USDA ANNOUNCES FARM ASSISTANCE DURING TRADE TALKS On July 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the availability of $12 billion to aid farmers who stand to lose income because of tariff hikes by foreign nations. The money is intended as a temporary support while the administration negotiates new international trade agreements. Tariff increases [...]

BILLION IN WHIP FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF FUNDING AVAILABLE The sign-up period for the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP) will run through November 16. Agricultural producers affected by hurricanes and wildfires in 2017 can apply for assistance to help recover their farm operations. The following are important to note as producers start this process. [...]

FLORIDA FARM BUREAU WORKING TO STRENGTHEN RIGHT TO FARM In recent months, many states have seen challenges to their “Right to Farm” law. Most notably, in North Carolina, the state found a Smithfield Foods subsidiary liable for nuisance and awarded $50 million in damages to neighboring landowners. Although it appeared as though the farm operated [...]

SURVEY: MEMBERS TRUST FARM BUREAU NEWS SOURCES A recent survey has shown that Farm Bureau members place great trust in Farm Bureau news and information sources. Eighty-four percent of the members who participated hold this view of news provided by their county Farm Bureau, their state Farm Bureau or the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) [...]