Everett Griner talks about how the demand for hemp goes unheard in today’s Agri View. Hemp is the crop that was once commonly grown in some states. Widely used in making such things as rope and twine. It was declared illegal to grow when marijuana became too common. Hemp is a genetic member of the same family of …
Wheat Industry Looks for New NAFTA Opportunities, But Priority Remains Do No Harm
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) urge caution as the Trump Administration officially submitted to Congress its notice of intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The U.S. wheat industry welcomes the opportunity for improving the framework for cross border wheat trade between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but would …
Dairy Industry Welcomes Swift Action by USTR Lighthizer to Launch NAFTA Modernization Efforts
The U.S. dairy industry commended Robert Lighthizer, the newly confirmed U.S. Trade Representative, for taking swift action under the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act (TPA) to begin the process for modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In a notification letter sent today to Congress, Ambassador Lighthizer outlined some of the areas of the agreement that are …
Tax Reform Central to Improving Economy
Farmers and ranchers need the economic benefits that will follow from tax reform, the American Farm Bureau Federation told Congress in testimony submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee. Weather, high debt-service, a lack of liquidity and the difficulties of passing on land from one generation to the next all make taxation an important issue for farmers and ranchers. …
NMPF Facilitates NCIMS Passage of Proposals to Enhance Safety of Dairy Foods
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) helped secure several positive developments for dairy farmers and their cooperatives at the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) this week, as multiple NMPF-led initiatives won approval from the NCIMS delegates during their biennial meeting here. The NCIMS is a national cooperative regulatory program that includes state milk regulatory agencies, dairy companies and …
NCBA Joins Canadian, Mexican Partners in Presidential Letter
“Don’t Jeopardize Our Success Under NAFTA” The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association today joined its cattle-industry partners in Canada and Mexico in sending a joint letter to the leaders of those two nations and to President Trump, urging the three leaders to not “jeopardize the success we have all enjoyed as partners of the North American Free Trade Agreement.” The letter to …
USDA Certifies Another Rural Business Investment Fund
Fund to Help Capitalize Small Rural Businesses Acting Deputy Under Secretary Roger Glendenning announced that USDA has certified the Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV LP as an investment pool for small and startup rural businesses. “This certification is another tool USDA provides to help rural businesses, to create jobs and to attract private-sector capital to rural communities,” Glendenning said. “Geography …
American Farm Bureau Looks Forward to NAFTA Renegotiation
The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “With the delivery of the required formal notice to Congress, the Trump administration has officially taken the first step toward re-negotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The American Farm Bureau looks forward to working with the administration, Congress, other agricultural groups, and officials in Canada …
Stop Federal Water Extortion, Farm Bureau Says
Land managers in the West increasingly demand that ranchers who work federal land surrender their water rights to the government or get off the range. It’s extortion and a form of unconstitutional taking that simply has to stop, Randy Parker, Utah Farm Bureau’s vice president of national government affairs, told the House Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans. Legislation known …
Florida Cattle Producers Stressed from Drought Conditions
It was announced this week by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam and the Florida Forest Service that 2,163 wildfires have burned over 170,000 acres in Florida this year, with 127 active wildfires burning as of earlier this week. “Even with rain across large parts of Florida over the weekend, Florida is still experiencing drought conditions and elevated wildfire danger – …