USDA announces details of direct assistance to produce farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Meanwhile, ornamental growers wait for word.

USDA recently approved $1.2 billion in contracts through its Farmers to Families Food Box Program in a continued response to the coronavirus crisis. While the move is positive, it’s not without some controversy.

The money is designed to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects.

The report addresses some of the factors, including labor and quality standards, contributing to food losses on the farm and during the shipping process.

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be conducting a Census of Horticultural Specialties this winter, with the goal of providing a comprehensive picture of the U.S. horticulture industry.

The report, which hadn’t been published since 2015, provides critical data on floral industry products and is widely considered to be the benchmark in identifying market trends and sales opportunities.

The funding will be used to examine ways to prevent the introduction or spread of invasive plant pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture and the environment.

President Trump’s proposed budget for the 2018 fiscal year includes significant cuts to the Agricultural Research Service, which supports the Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative.

AmericanHort is actively assisting affected plant breeders, distributors, growers, and retailers as the genetically modified petunia regulatory response […]

Now that the initial shock of genetically engineered petunias is wearing off, breeders continue testing for tainted stock and look toward the future. On the consumer side, uncertainties remain.  

On May 2, 2017, USDA-APHIS was informed that an orange petunia variety was potentially genetically engineered and had been imported and moved interstate without required authorization by APHIS. This led to testing of numerous petunia varieties, which confirmed this particular variety and several others are genetically engineered, and meet the regulatory definition of a regulated article under APHIS regulations. APHIS continues to work with the industry to ensure unauthorized GE petunias are not distributed in the United States.

AmericanHort’s key role interfacing with the USDA on the recall of genetically modified petunias has helped the horticulture industry rapidly address the problem. Senior Vice President Craig Regelbrugge talks about recent updates, the impact on the industry, and where it goes from here.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has allocated millions in funding to research plant pests such as boxwood blight, downy mildew, and phytophthora.