During a meeting with farm-state lawmakers, President Donald Trump said he has directed his trade team to look into rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Meeting with Senators and other leaders from the Midwest, President Trump heard of the troubles his trade policy is posing to agriculture, and the benefits of TPP to farmers and ranchers. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who …
Groups React to Farm Bill Proposal
American Farm Bureau Federation The following statement on today’s release of the 2018 Farm Bill by the House Agriculture Committee may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Today’s release by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) assures America’s farmers and ranchers that congressional agriculture leaders recognize …
Group Fights Immigration Verification Proposal
A wide-ranging coalition that includes a major Republican donor, cruise-line officials, agricultural interests and former pro basketball players is seeking to halt a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Florida businesses to verify the immigration status of new employees. The state Constitution Revision Commission is expected next week to consider putting the proposal on the November ballot. But members of …
Secretary Perdue Comments on Release of 2018 Farm Bill
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement on the release of the 2018 Farm Bill: “I applaud Chairman Conaway and the House Agriculture Committee for their diligence and hard work in crafting the 2018 Farm Bill. The trend of low commodity prices over recent years and headlines about trade disputes have caused anxiety among agricultural producers these …
Chairman Conaway Introduces the Agriculture and Nutrition Act
Three years, 114 hearings, six listening sessions and countless industry meetings have laid the groundwork for the 2018 Farm Bill. And, the House Agriculture Committee delivered what they call a strong farm bill for producers, consumers and all of rural America. After introducing the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2), during a teleconference, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael …
New Lantana Plants Protect Native Flora and Enhance Landscapes
Home and property owners often enhance their landscapes with the beautiful lantana, but some of the plant’s varieties may escape yards, spread to areas where they shouldn’t go and cross-pollinate Florida’s native lantana. That’s why, in 2004, the head of the Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers Association asked University of Florida plant scientist Zhanao Deng if he could breed sterile, non-invasive …
Georgia Cotton Commission Approves 2019 Research
At its April 11th Board Meeting, the Georgia Cotton Commission Board of Directors approved $697,802 in research for the 2019 crop year, an increase from the $665,196 approved for 2018. This money will go to fund 21 research projects that will be conducted by researchers from the University of Georgia and the University of West Georgia. These projects range from …
Farm Bill Text Expected Thursday
Democrats and Republicans on the House Agriculture committee remain at odds with each other over the nutrition title of the farm bill. As the committee scheduled the draft release today (Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET), the bill is “in trouble,” as ranking member Collin Peterson puts it, according to the Hagstrom Report. Peterson and committee Democrats previously vowed not to support …
Peterson Introduces MPP Replacement Program
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson this week introduced the Dairy Risk Management Act. Peterson says the legislation would provide dairy farmers with a strong safety net to address volatile market conditions outside of their control. The act would replace the Margin Protection Program with the Dairy Risk Management Program. Peterson says dairy farmers from his congressional district and …
AEM: First-Quarter Ag Tractor & Combine Sales Data Released
Total U.S. two-wheel drive tractor sales gained four percent for March compared to last year, while four-wheel-drive tractor sales dropped five percent and self-propelled combine sales declined 20 percent, according to the latest sales data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. First-quarter 2018 U.S. sales were essentially flat for the smaller-size tractors, and 100-plus horsepower two-wheel drive tractors declined about …