Farm Radio

Details Emerging on the U.S. and China Phase One Agreement Both China and the U.S. officials confirmed on Friday that they’ve reached a “Phase One” agreement. Emerging details show the agreement includes some tariff relief, increased agricultural purchases, as well as structural changes to intellectual property and technology issues. However, a CNBC report says some details of the partial accord between the world’s two largest economies remain cloudy. As Chinese officials briefed reporters of some details on Friday morning, President Trump also announced some of the terms of what he called an “amazing deal.” The U.S. does plan to eliminate tariffs on multiple Chinese goods in stages, which was a priority for Chinese negotiators. Details on when that would take place weren’t announced. Trump announced that the U.S. would cancel its next round of tariffs on Chinese goods that were scheduled to go into effect over the weekend. Via Twitter, Trump announced the White House will leave 25 ...

WASHINGTON- House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson and House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Chairman Jim Costa released the following statements today following the announcement of a deal between House Democrats and The White House on United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). “I have been pushing for months to get this deal to the finish line, and this announcement is great news for farmers, businesses and workers, in Western Minnesota and nationwide,” said Peterson. “The threat of leaving NAFTA without a deal would have been devastating, and this deal provides needed certainty for our producers. This agreement makes updates to how the three countries will address biotechnology, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues. The USMCA also preserves the market our farmers are currently accessing while making modest gains for our dairy, poultry, and wheat growers in the Canadian market. Rural America has faced many hurdles and challenges with thes...

The fourth annual  Ag Innovation Summit  returns to Colorado State University Dec. 5 and 6 at the Lory Student Center. Since its inaugural debut in 2015, the summit has brought together a diverse range of perspectives from higher education, industry and government to catalyze momentum and spark conversations about the future of agriculture. This year, the summit will focus on the theme, “Building the Innovation Mindset.” The event is ticketed, and registration  can be found here . Innovation in Agriculture “This year, we wanted to broaden the conversation around innovation beyond strictly technology to include the science of organizations—how we can be innovative in building processes, teams and cultures for transformative results,” said Paula Mills, who organizes the annual summit. “One way innovation shows up this year is in diversity and inclusion, one of the core values of the college’s strategic plan. Incorporating a variety of perspectives in our decision-mak...

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) will host a series of energy smart agriculture workshops in early December to detail energy savings and climate resiliency opportunities for farmers and ranchers. Created through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service, state government and agricultural industry leaders, the workshops will focus on energy efficiency, cost savings, on-farm renewables and funding assistance. Colorado farmers and ranchers spend more than $400 million annually on energy, and the workshops will help producers consider how energy efficiency and renewable energy can reduce cost of production, modernize infrastructure and improve margins. The series provides the opportunity for Colorado producers to discuss local concerns about agricultural energy and climate resilience with public officials and industry experts. Workshop attendees will learn about technical assist...

Colorado FFA Foundation Announces 2020 Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame Inductees The Colorado FFA Foundation announced today three inductees into the Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame.  Mr. Chris Dinsdale, Sterling, Mr. Charles Hanavan, Jr., Cheyenne Wells, and Mr. Don Shawcroft, Alamosa will all be formally inducted into the Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame in February 2020 at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet. “These gentlemen embody leadership, innovation and a strong commitment to agriculture.  We are honored to publicly thank them by inducting them into the Hall of Fame for all they have done and continue to do for agriculture.“ said Tom Lipetzky, Chairman of the Colorado FFA Foundation. The Farm Credit Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame banquet is held in conjunction with the  Governor’s Forum on Colorado Agriculture  and is a prime opportunity to gauge the direction of the industry and learn about issues facing ...

Broomfield, Colo. - Cases of vesicular stomatitis (VSV) have been identified in the following 35 Colorado counties:  Adams, Alamosa, Arapahoe, Archuleta, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Conejos, Delta, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Jefferson, La Plata, Larimer, Las Animas, Mesa, Mineral, Montezuma, Montrose, Morgan, Ouray, Park, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, San Miguel, Summit, Teller, and Weld. The total count of premises under quarantine for VSV by county is updated regularly on the  CDA VSV website .   Two cows have tested positive for VSV on a small cow/calf operation in Larimer county.  These cows had recently been brought down from summer pasture at a different location in Larimer county.   "This is the time of year when we potentially see more bovine cases, when cattle are transported down from summer pastures in the mountains," said Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Keith Roehr. "It is important that cattl...

September 15-21 is “ National Farm Safety and Health Week ”. Each year, this week serves as an opportunity to promote ways that farmers can protect their own health and safety as well as that of their employees and families.  This year, the National Farm Safety and Health Week organizers are promoting the following topics:  tractors safety, roadway safety, opioid misuse prevention, suicide prevention,  confined spaces safety, youth safety, and safety for women. Additional information on each of these topics is in the document attached. On-the-job hazards in Colorado are much broader than this list, so I would encourage you, if interested, to consider the topic(s) of most interest to your audience. The CSU faculty and professionals available for interview likewise have expertise in areas beyond those of the national themes.    Photo courtesy of: www.farmanddairy.com

Broomfield, Colo.  -  The Colorado Department of Agriculture has confirmed that a total of three horses residing on separate locations in Larimer, Pueblo and Weld Counties have been diagnosed with West Nile virus (WNV). The three cases are Colorado's first confirmed cases of WNV in horses in 2019.  These index cases were diagnosed by Colorado State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Fort Collins in late August, 2019. Vaccines in horses have proven to be a very effective prevention tool for WNV, and horses that have been vaccinated in past years do need an annual booster.  If a horse has not been vaccinated in previous years, it will need the two-shot vaccination series within a three to four week period.  In addition to vaccinations as a preventative measure, horse owners should also reduce local mosquito populations and their possible breeding areas. Recommendations include removing stagnant water sources, keeping animals inside during t...

Application Period for MFP Payments Opens Farm Service Agency offices starting today (Monday) are accepting producer applications for the Market Facilitation Program payments announced last week. The payments are part of the $16 billion trade aid package for producers in 2019. The Department of Agriculture expects the first round of payments to start mailing around mid-to-late August. A producer will receive 50 percent of the per-acre payment rate in the first round of payments. So, if a county-level rate is $60, the producer would receive $30 per-acre in August, and the remaining $30 would be split between two additional payments, if they’re determined necessary by the Trump administration, later in the year. Producers have until Friday, December 6, 2019, to apply. Dairy and hog producers are also eligible for aid, but have specific requirements producers must follow during the application process. USDA is encouraging all eligible producers to contact their local FSA office to appl...

Broomfield, Colo . - Colorado has become the third state in the U.S. to have confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis (VSV). Previous positive cases of vesicular stomatitis in 2019 have been diagnosed in Kinney and Tom Green counties in Texas and in Sandoval County, New Mexico. On July 3rd, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory reported positive test results on samples submitted from two horses in Weld County. The two horses reside on separate locations in Weld County and have been placed under quarantine. The initial Colorado disease investigation was completed by a field veterinarian from the State Veterinarian’s Office at the Colorado Department of Agriculture.  “Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for animals and costly to their owners,” said Colorado State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr. “The virus typically causes oral blisters and sores that can be painful causing difficulty in eating and drinking.” The Weld County epidemiological investigation indicates an incursion of...