The good news from last week’s announced partial trade deal with China is a possible doubling of spending on U.S. farm goods. But, the flip side of that coin is continuing uncertainty over details. Spending has gone from nearly $20 billion in 2017, to less than $10 billion so far, this year, to as much as $40 to $50 billion …
Trump: China Ag Purchases Already Underway
(NAFB) — President Donald Trump says China will immediately start buying U.S. agricultural products. Via Twitter over the weekend, Trump says China will start buying “very large quantities†of U.S. farm products, adding, “they have already started.†The administration says the agreement Friday includes $40-$50 billion of commodity sales to China over the next couple of years. China already had …
COUNTRY Financial Looking Forward to Sunbelt Ag Expo
Since 1925, COUNTRY Financial has had their roots firmly planted in agriculture, and they continue to invest in the future of ag. That’s why Director of Agribusiness Operation at COUNTRY Financial, Lindsey Rinkenberger, said they look forward to talking with farmers next week during the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia. And last year, COUNTRY Financial partnered with Sunbelt Ag …
USDA Announces Support for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will issue $16.2 million in grants (PDF) to provide training, outreach, and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers. This funding is available through the USDA’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the …
Leaders Urged to Take ‘Risks’ in Michael Recovery
TALLAHASSEE, FL (NSF-Oct. 4, 2019) — Northwest Florida does not have the luxury of time as it slowly recovers from devastating Hurricane Michael, one of the nation’s best-known disaster recovery experts advised a group trying to rally support for the region this week. With the one-year anniversary of the deadly Category 5 storm next week, Craig Fugate, a former head …
DMC 2020 Enrollment Starts Monday
For 2020, dairy producers can sign up for coverage under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program beginning Monday, October 7. DMC offers catastrophic coverage at no cost to the producer, other than an annual $100 administrative fee. Producers can opt for greater coverage levels for a premium in addition to the administrative fee. Operations owned by limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or …
NCBA Exposes Relationship of OCM and HSUS
WASHINGTON (NCBA-Oct. 3, 2017) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane, released the following statement in response to a Nebraska rally demanding government intervention to alleviate price disparities impacting cattle markets: “Yesterday, an HSUS-funded organization called the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) held a rally in Omaha, Nebraska entitled the “Rally to Stop …
Farm Bureau Releases Milk Program Recommendations
(AFBF-Oct. 2, 2019) — The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released a proposal for the future of U.S. milk-pricing provisions and marketing-order reform. The recommendations aim to bring more democracy and a more equitable program for all dairy farmers. Although federal milk marketing orders have been a pillar of the dairy industry for more than 80 years, the program has …
Farmer Pessimism Increasing Over Current Conditions
(NAFB) — A monthly measure of farmer sentiment shows producers are more pessimistic about current conditions. The monthly Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer slipped to 121, down three points from August. However, the Index of Current Conditions, a sub-index of the barometer, dropped 22 points to a reading of 100. The barometer is based on a mid-month survey of 400 …
Senate Passes Continuing Resolution Funding Bill
Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed a continuing resolution funding bill that after the President’s signature, will go into effect on Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year. The bill, already passed by the House, avoids a government shutdown and provides funding for the federal government through Nov. 21. According to Reece Langley, vice president of Washington operations for …