Industry News

WASHINGTON—The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will release the 2022 Census of Agriculture data on February 13, 2024. NASS concluded the data collection this summer with a preliminary national return rate of 61%. The ag census, conducted once every five years, was mailed to more than 3 million producers…

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced an investment of $27.9 million across 45 organizations that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers, including programs for U.S. veterans who are entering into agricultural careers and starting new farming businesses. “The next generation of farmers and ranchers hold the promise for…

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will hold its biannual Data Users’ Meeting virtually via Zoom for Government Oct. 17 and 18 from noon to 3 p.m. EDT. The Data Users’ Meeting is held to share recent and pending statistical program changes with the public and to solicit input on these…

Representantes de la Administración General de Aduanas de China (GACC por su nombre en inglés) visitaron la Argentina la semana pasada para realizar el análisis de riesgo de plagas (ARP) a partir del cual se definirán los términos del protocolo fitosanitario para exportar frutos secos a este país. Lee más aquí.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office responded to a letter that Senator Lujan sent on our behalf regarding the Pecan Import Fee. This response confirms in writing what the American Pecan Promotion Board has been told to date on the timing and cost of implementing the Pecan Import Fee. “Barring unforeseen circumstances, the…

Western producers, central producers, and importers—please check your mailboxes in the coming days, ballots are on their way. In the mail, you will receive voting instructions, eligibility requirements, and a ballot with the nominees listed. Please read the voting directions carefully and submit your completed and signed ballot in the enclosed envelope. To be valid,…

Former Texas Pecan Growers Association secretary, pecan supporter, and wife of the founder of The Pecan Quarterly. Marie Cox Storey, mother to Mark Storey and Lisa (Storey) Olivieri, passed away on March 3, 2023, after a long battle with severe dementia. Her final moments were spent peacefully at Crestview Memory Unit in Bryan, Texas, surrounded…

Last year, Georgia pecan farmers asked Sen. Ossoff to take action Sen. Ossoff met seven times during the last year with India’s Ambassador to the United States and personally led a trade mission to India Georgia produces about one-third of all American pecans Washington, D.C. — Today, following Sen. Ossoff’s push, the Republic of India…

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds our nation’s farmers and ranchers that the deadline to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture is Feb. 6. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. Learn more about completing the Census of Agriculture here.

National Pecan Federation (NPF) Executive Board Member Marianne Brown recently attended a roundtable discussion with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA). Also attending was newly sworn-in USTR AG Ambassador Doug McKalip. At the event, Georgia commodity leaders were given the opportunity to voice their concerns and priorities as…

NEW YORK—The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) is excited to announce the first cohort of the Black Farmers Equity Initiative. The joint venture from NMSDC and Cargill is aimed at advancing agricultural supply chain access for Black farmers. This collaborative initiative aims to create a pathway for emerging Black farmers to achieve parity in…

The USDA Agricultural Research Services announced on Jan. 4 the appointment of Dr. Simon Y. Liu as Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, effective immediately. Dr. Liu has served as Acting Administrator since June of last year, and prior to that served as Associate Administrator for Research Management and Operations since February 2015. Dr. Liu…

In a notice to the U.S. Federal Register on Nov. 18, 2022, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service announces its intention to request “an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for Pecans Grown in the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma,…

On Aug. 12, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. It provides investment and opportunity for the agricultural communities USDA serves. The IRA provides additional funding levels for several programs which the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) currently implements. Increased funding levels will begin in fiscal year 2023 and build over…

The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council hosted a historic meeting of global health researchers, where diabetes was defined as a key topic for investigation. From October 20-21, 2022, the world’s leading researchers gathered for NUTS 2022 to discuss the current and future of health research on nuts and dried fruits. NUTS 2022 was a…

With a heavy heart and deep condolences, Pecan South announces the passing of Billy Jim Pollard, the president of Texas Pecan Nursery, Inc. He passed on Oct. 12, 2022. Read more about Mr. Pollard’s life in his obituary. Funeral services will be held on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Methodist Church…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Sept. 28, 2022, that it is updating the definition for the content claim “healthy” on food packages to be more consistent with current nutrition science and Federal dietary guidelines. According to industry representatives, the updated version is very positive for nuts. However, FDA is seeking comments on…

Bryan, Texas—The Texas Pecan Board will hold elections Oct. 28, 2022, to elect three board members in adherence to Chapter 41 of the Texas Agriculture Code. The Board was established in 1998 after pecan growers throughout Texas voted into effect a pecan assessment of $0.005 per pound to provide funds for promotion, education, and research….

On Aug. 1 and 2, the Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, held its first workshop to engage stakeholders from the food-agriculture value chain. The workshop enabled production agriculture groups to further understand priorities, gaps, and opportunities in precision nutrition, responsive agriculture, and social and behavioral research. Bringing together more than 50…

ATHENS, GA – During the last week of September, pecan growers will receive a survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Information from this survey will be used to forecast pecan production for 2022. This year producers will have the option to respond securely online via a Respondent Portal. Read…

Pecan South remembers Donald “Don” Paul Mayo, owner of Orchard Machinery Corporation. Don, 78, of Live Oak, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Aug. 26, 2022. Don was born Feb. 16, 1944, in El Cajon, California, to Herb and Irene Mayo. Don was living a full life—traveling and enjoying business, family, and his…

U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai on Aug. 16 responded to Senator Raphael Warnock’s letter on India’s tariffs on American pecans. In the letter, Ambassador Tai acknowledged the “economic importance of the Indian market to U.S. pecan growers and the challenges posed by these tariffs.” “As I prepare to chair a Trade Policy Forum Ministerial…

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service on Monday extended the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register in June by 30 days. The proposed rule invited comments on the proposed revisions to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Pecans in the Shell and U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans. Pecan industry…

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service added three additional grading documents to the proposed revised U.S. Standards for Grades of Pecans in the Shell and Shelled Pecans on the U.S. Federal Register. Industry members are encouraged to review the new documents. Pecan South will provide more information soon for the comment period on the proposed rule. Find and…