The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says allowing Mexico to export pork to the U.S. is a sign of good trade relations. The Department of Agriculture last week finalized a regulation allowing Mexican states to export pork to the United States. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is implementing a science-based risk assessment that determined Mexico is free of …
Speaker Ryan: Canada the Real Problem with NAFTA
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin says the biggest problem with the North American Free Trade Agreement “comes from the North,” referring to Canada. Ryan points to Canadian dairy producers dumping low-cost products on the market to compete with Wisconsin farms, as the real issue with NAFTA. Late last week, the Republican said NAFTA needs updated, but said the …
Senator Ernst Suggests Trump is Softening on NAFTA Threats
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa told the Iowa Corn Growers Association this week that President Donald Trump appears to be reassessing his position on the North American Free Trade Agreement. Ernst told farmers Monday that “I think he has doubts,” when it comes to withdrawing from NAFTA. Iowa’s Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that Ernst expects a follow up NAFTA …
Farmers Celebrate 2017 Victories
From tax reform, to the Waters of the U.S. Rule, officials in Washington, D.C., gave farmers and ranchers plenty to cheer about last year. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall this month told Farm Bureau members at the organization’s Annual Convention that tax reform topped the list. Tax Duvall says the Waters of the U.S. rule was one of …
National Potato Council: Trade A Concern
During the Potato Expo last week, National Potato Council President Cully Easterday of Washington State said the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation provides concern to the industry. Trade Regarding NAFTA, Easterday says the three member nations have to work together, and he remains optimistic. Agreement Canada and Mexico were two of the top three export markets for U.S. …
2018 Setting a Friendlier Tone for Commodities
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released reports that included World Ag Supply and Demand and 2017 Crop Production figures. The agency said American farmers posted an average of 176.6 bushel per acre after the 2017 corn harvest, bringing in a total of 14.604 billion bushels. The soybean harvest brought in 4.329 billion bushels, with an average yield of …
USDA Hazlett on Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Report
On behalf of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett discussed key findings and recommendations, and the strategies for implementing the recommendations, from the newly released report by the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. Created by President Donald Trump in April 2017 and chaired by Secretary Perdue, the Task Force …
Cattlemen Kick Off Campaign
Prevent Farms, Ranches From Being Regulated Like Toxic Superfund Sites The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) kicked off a media campaign aimed at spotlighting and correcting a recent court decision that will require livestock producers to comply with laws that are only meant to apply to highly toxic Superfund sites. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was …
Funding to Run Government Runs Out Friday
Funding to keep the government open runs out this Friday…and agriculture and other industries face what they don’t like most—uncertainty… The only thing certain about Washington is, there’s always “uncertainty.” Hear American Farm Bureau budget adviser RJ Karney talk about the possibility. Uncertainty New programs are delayed and some existing programs not expanded, making producer decisions much harder. And Karney …
Congress Fixing Farm Co-op Tax Change
A provision in the overhaul of the U.S. tax code had some unintended negative side effects on certain agribusinesses across the country. The provision gives producers a chance to cut down on their taxable income if they sell their commodities to agricultural cooperatives. It appears that farmer-owned cooperatives like CHS, Inc., came out ahead of other agribusiness giants like Cargill …