Agriculture

USDA still seeking claims of Hispanic, women discrimination

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a statement to remind Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege discrimination by the USDA in past decades that there are 45 days remaining in the filing period closing March 25.

There was a public hearing about this issue at Simpsonville late last year.

Mandatory tobacco training is March 5 at extension office

The Shelby County Extension Office has set a tobacco production GAP training program for March 5 at the office on Frankfort Road. The session will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Starting this year, tobacco companies are requiring that all producers participate in this training annually. GAP stands for Good Agricultural Practices.

The extension office incorporates this training into its tobacco production update session.

Simpsonville’s Trumbo received soybean association’s top honor

Simpsonville farmer Jack Trumbo has been awarded the highest honor of the Kentucky Soybean Association – the Distinguished Service Award – as one of two he received at the organization’s recent commodities conference.

Trumbo also received a watch as a symbol of appreciation for his years of service as he retired from the soybean promotion board.

This time of the year subtle warnings come from professionals reminding the consumer to be skeptical of mail order catalogues or advertisements that claim “new horticultural breakthroughs,” otherwise outrages claims or mass quantities of things for bargain basement prices. There are legitimate “horticultural breakthroughs,” but usually different terminology is used, and you’ll find them at your local stores.