Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is making tremendous progress implementing the new farm bill. The legislation has 12 titles and more than 450 provisions – requiring a coordinated effort across the entire Agriculture Department to implement the bill within the mandated timeline. Since the bill was signed into law – USDA has held 12 outreach and listening sessions to share information and hear from stakeholders on the implementation process. Already – USDA has made updates to risk management tools, modifications to farm loan programs, announcements about available funds for ag research and more. Also – livestock disaster assistance has been a priority for the department – and producers will be able to enroll in the Livestock Indemnity Program and Livestock Forage Disaster Program on April 15th. Vilsack says the law is critically important to America’s farmers and ranchers – and to the U.S. economy. He says every USDA agency is working diligently to implement the farm bill’s new provisions quickly and effectively. To stay apprised of the latest farm bill implementation progress visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.
Source: NAFB News Service