Bill Northey

To further the USDA’s work on its Agricultural Innovation Agenda, the agency is asking for public-and-private-sector input on the most innovative technologies and practices that can be readily deployed across the country. USDA is looking for ready-to-go technologies and practices that will help achieve its goal of increasing agricultural production by 40% to help meet global population needs in 2

On Tuesday, the USDA announced assistance for agricultural producers affected by recent wildfires. The assistance will help eligible farmers and ranchers reestablish their operations. Wildfires have burned more than two million acres, mostly in western states ...

A new annual survey from the Department of Agriculture seeks feedback from farmers and ranchers. The survey will help USDA understand what it is doing well and where improvements are needed, specifically at the FSA, NRCS and RMA. A selection of 28,000 producers will receive the survey over the next few weeks, but all farmers are encouraged to take the survey at farmers ...

The USDA has many career opportunities available in the Farm Production and Conservation mission area. The Washington Ag Network’s Micheal Clements has more. If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com ... Read More ...

The USDA is out with more detail on the part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program that addresses the $16 billion dollars of direct payments to producers who have suffered coronavirus-related losses. "We will being Farm Service Agency and those country offices taking applicants next Tuesday, May 26th and that will occur for the next three months until the end of August," said the

On Tuesday, the USDA announced the availability of $900,000 for local governments to reduce food waste in landfills. The grants allow local governments to host a Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot project for fiscal year 2020 ...

Producers and farmers who have business with the local USDA office, such as FSA and NRCS, you're going to need to conduct business in a different way for the foreseeable future. "We'll still have that same personal service, it will be over the phone for the time being," said the USDA's Bill Northey ...

Will hemp grower be able to take advantage of USDA programs like growers of other commodities?  The first step, according to USDA Undersecretary, Bill Northey, hemp producers will need to file an acreage report with the FSA.   “That's typically done after spring plantings are complete so that would be likely next summer in many cases or late spring.”   North...

On Wednesday, the USDA extended sign-up deadlines for the Dairy Margin Coverage program to December 20th USDA officials cited the prolonged and extensive impacts of weather events this year for moving the deadline beyond its original date of Friday, December 13th...

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency says it will continue to defer accrual of interest for 2019 crop year insurance premiums to help farmers hit hard by extreme weather.  More specifically, USDA will defer the accrual of interest on 2019 crop year insurance programs to the earlier of the applicable termination date or January 31st 2020, for all policies with a premium billing date of August 15th, 20