USDA AMS

USDA Proposes Revisions to the Procedures Related to Red Meat Instrument Grading

January 9, 2023 USDA AMS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking comments on its procedures related to the use of instrument technology in the official meat grading program. The proposed changes outline several key enhancements to ensure USDA grading is delivered with the highest levels of consistency and accuracy. …

USDA Announces Virtual Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee Meeting

January 2, 2023 USDA AMS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC) will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is organizing the meeting, which is open to the public. …

Producers of South Texas Onions Vote to Continue the Federal Marketing Order

December 19, 2022 USDA AMS

In a referendum held between Sep. 1 and Oct. 3, 2022, continuance of the marketing order was favored by 78.6% of Texas onion producers voting in the referendum, and by 73.7% of the volume voted in the referendum. For the marketing order to continue, two-thirds or more of producers voting, or producers representing two-thirds or more of the volume voted, needed to vote in favor of continuance.   …

USDA Decreases Pork Checkoff Assessment Rate

November 16, 2022 USDA AMS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published in the Federal Register a preview of its final rule to decrease the current Pork Checkoff assessment rate of 0.40 percent (40 cents per $100) of the market value of all pigs sold in the United States to 0.35 percent. The final rule also decreases assessments on imported pork and pork products to bring importer assessments in line with those paid by domestic producers. This assessment decrease was recommended by the National Pork Producers Delegate Body (Delegate Body), which voted on the issue during its annual meeting held in Louisville, Ky., on March 9-11, 2022. …

USDA Awards $22.9 Million to Support Dairy Initiatives

November 14, 2022 USDA AMS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $22.9 million in awards to support dairy businesses and producers under the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI) grant program. The funds are being awarded noncompetitively to the four current DBI Initiatives at the California State University Fresno, the University of Tennessee, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, and the University of Wisconsin. …