Florida Senate Passes Property Insurance Overhaul

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Florida, Funding, Legislative, Regulation

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/December 14, 2022) — The Florida Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at shoring up the troubled-property insurance system by curbing lawsuits, injecting tax dollars into reinsurance coverage and trying to shrink the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. The Republican-dominated Senate voted 27-13 largely along party lines to approve the bill (SB 2-A), which is expected to …

Sales of Combines, 4WD Tractors Grow Despite Overall Losses in November

Dan Agri-Business, Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Economy

U.S. combine harvester sales remained positive in November, joined by 4-wheel drive tractors. That was despite total tractors sales falling for the month. According to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), total farm tractor sales fell 20.8 percent compared to November 2021, with the sub-40hp segment leading losses at 27.9 percent. But, year-to-date (YTD) numbers show 100+hp units …

USDA Accepting Applications for Panama Agribusiness Trade Mission

Dan Agri-Business, This Land of Ours, Trade, USDA-FAS

The USDA is accepting applications for a trade mission to Panama. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is accepting applications from U.S. exporters for a regional trade mission to Panama from March 19-23, 2023. FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley says, “This is a perfect time to increase U.S. agricultural and food exports to Central …

Crop Reports a Non-Factor for Grain Trade

Dan Agri-Business, Corn, Exports/Imports, Soybeans, Trade, Wheat

Last week’s crop reports from USDA, according to Mark Oppold, were a non-factor for the grain trade. He explains why, along with looking at other market factors traders are watching right now. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024

Workforce Modernization Act

Workforce Modernization Act Could Save Billions in Labor Costs

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

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act awaits Senate action during the lame-duck session, and it’s the closest meaningful immigration reform has come to the finish line in years. Research by David Bier, Cato Institute associate director of immigration studies, shows farmers would save billions over the next few years if the Senate passes the legislation. “The Farm workforce Modernization Act would …

Ag Research Hearing at Senate Ag Committee

Dan Agri-Business, Funding, Legislative, Research

The Senate Ag Committee took up the topic of the research title in the Farm Bill during a hearing this week. Witnesses testified on the need to fund cutting-edge ag research, the power behind modern, high-tech agriculture. But USDA research chief Chavonda Jacobs-Young said funding for research is on the decline. “Federal investments in agricultural research have declined by a …

Thompson Elected Chairman of House Agriculture Committee

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative

(WASHINGTON, DC/December 8, 2022) — Yesterday, the House Republican Steering Committee elected Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) as Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture for the118th Congress. Mr. Thompson will be the first Chairman from Pennsylvania in nearly 170 years. After the vote, Mr. Thompson issued the following statement: “I am honored to lead the Committee on Agriculture and build on the accomplishments of the past two …

Farmer Sentiment Unchanged Despite High Costs, Rising Interest Rates

Dan Agri-Business, Economy

There wasn’t much movement in the November Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The index read 102 for the month, unchanged from October. However, the Current Conditions Index dropped three points to 98, while the Future Expectations Index rose two points to a reading of 104. Even though producer sentiment was the same in November, producers are continuing to look …

Farm Income Rising

Dan Agri-Business, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Economy

USDA projects 2022 calendar year net farm income up nearly $20 billion, or 13.8 percent from 2021. American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Economist Veronica Nigh explains what is driving the increase. “Predominantly, this is a price play with 97 percent of that increase in cash receipts attributable to increases in price. Now, it’s not just all inflation either, because when …

Agriculture Groups Applaud Passage of Bill that Blocks Rail Strike

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), Regulation

(NCGA/December 1, 2022) — The Senate voted 80-15 to pass a bill that would head off a potential rail strike that could have disrupted the movement of grain and input shipments. The vote comes a day after the House approved similar legislation. The National Corn Growers Association applauded the development. “We are extremely relieved that Congress took action to head …