Farmer Sentiment Rebounds on Future Optimism

Dan Agri-Business, Economy

Purdue University/CME Group’s Ag Economy Barometer Index rose 17 points in June to a reading of 121. The upswing in farmer sentiment was driven by producers’ more optimistic view of the future. However, their perception of current conditions remained unchanged from May. The Index of Future Expectations rose 25 points to 123, while the Index of Current Conditions held flat …

USDA: SNAP Payment Error Rates Rise

Dan Agri-Business, Funding, This Land of Ours, USDA

The USDA is seeing more errors in SNAP payments. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The combined payment error rate for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments went from 7.3 percent in fiscal year 2019 to 11.5 percent in fiscal year 2022. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) says from 2022 to 2022, states were providing pandemic-related …

Challenges for House Ag Labor Working Group

Dan Agri-Business, Funding, Labor and Immigration, Legislative

Congress is looking into farm labor needs around the nation, but it is a challenging task. The House Agriculture Committee recently announced the creation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group (see news release below), which will focus on the workforce issues faced by agricultural producers around the nation. Congressman and farmer Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01) says the current system needs …

USDA Efforts Lift Ban on U.S. Poultry Exports to Colombia

Dan Agri-Business, Exports/Imports, Poultry, USDA-APHIS

Quick action by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has resolved an issue that temporarily stopped U.S. poultry product exports to Colombia. Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture instructed all of their ports to deny import permits to any poultry products beginning June 1 on concerns of …

Swine Vets Lobby for Foreign Animal Disease Funding in 2023 Farm Bill

Dan Agri-Business, Farm Bill, Legislative, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), Pork

Last week, swine veterinarians from around the country flew into Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress to secure funding for foreign animal diseases (FAD) prevention in the 2023 Farm Bill. According to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the subject matter experts highlighted was the importance of the “three-legged stool”, which includes the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB), National Animal Health Laboratory Network …

New EPA Regulations on Gene Editing in Specialty Crops

Dan Agri-Business, Specialty Crops

by Sabrina Halvorson Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added to the workload and waiting time for those in the produce industry. Dr. Margaret Worthington is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas …

NCBA Files Legal Motion to Strike Down Biden WOTUS Rule

Dan Agri-Business, Cattle, Legislative, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)

Wednesday evening, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and litigation partners filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas asking the court to strike down the Biden administration’s Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA. NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart said, “A full rewrite of the Biden …

India Trade Agreement Good for Producers Around U.S.

Dan Agri-Business, Exports/Imports, Trade

by Sabrina Halvorson The U.S. and India have agreed to resolve six trade disputes including the removal of retaliatory tariffs on American ag exports. The two counties agreed to terminate six outstanding disputes at the World Trade Organization.  India also agreed to remove retaliatory tariffs, which it had imposed in response to the U.S. Section 232 national security measures on …