From Washington with Karina Jones is brought to you by BillionAuto.com one of the nation’s largest automotive websites!
Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills, Field Director for R-CalfUSA and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
And now the NEW VOICE of Farm & Ranch Country, Karina Jones –
Hello, everyone, out there in farm and ranch country.
We continue to pray for those that badly need the moisture that Mother Nature will show her mercy and let some rain fall.
USDA reports, “Drought continues to be a major issue for winter wheat production with 48 percent of the production estimated to be in regions experiencing drought as of April 4. At this point last year, 69 percent of winter wheat production was in regions of drought, but notably the share wheat acreage that is currently located in areas of extreme to exceptional drought is higher than last year. While drought concerns have eased in some growing areas, others have seen intensifying conditions as the cumulative results of consecutive drought years become more apparent.”
In other news coming out of Washington this week, “USDA announced the availability of up to $125 million through two new grant programs that will create more options for meat and poultry farmers by investing in independent, local meat and poultry processing projects that increase competition and enhance the resiliency of the food supply chain.
These new grant programs, the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, are part of the broader $1 billion American Rescue Plan investment by the Biden-Harris Administration to expand processing capacity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors, USDA says.
USDA has worked with 30 businesses since July 2021 to expand their operations through Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Project grants and has helped many more work towards a federal grant of inspection through Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grants.
The Local Meat Capacity Grant program will provide up to $75 million in grants to fund innovative projects designed to build resilience in the meat and poultry supply chain by providing producers with more local processing options and strengthening their market potential, USDA says. This program will support meat and poultry processors with smaller-scale projects, with a goal to increase processing availability and variety for local and regional livestock producers.
“Local and regional meat processing is an important part of a resilient food supply chain. It not only provides producers with diverse processing options in their areas, but it also adds infrastructure, income and jobs in communities and provides more choices for consumers,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “These Local Meat Capacity grants will provide local livestock and poultry producers with more and better options by modernizing, diversifying, and decentralizing processing capacity.”
The Local Meat Capacity Grants will fund both expansion and equipment-only projects through a competitive grant process. More information is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Local MCap webpage. Applications will be accepted through July 19.
That’s all for today folks. Tune in next week as I will bring you ag news from our nation’s capital.
Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 4 children near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Tune in Fridays on The Hot Barn Report, where she deep dives into cattle industry issues and highlights industry reforms or listen to Ranch Raised with Karina Jones a slice of daily life on the Jones Ranch.
