Farmers are more concerned with trade and being burdened with over-regulation, rather than the farm bill, according to one U.S. Senator. Republican Roy Blunt of Missouri said during a Senate hearing last week that “the farm bill never came up” during a recent listening session with farmers in his state, as pointed out by the Food and Environment Reporting Network. …
Farm Credit Administration Releases Quarterly Report
A report on the performance of the Farm Credit System shows 2018 is another challenging year for agriculture. The report, presented to the Farm Credit Administration board, outlines the economic issues affecting agriculture. Based on its first forecast of the 2018 farm economy, The Department of Agriculture projects net farm income to decline by 6.7 percent, with both crop and …
Trump’s EO on Reducing Poverty Promotes Economic Independence
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order (EO), titled “Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility,” which calls for lifting American citizens from welfare to work, from dependence to independence, and from poverty to prosperity. Perdue issued the following statement: “I commend President Trump for his leadership on moving Americans back …
USDA Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee and Farm-Raised Fish Losses
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue $34 million to help agricultural producers recover from 2017 natural disasters through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), which covers losses not covered by certain other USDA disaster assistance programs. These payments are being made available today, and they are part of a broader USDA effort to help producers …
Budget Act Expanded Some Existing USDA Disaster Programs
The recent budget legislation authorized a special program to help farmers hit by major disasters last year. Steve Peterson, acting administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency, says the legislation not only created a new farm disaster program, but it also expanded help available from several existing USDA disaster programs. Budget Act Expanded Some Existing USDA …
World Food Prices Rise 1.1 Percent in March
The United Nations food agency says world food prices rose during March, driven by increases in grains and dairy costs. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index measures monthly changes for a basket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat, and sugar. The March index was 1.1 percent higher than the February number. When compared to a year ago at …
USDA and SBA Join Forces to Help Rural American Businesses
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening small businesses and the agricultural economies in rural America. They signed the MOU during a stop on Perdue’s “Back to Our Roots” tour in Ohio. The collaboration is designed to do several things, including enhancing investment opportunities in rural America. The organizations …
Officials Mulling Possible Help for Farmers during Trade Tensions
There has been a lot of talk this week about the proposed Chinese tariff increase on U.S. ag products. But according to a story from Gary Crawford, the Administration is considering actions that might reduce the possible economic damage to farmers from trade disruptions and possible trade wars. Officials Mulling Possible Help for Farmers during Trade Tensions Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture …
Changes to GATE Good for Georgia Agriculture
Looking back at the 2018 Georgia Legislative Session, there were many positive points that came out of it for agriculture. Georgia Agribusiness Council President Bryan Tolar, says one of those included the changes made to the Georgia Ag Tax Exemption (GATE) program. Changes to GATE Good for Georgia Agriculture Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober …
Ag Bankers Report Shows Increase in Lending
Agricultural lending from U.S. banks increased nearly six percent in 2017, according to a new report by the American Bankers Association. Ag lending increased $5.9 billion to $106 billion last year from farm banks, which are defined as banks whose ratio of domestic farm loans to total domestic loans is greater than or equal to the industry average. Total farm …