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment in this critical watershed to improve the conditions of waterways for recreational use and wildlife. NRCS plans to invest $50,000 in fiscal 2015 as part of a nearly $500,000 commitment over four years.
  • Long Lake, Mississippi: NRCS will work with Delta F.A.R.M., Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to address water quality concerns in priority watersheds identified in the Delta Nutrient Reduction Strategy. NRCS plans to invest $710,000 in fiscal 2015 as a part of a total commitment of $4.3 million over four years.

See full list of watershed projects.

Projects will be funded in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

"These projects put to work some of our core conservation practices, which we know are having tremendous impacts downstream," NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. "Putting to work NRCS-recommended conservation practices helps clean and conserve water, makes agricultural operations more resilient, and stimulates rural economies as this work often relies on help from biologists, foresters, pipe makers, dirt movers, welders, engineers and many more different professions to implement."

Conservation systems include practices that promote soil health, reduce erosion and lessen nutrient runoff, such as cover crops, reduced tillage and nutrient management; waste management systems that treat agricultural waste and livestock manure; irrigation systems that capture and recycle nutrients back to the field; and wetland restoration that increases wildlife habitat, mitigates flooding, and improves water quality.

Findings from a 2014 report by the USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) show that conservation work on cropland in the Mississippi River basin has reduced the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus flowing to the Gulf of Mexico by 18 and 20 percent, respectively. CEAP models have also shown that the targeted approach of MRBI has enhanced the per-acre conservation benefit by 70 percent for sediment losses, 30 percent by nitrogen losses, and 40 percent for phosphorus losses, when compared to general program activities.

Meanwhile, watersheds prioritized by MRBI have shown clear successes in helping to improve water quality. For example, two stream segments in the St. Francis River watershed in Arkansas have been removed from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of impaired streams.

MRBI is one of many landscape-level efforts to address water quality; similar efforts are ongoing in the Great Lakes region, Gulf of Mexico region, Chesapeake Bay watershed and California Bay Delta region.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2015 - TODAY, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce the availability of financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program(ACEP). Also on the media call will be Jason Weller, chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

The 2014 Farm Bill consolidated three previous conservation easement programs into ACEP to make it easier for diverse agricultural landowners to fully benefit from conservation initiatives.

USDA easement programs have been a critical tool in recent years for advancing landscape-scale private lands conservation. Last year, NRCS used $328 million in ACEP funding to enroll an estimated 145,000 acres of farmland, grassland, and wetlands through 485 new easements.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the United Kingdom's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) today announced five jointly funded research awards that total more than $2.3 million from NIFA and £2.3 million British pounds ($3,502,683 equivalent) from the BBSRC for the US-UK Collaborative Animal Health and Disease and Veterinary Immune Reagents program. This US-UK partnership addresses high impact diseases and animal health issues relevant to both countries.

"As a leading livestock producing nation, the health of the people in the United States and around the world depends on the safety, security, and quality of the livestock we produce," said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. "These grants enable an international research partnership that looks to control the spread of pathogens, ensuring we can effectively reduce the health risks and environmental impacts of food production worldwide."

Steve Visscher, BBSRC Deputy Chief Executive, International, said: "A growing world population means that safe and secure food supplies are going to become more and more important in the years to come. The scale of such challenges require increased international collaboration, and this partnership of co-investment between BBSRC and NIFA will allow world-leading researchers in both countries to work together to combat livestock diseases and safeguard food supplies."

Global food supply and food security are directly affected by animal production and health. They play an important role in the economy, but also in the sustainability and growth of agriculture worldwide. Research funded through this program will look at the biological and physiological mechanisms in relation to disease prevention in ruminants (cattle, goat, sheep), swine, poultry, equine, and aquaculture species. Specifically, the projects will address the development of immune reagents, breeding for genetic resistance to disease, studying the ecology of diseases spread by vector insects, and developing improved vaccines. The discoveries made through these projects will improve animal health and well-being, enhance production efficiency, and support the safety of animal products by addressing challenges facing animal agriculture.

The USDA and BBSRC 2014 partnership concentrated on the following areas:

Animal health and disease:

  • Research on emerging diseases and diseases of agriculturally relevant animals of high economic consequence in both the U.S. and U.K. (viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases)
  • Alternatives to current antimicrobials and anthelmintics used to treat disease in agricultural animals in both the U.S. and U.K.

Veterinary immune reagents:

  • Development of publicly accessible immunological reagents for agriculturally-relevant animal species.

Fiscal year 2014 awards supported by USDA include :

  • Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa., $499,999 - Host Resistance to Avian Pathogenic E. Coli (collaborative with the University of Edinburgh)
  • Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $499,995 - Control of Emerging Bunyaviruses (collaborative with the University of Glasgow)
  • USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Md., $477,903 - Reassembly of Cattle Immune Gene Clusters for Quantitative Analysis
  • USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Md., $500,000 - Swine Immune Toolkit: Development of new immune reagents for swine health, vaccine and disease studies (collaborative with the University of Bristol)
  • USDA Agricultural Research Service, Athens Ga., $325,000 - Evolution of the High Pathogenicity Phenotype in Avian Influenza Virus (NIFA is supporting years 2 and 3 of this award with $325,000; ARS is supporting year 1 with $175,000.)

Fiscal year 2014 awards supported by BBSRC include :

  • Swine Immune Toolkit: Development of new immune reagents for swine health, vaccine and disease studies. University of Bristol, £335,835 (collaborative with USDA ARS)
  • Reassembly of cattle immune gene clusters for quantitative analysis. The Pirbright Institute, £478,615
  • Control of emerging bunyaviruses. University of Glasgow, £597,187 (collaborative with Kansas State University)
  • Host Resistance to Avian Pathogenic E. coli. The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, £521,083 (collaborative with Iowa State University)
  • M2 gene splice variants in pathogenesis, transmission and induced immunity against highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, £461,362

More information on the BBSRC grants can be found on their website. Enter the project title into the search function.

NIFA funded the grants through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). AFRI is NIFA's flagship competitive grant program and was established under the 2008 Farm Bill. AFRI supports work in six priority areas: food safety, nutrition and health; plant health and production and plant products; animal health and production and animal products; bioenergy energy, natural resources and environment; agriculture systems and technology; and agriculture economics and rural communities.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.

Funded by Government, BBSRC invested over £484M in world-class bioscience in 2013-14. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact see: www.bbsrc.ac.uk.

For more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes see: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/institutes.

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Prairie View, Texas, Feb. 9, 2015 - USDA's Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Joe Leonard today announced the availability of more than $18 million to strengthen the research, teaching and extension capabilities at 19 historically black land-grant colleges and universities in an effort to recruit and train students for careers in agriculture. Leonard made the announcement today during a visit to Prairie View A&M University.

"This support for the 1890 land-grant universities is an example of the Obama Administration and Secretary Vilsack's commitment to the 1890 Institutions," Leonard said. "This funding will continue to positively impact students, professors, and institutions for future generations."

The funding is being made available through the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) 1890 Institution Research, Extension, and Teaching Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program. NIFA provides support to historically black colleges and universities that were designated at as land-grant universities in the Second Morrill Act in 1890. Grants to these 1890 universities support research, extension and teaching in the food and agricultural sciences by building the institutional capacities of these schools.

The 1890 CBG Program strengthens the linkages among the 1890 universities, other colleges and universities, USDA, and private industry. It focuses on strengthening research and extension programs at the 1890 institutions and advancing cultural diversity in the scientific and professional workforce by attracting and educating more students from underrepresented groups.

Full applications for the 1890 CBG program are due March 26, 2015. Please see the request for applications for specific program requirements.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced the availability of more than $16 million in funding to support research, education and Extension efforts to improve food production and increase food security, defined as regular access to affordable, nutritious food. NIFA is funding the grants through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Food Security program.

"Agricultural production is inextricably linked to the health of our nation, and every American deserves access to safe, nutrient-rich food," said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. "This funding will increase food security by improving agricultural production systems at the regional and national levels and by encouraging diverse agricultural production."

The goal of the AFRI Food Security challenge area in 2015 is to develop more sustainable, productive, and economically viable plant and animal production systems. This program will also develop regionally-adapted crop cultivars and livestock breeds that contribute to rural economic development and prosperity while enhancing food security.

The fiscal year 2015 AFRI Food Security request for applications addresses four priorities of the 2014 Farm Bill to continue building a foundation of knowledge in fundamental and applied food and agricultural sciences that are critical for solving current and future societal challenges. The four priority areas include : plant health, production, and products; animal health, production, and products; food safety, nutrition and health; and agriculture economics and rural communities.

A letter of intent is due March 19, 2015, and full applications are due May 21, 2015. Please see the request for applications for specific program requirements.

The purpose of AFRI is to support research, education, and extension work by awarding grants that address key problems of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture. AFRI is NIFA's flagship competitive grant program authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill and supports work in six priority areas: 1) plant health and production and plant products; 2) animal health and production and animal products; 3) food safety, nutrition and health; 4) bioenergy, natural resources and environment; 5) agriculture systems and technology; and 6) agriculture economics and rural communities.

The 2014 Farm Bill requires NIFA to establish Centers of Excellence for food and agricultural research, education, and extension. Applicants who meet the requirements of this funding opportunity are also eligible to apply for Center of Excellence designation as part of their grant application, which gives them priority consideration during the external peer review process. Information on applying for this designation can be found in the RFA.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. More information is at: www.nifa.usda.gov.

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2015 - The Feb. 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, which will be released at 12 noon ET, will include two new rice prices in the "Medium & Short-grain" rice section of the table on page 14. USDA is forecasting these two new additional rice prices that are part of the program parameters introduced in the 2014 Farm Bill for the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.

The two new prices will be located directly under the "Average Farm Price" line and will include :

  • California
  • Other States

Two lines have been added at the bottom of the rice table under the sub-heading "Medium & Short-Grain Rice." The two new prices are a sub-category of the combined medium- and short-grain average farm price. No other lines were added or deleted from the table.

The first publicly available information for the 2013/14 "California" and "Other States" prices became available in the January issue of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service's Agricultural Prices report that was released on January 30, 2015.

An example of the change is found on this sample WASDE page (PDF, 46KB).

Background on USDA's WASDE report and past issues are available at: www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/.

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