Farm groups thanked U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer for his efforts to defend U.S. agriculture against attempts to weaken the World Trade Organization rules on domestic support in agriculture.  Ben Conner, Director of Policy with U.S. Wheat’s Associates, attended the Buenos Aires Ministerial. He says at the meeting India and other countries attempted to create a permanent loophole for certain …
Agroterrorism: American Food Supply a Growing Concern In DC
What’s being done to keep the American food supply safe and allow farmers to continue to produce the food and fiber the nation needs? That was one of several topics discussed during a Senate hearing Wednesday. General Richard Myers, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for President George W. Bush, was asked what currently keeps him up at …
Lawsuit Filed Against USDA Over GIPSA Withdrawal
The Organization for Competitive Markets has joined farmer-plaintiffs from Alabama and Nebraska to sue the U.S. Department of Agriculture for cancelling the GIPSA Farmer Fair Practice Rules. OCM Executive Director Joe Maxwell says the lawsuit seeks to reverse USDA’s October decision. He says the GIPSA rules were mandated by the 2008 Farm Bill and should be implemented. Rules He says …
Resources Available on Antibiotics Use
The Pork Checkoff has taken a leadership role in the responsible use of antibiotics. National Pork Board director of producer and public health Dr. Heather Fowler sees value in having farmers tell that story. Farmers The FDA has released a new report on the use of antimicrobials in all food producing animals. National Pork Board vice president of science and …
Use a Whole Farm Management Program to Improve Efficiency
AgriEdge Excelsior® is a whole farm management program offered to Syngenta customers. Todd Hall is an AgriEdge® Specialist with Syngenta. He says the program is intended to help farmers run their operations more efficiently. A key component of this is its farm-management software. Software Growers that enroll in AgriEdge Excelsior get access to an exclusive farm-management software called Land.db®. Hall …
USDA Highlights $40 Million in Infrastructure Investments in Rural Communities
Funding Helps Improve Streets, Transit Facilities and Other Structures to Spur Economic Growth and Create Jobs Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue highlighted U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investments in Fiscal Year 2017 that will help construct or improve infrastructure and boost economic growth in rural communities. “USDA is focused on improving rural America’s infrastructure,” Perdue said. “Investments such as the ones …
NPPC Applauds Withdrawal Of Organic Rule
Listening to the farmers it would have affected, Agriculture Sec. Sonny Perdue announced that his agency will withdraw a proposed organic rule for livestock and poultry, a move hailed by the National Pork Producers Council. The Obama-era regulation – the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule – would have incorporated into the National Organic Program welfare standards that were not …
Report Outlines BayerAG-Monsanto Merger Impact
A research document released by Farmers and Families First shows the proposed BayerAG-Monsanto merger would reduce competition and increase cost for farmers. The white paper says the deal would create a $66 billion corporation with “unprecedented control” over the products farmers and agriculture businesses need to grow, produce and distribute food. Farmers and Families First is an advocacy organization that …
Mexico Sees Possible Trade Deal with European Union
Mexico and the European Union could place the framework for a trade deal by the end of the year. As talks around the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) drag on, Mexico said this week that the nation is working with the EU to reach the framework for a trade agreement, but differences over agricultural market access remain. The two …
Northey Nomination Still on Hold
The nomination of Bill Northey to a top Department of Agriculture post remains on hold following a White House meeting on the Renewable Fuels Standard. The meeting, requested by Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, offered no major breakthroughs regarding what Cruz wants to change in the RFS. Cruz told Politico he is still holding up the vote to confirm Northey, …