Florida lawmakers

Trump Budget Proposal to Include USDA Cuts

Dan Economy, Industry News Release

The Trump 2020 budget proposal will include “big cuts” to the Department of Agriculture, according to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The budget request will propose cutting non-defense programs by five percent. However, Politico reports USDA is likely to face steeper budget cuts. Perdue noted that Congress usually disregards the president’s budget request, which in recent years has unsuccessfully called for …

safety nets

Coalition Asks Congress to Safeguard Crop Insurance

Dan Economy, Industry News Release

A coalition of more than 50 farm groups is asking lawmakers to safeguard crop insurance. The organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, warned in a letter to top-ranking House and Senate budget leaders this week that “An overreliance on budget savings from the agriculture community and from crop insurance will unquestionably undermine rural economies.” 2018 farm profitability is expected …

usda

Bipartisan Senators Introduce Major Disaster Relief Package

Dan Alabama, Economy, Florida, Georgia, Industry News Release

President Trump Drives Effort For Disaster Relief Funding U.S. Senators David Perdue (R-GA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced a bipartisan disaster relief package with the backing of President Donald J. Trump. President Trump, working with this bipartisan group of senators, has confirmed …

Farm Sector Income

Ag Lenders Say Farmers Depend on Off-Farm Income

Dan Economy, Industry News Release

The chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation says the worst threat to farmers currently is a general economic recession. It’s because so many farmers have now become dependent on off-farm income to make ends meet and stay in operation. Farm Bureau’s Chief Economist, John Newton, spoke during a panel of ag economists’ discussion at the Crop Insurance Industry …

foreign

Farmland Values Stable, but Risks to Outlook Remain

Dan Economy, Industry News Release

Farmland values in the Federal Reserve’s Tenth District held steady in the fourth quarter of 2018 despite risks to ongoing stability, according to the Kansas City Fed’s quarterly Agricultural Credit Survey. While demand for farmland remained relatively strong across the district, weaknesses in the crop sector continued to dampen the overall agricultural economy. The report says that risks to the …

farm income

Farm Income Down 20-Straight Quarters

Dan Economy, Industry News Release

The Midwest and the Mid-South parts of the country saw farm income decline in the fourth quarter of 2018. In spite of the pressure on farm incomes, the value of quality farmland, ranchland, and pastureland rose. Those observations come from the latest Agricultural Finance Monitor, which is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The 22 agricultural banks …

georgia agriculture

Georgia Gov. and Ag Commissioner Request Swift Fulfillment of Promises Made to Producers

Dan Economy, Georgia, Industry News Release

A letter sent by Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and Governor Brian Kemp to Senator David Perdue about concerns over the pace of federal relief efforts for the citizens of southern Georgia affected by Hurricane Michael on Oct. 10, 2018: The Honorable David PerdueUnited States Senate455 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Perdue: We are compelled by necessity …