Risk of African Swine Fever Introduction to U.S. Herd Considered Negligible; Decision Made Out of An Abundance of Caution The National Pork Producers Council’s (NPPC) board of directors announced its decision to cancel World Pork Expo 2019 out of an abundance of caution as African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in China and other parts of Asia. World Pork …
Cattlemen Launch Final Push for Public Comment on New Water Rule
With the deadline to file comments to repeal and replace the 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule quickly approaching, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) kicked off a social media campaign aimed at encouraging cattle producers to take action. A series of short digital videos featuring NCBA members will be released on Facebook (@BeefUSA ) and Twitter (@BeltwayBeef) until the comment period officially …
Livestock Market Owners Visit Capitol Hill
D.C. policy leaders learned about issues affecting the livestock marketing industry and participated in a mock auction during Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) Washington D.C. Fly In. World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Jared Miller, auctioned pies during Hill staff briefings for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Legislative staff gained a better understanding of how the auction method of selling drives …
USDA to Release Census of Agriculture
The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will release the 2017 Census of Agriculture results on Thursday, April 11, at noon ET. The full Census report will include millions of data points, including number of farms, land in farms, total value of production, demographics, and more at the national, state, and county levels. The report, along with …
NAP Buy-Up Coverage Now Availability
Changes apply Beginning April 8, 2019 USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that higher levels of coverage will be offered through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), a popular safety net program, beginning April 8, 2019. The 2018 Farm Bill also increased service fees and made other changes to the program, including service fee waivers for qualified military veterans …
Study Sheds Light on Major Disease in Roses
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Beltsville, Maryland and their colleagues have discovered why a mite is causing extensive damages to the nation’s $250-million-a-year rose industry and why it’s so hard to detect and control. It seems the mite hides deep in the flower’s internal organs. The rose bud mite (Phyllocoptes fructiphilus) is about half the size of a grain of …
Rubio, Colleagues Raise Concerns Regarding Lack of Effective Trade Enforcement for Seasonal Produce in USMCA
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), and Al Lawson (D-FL) led a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives in a letter raising concerns to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer regarding the lack of progress in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with respect to improved mechanisms to initiate and sustain legitimate anti-dumping and countervailing …
Ag Economy Barometer Drifts Lower
Farmers are expressing more concerns regarding the future as the monthly Ag Economy Barometer drifts lower. Released this week, the March survey fell to 133 down from 136 a month earlier. Organizers say increasing concerns about future economic conditions drove the barometer lower as the Index of Future Expectations declined to 139 in March compared to an index value of …
Report Details Risks of U.S. Hemp Industry
The U.S. hemp industry is poised for growth, but there are serious financial, regulatory and agronomic risks that farmers must understand. A report by Rabo AgriFinance says the market is “highly fragmented,” and there is no reliable source for pricing and production data. The report notes that the 2018 Farm Bill set off a process to completely overhaul hemp industry …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Letter to USTR’s Lighthizer: “Put American Farmers & Families First”
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried sent a letter to Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, the United States Trade Representative, raising serious concerns about the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The pending multilateral trade agreement and successor to NAFTA, called “definitely worse than the current situation,” threatens to devastate business for American seasonal crop growers, particularly those in Florida, Georgia, and other Southeast states due to a lack of …