National Poll Shows COVID-19 Taking Heavy Toll on Farmers’ Mental Health

A strong majority of farmers/farmworkers say the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health, and more than half say they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago, according to a new American Farm Bureau poll. The survey of rural adults and farmers/farmworkers explores how the pandemic has affected their mental health personally and in their communities, as well as how attitudes and experiences around mental health have changed…

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Registration Open for American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention, Featuring Mike Rowe, Rorke Denver and Beth Ford

The American Farm Bureau Federation opened registration for the 2021 American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention and unveiled the lineup of featured speakers including Mike Rowe, Rorke Denver and Beth Ford. The AFB Virtual Convention will be held Jan. 10-13, 2021, and for the first time ever, registration fees are being waived to give all Farm Bureau members and anyone interested in agriculture the opportunity to experience one of agriculture’s premier events from the comfort…

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Poll Shows Americans’ Unwavering Trust in Farmers and Approval of Sustainability Practices

A majority of U.S. adults have a positive view of farmers’ sustainability practices, and an overwhelming majority trust farmers, according to a new national public opinion poll from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The survey of 2,200 U.S. adults found that more than half (58%) rate the sustainability practices of U.S. farmers positively, with broad agreement from a majority of adults across demographic groups.   Nearly nine in 10 adults (88%) trust farmers, a 4%…

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Gray Wolf Removed from Endangered Species List

The Department of the Interior announced it has removed the gray wolf from the endangered species list, signaling a successful recovery under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The gray wolf spent more than four decades on the endangered species list. The population is now thriving in the lower 48 states. State and tribal wildlife management agencies will now be responsible for the management and protection of the gray wolf. “This is an Endangered…

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New Report Examines Cattle Market Issues & Solutions

A new report unveiled today by the American Farm Bureau Federation provides an in-depth examination of the causes and price implications resulting from extreme market volatility in the cattle industry. It also sets the stage to explore policy solutions.   The Cattle Market Working Group, comprised of 10 state farm Bureau presidents, spent more than two months investigating factors that led to market disruptions following the Holcomb packing plant fire and the COVID-19…

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Trump, Biden Outline Agricultural Priorities

A new look into the priorities for rural America of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden is revealed in responses to a questionnaire distributed by the American Farm Bureau Federation. AFBF asked the Republican and Democratic candidates to respond with their stances on several topics directly affecting America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities, including trade, labor, regulatory reform and sustainability. “The views of Farm Bureau members are as diverse as…

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Farm Groups Launch Free Stress Management Course

The training course, geared toward farmers and ranchers, is open to the public and will help individuals identify signs of chronic stress and offer effective communication skills Following the December 2019 announcement of a new farm stress management online training course for employees and members of Farm Credit, Farm Bureau and Farmers Union, these organizations have supported the launch of a free online training available to the general public. Developed by Michigan State University Extension…

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USMCA Takes Effect: Welcome News for Struggling Farmers

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) goes into effect tomorrow, at a crucial time for farmers and ranchers struggling to recover from COVID-19 losses and a depressed agricultural economy. The expected $2 billion annual increase in U.S. agricultural exports and overall increase of $65 billion in gross domestic product will provide a welcome boost. USDA estimates COVID-19 contributed to a $50 billion decline in commodity value alone for 2019, 2020 and 2021 production totals.…

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New Analysis Shows U.S. Agriculture Reducing Per-Unit GHG Emissions

New analysis of updated data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, combined with U.S. Department of Agriculture data, shows U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to reduce per-unit greenhouse gas emissions. All told, the U.S. agricultural sector accounts for less than 10% of total U.S. emissions. That’s less than the emissions from the transportation, electricity generation and industrial sectors. Globally, agriculture accounts for about 24% of GHG emissions. The EPA’s U.S. Inventory of Greenhouse…

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