Radio Features

The agriculture labor force has decreased in recent years, while reliance has grown in the farm sector on migrant farm workers to handle everything from planting to harvest. Now with a shortage of available workers, stakeholders are looking at how to modernize the nation's farm guestworker program. Rod Bain looks at this topic and some of the thoughts of participants in this review in this edition of "Agriculture USA".


PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain. National Pork Producers Council President Jen Sorenson. United Farm Workers President Emeritus Arturo Rodriguez. Former Assistant Secretary of Labor Leon Sequeira. Illinois dairy farmer Linnea Kooistra. Oregon asparagus farmer Shay Myers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

A USDA grant program recently funded its most recent group of projects designed to bring schools and students closer to their local farmers and ranchers. Rod Bain reports.


PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacey Dean.

Recent grants will support continued studies and product development related to wood-based nanocellulosic materials - products from cement additives to a component in tires. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Robert Moon of the U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Lab

What should you do if a tick forms an attachment to you and puts the bite on you? Gary Crawford has advice from an expert.


PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford. University of Kentucky Professor Emeritus of Entomology Lee Townsend.

Coffee and caffeine---How much is too much? Gary Crawford has this report.


PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford and Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Extension Food Scientist and coordinator of the Rapid Response Center for Food Science.

A technology developed by USDA research improves the time and efficiency in producing biobased products such as polymers and films that become everyday household items. Rod Bain reports.


PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and researcher Atanu Biswas

Modernization of farm guestworker programs is among the avenues under consideration by ag stakeholders as a means to resolve a shortage of workers on the farm and ranch. Rod Bain reports.

PARTICIPANTS: National Pork Producers Council President Jen Sorenson. Illinois dairy farmer Linnea Kooistra. Former Assistant Secretary of Labor Leon Sequeira. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The nation's timber industry now has its own USDA pandemic assistance program. Gary Crawford has more.


PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin. Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree

All clues are pointing to the start of a downsizing of the beef cattle herd. Gary Crawford has more in this report.

PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford and Shayle Shagam, USDA livestock analyst

A data platform for those involved in transport of our nation's ag goods recently upgrade to its 3.0 stage, which includes more real time information. Rod Bain reports.


PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Adam Sparger of the Agricultural Marketing Service

How is the farm economy doing? Ask the farm lenders. Gary Crawford has this report.


PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford. Glen Smith, Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration. Former President Woodrow Wilson.

Broadcasters: The interactive timeline talked about in this report is available at FCA.gov.