The Donald Trump administration is considering front-loading the upcoming renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by negotiating the political issues first, ahead of more technical talks. A former official at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office told Politico this week the idea would be to “have a lot of those high-level discussions with principals at the beginning, and …
Livestock Groups, Roberts, Praise GIPSA Rule Delay
Livestock groups welcomed a delay by the Donald Trump administration to an interim final rule under GIPSA, the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. A notice in Wednesday’s Federal Register will indicate the Department of Agriculture is delaying the April 22nd effective date for the interim final rule by 180 days and setting a 60-day comment period from April 12th …
Agri View: The Avalon Pecan
Everett Griner talks about a new pecan variety going on sale in today’s Agri View. There is a lot of interest in that new pecan variety I mentioned a few days ago. Seedlings will go on sale for the first time this spring. Here is why buyers are anxious. It is a big nut. That makes it easy to hull. …
$21.8 Million to Combat Citrus Disease
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $21.8 million in available funding to combat and manage citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB)Huanglongbing (HLB), which has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (CDRE), …
Funding to Support Disaster Preparedness
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $462,000 in available funding to decrease the impact of disasters through cooperative extension programming. Funding is made through NIFA’s Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program (SLSNCGP). “There has been an increase in the number and severity of disasters, from tornadoes to acts of terrorism,” said NIFA Director …
Funding to Foster a Diverse Agricultural Science Workforce
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced $400,000 in available funding to support more women and minority representation in the agricultural science workforce. Funding is made through NIFA’s Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS). “Science must be inclusive to thrive,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Through investments such …
USDA Announces $150.2 Million in Funding through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced $150.2 million in available funding to support projects that build a foundation of knowledge in agricultural sciences to address a range of societal and global challenges such as food security, food safety, sustainable agriculture, and rural entrepreneurship. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative …
Grapefruit Growers Take ‘Tough Hit’
From: The News Service of Florida After several of months of declines, the outlook for Florida’s struggling orange production remained steady from March to April. However, the forecast for grapefruit continued a decline. “It’s a tough hit for Florida’s grapefruit growers who have been so committed to fighting pest and disease to maintain this staple of Florida’s economy,” said Shannon …
Egg-Citing News – Food Prices Down for Easter
Lower retail prices for several foods, including eggs, ground chuck, sirloin tip roast, chicken breasts and toasted oat cereal resulted in a significant decrease in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Spring Picnic Marketbasket Survey. “As expected due to lower farm-gate prices, we have seen continued declines in retail prices for livestock products including eggs, beef, chicken, pork and cheese,” said …
Canada Closes a Door on U.S. Dairy Farmers
U.S. Farmers To Lose Milk Supply Contracts In 2016, U.S. milk producers, competing in a global dairy market, saw the value of milk fall to the lowest level since the recession. Now, U.S. dairy producers are facing another challenge: Canada’s national ingredients strategy. Canada’s strategy, implemented at the provincial level, is designed to make Canadian milk more competitive by lowering …