China is dropping tariffs on feed ingredients from five Asian countries as it seeks supplies that do not originate in the United States. The ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China is bringing further tariffs on U.S. soybeans and coproducts imported to China, as retaliation on U.S. tariffs implemented on China. Thus, China is seeking cheaper soybeans, soymeal, soybean …
Trade Promotion Authority to Auto-Renew
Trade Promotion Authority will auto-renew at the end of this month due to no congressional action. Originally authorized by Congress during the Obama administration for the advancement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, TPA will auto-renew for another three years. The renewal comes due to the inaction by the House and Senate during a three-month window to pass a resolution of disapproval …
Senate Farm Bill Making Progress
The Senate early this week showed large support for the farm bill, or at least debate on the bill. The procedural cloture vote Monday passed easily, 89-3. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the chamber has the opportunity to finalize this bill this week. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts spoke on the Senate floor Tuesday, calling the legislation “the …
USDA Assisting Cotton Growers with Safety Net Changes
The Department of Agriculture is helping cotton farmers prepare for new safety net coverage. The Farm Service Agency is sending acreage history and yield reports to agricultural producers with generic base acres covered by the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs. USDA says the data will help producers decide the best options for how to allocate generic base …
EU, China, Working to Strengthen Trade Ties
The European Union is working to strengthen trade ties with China as the U.S. and China are embattled in a trade war. Repercussions of the trade war are being felt throughout U.S. agriculture, as the retaliatory tariffs from China will soon go into effect. Meanwhile, the EU is taking full advantage of the situation, and engaging with China to further …
Perdue: Trump Will Protect Farmers
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says President Donald Trump will protect U.S. farmers from trade retaliations. In a USA Today editorial, Perdue says if China does not soon mend its ways, “we will quickly begin fulfilling our promise to support producers.” Perdue says Trump knows U.S. farmers feed, fuel and clothe the world, and that he will “not allow U.S. agriculture …
Tyson, Merck Fund Poultry Research Facility
Merck Animal Health and Tyson Foods are providing funding to Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Poultry Science department to build a new research facility. Meat industry publication Meatingplace reports the two companies have provided a $500,000 gift for the laboratory where scientists will focus on solving intestinal health issues in poultry. A University spokesperson says the …
EPA Considering Dicamba Registration as Injury Reports Climb
Herbicide injury reports are mounting in the South and the Midwest. A DTN report says state regulators and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are looking at the situation carefully. Most of the damage reports revolve around dicamba. However, there are 2,4-D damage reports coming out of the southern states. Most of the dicamba injury complaints are coming out of the …
Doggett Named Corn Growers Interim CEO
The National Corn Growers selected Jon Doggett, the current NCGA Executive Vice President, as their new interim CEO. He’ll start the new duties August 1, after the departure of current CEO Chris Novak. Doggett has been in the EVP role since 2014. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of Public Policy and continues to manage the NCGA’s 11-person …
NPPC Wants Regulations Reined In Further
American pork producers are facing the triple-whammy of declining income, a growing labor shortage, and volatile markets caused by trade disputes. They don’t also need to contend with costly red tape and unfunded mandates from Washington. Those were key points in National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) testimony at a congressional hearing on impacts of regulations on small businesses and farmers. …