corker

McKinney Leads Trade Mission to Central America

Dan Industry News Release, Trade

Ag Department Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney will lead a trade mission to Central America. The mission will be in Guatemala from February 26 to March 2nd. McKinney will be accompanied by a delegation of agribusiness and state government leaders who are looking to increase agricultural exports to Central America’s Northern Triangle of Guatemala, Honduras, …

trump

Trump to Meet with Cabinet, Senators of Biofuels

Dan Energy, Industry News Release

President Trump has scheduled a meeting with Cabinet officials and key Senators to talk over potential changes to the nation’s biofuels policy. The Renewable Fuels Standard is coming under increasing attack after a bankrupt Pennsylvania refinery blamed its troubles on the regulation. The meeting comes as two of the more powerful lobbying groups, the oil and corn/ethanol industries, continue to …

trade deal

White House Economist Dodges NAFTA Withdrawal Questions

Dan Industry News Release, Trade

Kevin Hassett, Chief White House Economist, attacked the integrity of past and present government officials who have negotiated U.S. trade agreements. However, he declined to say if the U.S. would be better off economically should President Trump withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The question at a White House briefing was, “Would it be a good thing …

Crop Planting Report

USDA Releases 2018 Planting Estimates

Dan Corn, Cotton, Field Crops, Industry News Release, Soybeans

While some planters are already working in Texas, the Corn Belt seems a long way away from planting because of snow and ice. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is already thinking about planting. During the Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington, Virginia, the USDA released its acreage estimates for 2018. The USDA says corn and soybean acres will be …

florida

Changes Made to H-2C Immigration Bill

Dan Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration

A bill proposed by Virginia Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte would scrap the current H-2A program which is partly controlled by the U.S. Labor Department. It would institute an H-2C program that would be overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Goodlatte has made several amendments to the legislation after listening to concerns from ag groups. A Milk Business Dot Com …

section

Section 199A Fix Is Coming

Dan Economy, Industry News Release

A DTN report says Congress may be close to replacing the Section 199A language in the new tax law that curbs the advantages of farmers who sell their products to cooperatives rather than private companies. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says a possible fix would give farmer cooperatives the same tax benefits they had under the old Section 199A, known as …

weather

Mexico Buying More Brazilian Corn as NAFTA Negotiations Continue

Dan Corn, Industry News Release, Trade

Mexico purchased ten times more corn from Brazil last year than it had previously. Reuters says that’s due to the uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations. Mexican government data and top grain merchants all say they fear supply disruption from the U.S. if the White House ever followed through on its threat …