Browsing: National News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a call for nominations to the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. First established in 1992, the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (ACBFR) advises the Secretary of Agriculture to enhance USDA’s goals for new farming and ranching operations. Members of the public are invited to submit nominations for themselves or other qualified experts by October 10, 2023

Stakeholders and program administrators, along with USDA officials, are conducting community outreach to raise awareness about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP). When the program opened, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack affirmed the Department’s commitment to providing financial assistance to those who faced discrimination in USDA farm lending as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

   In case you missed it for whatever reason, Bunnell Elementary School in Flagler County, Florida — a school district already notorious for their low test scores — pulled all of its Black fourth and fifth graders into an assembly late last month where they were shown a PowerPoint presentation that blamed them for the school’s low scores on state standardized tests.

     The House and Senate face substantial differences in their funding proposals, with McCarthy’s prior deal with the White House crumbling under the pressure of demands from the conservative wing of his party. As a result, the two chambers are hundreds of billions of dollars apart, increasing the urgency to find a compromise.