Fresh Produce Exports Mixed and USDA & Alabama Sally Recovery
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**USDA numbers show exports of U.S. fresh produce showed mixed trends over the past year.
According to thepacker.com, for the 12-month period from September 2019 to August 2020, the USDA reports fresh fruit exports totaled $4.38 billion, up 1% from the same period a year ago.
U.S. fresh vegetable exports from year-long September to August period were $2.57 billion, down 5% compared with the same period the previous year.
https://www.thepacker.com/article/us-fresh-fruit-exports-slightly-vegetables-down?mkt/
**As south Alabama residents pick up the pieces from Hurricane Sally, the Alabama Farmers Federation reminds farmers and landowners a number of USDA programs are available to assist in the recovery process.
Federation National Affairs Director Mitt Walker tells alfafarmers.org, although these programs will not replace the value of crops and trees lost, they will help with the cost producers incur as they return their land to production and implement approved conservation practices.
https://alfafarmers.org/recovery-programs-available-to-farmers-impacted-by-hurricane-sally/
**The USDA will award $10 million in grants to strengthen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training programs, which help participants gain the skills, training, or work experience needed to gain employment.
USDA is providing more than $6.7 million in SNAP E&T National Partnership Grants to help four national non-profit organizations expand program capacity to serve SNAP participants and over $3.2 million in SNAP E&T Data and Technical Assistance Grants to support improved E&T data collection and reporting.
