The Dirt

Agriculture news is not just headlines. It is personal.

Prices fluctuate, policies shift and big announcements rarely include instructions; sometimes, the people making decisions seem miles away from those living with them.

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• Honest tone Welcome to THE DIRT, where we cover what matters to agriculture with truth, wit and a little side eye when needed.

One important note: The Dirt is a monthly snapshot, not a live news feed. Agriculture doesn’ t sit still, and neither do we. For breaking updates, deeper dives, and real-time discussion as stories evolve, you’ ll find us all month long on the Farmers Hot Line Facebook page and website.

USDA Launches Veteran Ag Hiring Initiative

The United States Department of Agriculture( USDA) is looking to bring more veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses into agriculture and rural careers through two new hiring efforts announced July 29.

The department is expanding its participation in the SkillBridge program, which allows eligible active-duty service members to gain civilian work experience during their final 180 days of military service while keeping their military pay and benefits.

USDA is seeking candidates with skills in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data analysis, contracting, geospatial technology, and wildland fire management.

USDA also launched its“ 100 Hires in 100 Days” initiative to help fill mission-critical positions using existing veteran hiring authorities and other hiring options. Veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses can also join a USDA candidate database that allows hiring managers to identify applicants for positions that may not require a traditional competitive hiring process. The department says military-affiliated applicants can bring technical skills, leadership experience, and operational knowledge to a wide range of jobs supporting farmers, ranchers, foresters, and rural communities.

USDA Invests $ 25M in Douglas, Arizona Screwworm Facility

USDA is moving ahead with plans to reopen the Douglas, Arizona, livestock port while committing $ 25 million toward a new sterile fly dispersal facility in the area.

The reopening is part of a phased effort to restore livestock trade along the southern border following a yearlong closure tied to New World screwworm concerns.

Cattle entering through Douglas will undergo multiple veterinary inspections before entering the U. S., and USDA said imports could be stopped if the pest is detected.

The planned sterile fly facility will add another layer to USDA’ s ongoing screwworm response and expand the agency’ s ability to disperse sterile flies in the Southwest. USDA said the project will complement existing facilities and programs in Texas, Mexico, and Panama.

Douglas was selected as the first port to reopen because of its location near Sonora, which USDA considers one of Mexico’ s lower-risk states for New World screwworm. The agency will continue monitoring the area and could move forward with reopening the Santa Teresa and Columbus, New Mexico, ports as disease risks are evaluated.

Georgia Meat Processors Gain Interstate Shipment Access

Georgia is the latest state to join USDA’ s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program, giving eligible state-inspected meat processors a new path to sell products beyond state lines.

The agreement allows participating Georgia processors to ship meat throughout the country under the USDA mark of inspection, as long as they meet inspection standards equivalent to those required at federally inspected facilities. USDA’ s Food Safety and Inspection Service will continue overseeing the program.

The goal is to give smaller and locally focused processors access to larger markets while maintaining federal food safety requirements. For Georgia farmers, ranchers, and meat businesses, that could mean more opportunities to reach customers outside the state and build demand for locally processed products.

Georgia becomes the 11th state to participate in the program, joining Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

Honorable Mentions

( What we didn’ t have room for on the porch railing)

• Yanmar introduces three new compact track loaders designed for agriculture, land management, and rental applications

• Ignite Attachments introduces ROPS-mounted canopies for compact tractors, offering shade and weather protection without a full cab

26 | 800-247-2000 | 515-955-1600 | Harvest Fall 2026