grants

More details are expected to be released this week.

**In the U.S. Apple Association’s first storage report of the season, fresh apple holdings on December 1 totaled 118.3 million cartons, 15% above year-ago levels.

Battle between Republicans and Democrats on the food stamp reforms and authorize new loans and grants for rural broadband expansion.

USDA taking grants applications for broadband infrastructure in unserved rural communities. Russia is eating into U.S. Market shares with its wheat expansion.

**The latest numbers from USDA Rural Development show the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, which was originally created in the 2002 farm bill, has awarded nearly $3-billion in grants and loan guarantees since it was reauthorized and given substantial funding in the 2008 farm bill...

From Agri-Pulse: Some 76 small businesses in 35 states will split $7.4 million in USDA funding for research projects related to agricultural issues, food security and natural resources.USDA said the grants are being made through the department's Small Business Innovation Research program a…

The National Agriculture Statistics Service will collect survey results from produce packers and others to help fruit and vegetable operations preparing to meet new federal food safety requirements. The 2015 Produce Post-Harvest Microbial Food Safety Practices Survey marks the first time since 1998 …

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman met with the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees yesterday on trade.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said last week the final agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership won’t be made at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit this month in Beijing.

The grants will fund 75 new and returning student tuition assistance grants.