Monday afternoon the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office announced renegotiation objectives for the North American Free Trade Agreement, including those applying to ag and food trade. Rod Bain has more about what these objectives are for NAFTA. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World …
Vaccine Bank Needed To Protect Food, National Security
Citing economic and food and national security concerns, an ad hoc coalition of more than 100 agricultural organizations and allied industries groups urged Congress to include in the next Farm Bill language establishing and funding a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank. FMD is an infectious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, and sheep; it is not a food safety or human …
NCBA Treasurer on Finances and Issues
More than 700 of the nation’s cattle industry leaders on hand for last week’s Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in Denver. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) board of directors formally adopted policy positions on issues like international trade, tax reform, and modernizing the Endangered Species Act. NCBA Treasurer, Marty Smith from just south of Gainesville, Florida, was one of …
Ready for AJCA Round-Up
The Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association (AJCA) Round-Up will be held this week, as the 11th annual event is July 20-23 in Montgomery. Alabama Cattlemen’s Association’s Erin Beasley says the association is looking forward to seeing youth from across the state competing in the various events. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, …
National Grilling Month
Fire ’em up! It’s National Grilling Month. Cathy Isom gives us another reason to fire up the grill and enjoy your favorite Bar-B-Q. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Summer is the time for the best outdoor cooking, so it is no surprise July is National Grilling Month. This sizzling month is also National Hot Dog Month …
Love for Bacon Pushing Pork Belly Prices to Record Highs
America loves its bacon, and that love is pushing pork belly prices to record highs. Prices for the part of the hog that’s used to make bacon have jumped roughly 80 percent higher this year. This comes in spite of frozen reserves at a low not seen in sixty years. Market research firm Nielsen says Americans bought 14 percent more …
U.S. Winter Wheat Harvest Forecast Improves
As the American wheat harvest rolls along, the government forecast last week calls for growers to bring in 1.28 billion bushels of winter wheat. The latest projection is two percent higher than the previous month’s forecast, but it’s still 23 percent lower than 2016. The forecast based on July 1 conditions projects a 49.7 bushel per acre average. Hard red …
China Purchasing Near Record Number of U.S. Soybeans
A Chinese delegation signed contracts on Sunday to purchase a large amount of U.S. soybeans. The contract is for the purchase of 460 million bushels of U.S. soy worth more than $5 billion. It’s a large increase from the $1 billion contract signed a year ago at this time. The delegation of Chinese buyers represents 11 different companies. China has …
Ag Lenders Pessimistic About Farm Profits
Farmers are still feeling the pressure of a lagging farm economy. A joint survey from the American Bankers Association and the Federal Ag Mortgage Corporation confirms the pressure. Nearly 90 percent of ag lenders report an overall decline in farm profitability over the last year. 84 percent indicate there are higher levels of operating leverage as a result. The survey …
Farmers Worried about the Future of Health Care
It may not be front and center in agriculture like the farm bill discussion is, but farmers have a lot to worry about as Congress debates the future of health care. Politico’s Morning Ag Report says farmers have been struggling for some time with low commodity prices and a sharp drop in farm income. In turn, that’s led to a …