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 …
Ag Labor Fix Tied to DACA Bill in Congress
A complete overhaul of the American agricultural guest worker program is a major part of a House of Representatives’ plan to fix the immigration status of young people involved in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA). The DACA program is currently tied up in an immigration reform battle on Capitol Hill. A DTN report says Virginia Republican Bob …
USDA Sending Extra Financial Help to Farmers in Seven States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will start sending additional money to row crop farmers in 14 counties throughout seven states who are enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage program. The move comes after the USDA reevaluated the program using a different method of determining county yields. Politico says the re-evaluation was directed by a provision in the fiscal 2017 government …
Possible Breakthrough in a Major NAFTA Obstacle
One of the biggest sticking points in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has to do with the auto industry. There’s a little more optimism about progress after Canada joined Mexico in indicating there may be room for negotiation in the auto sector. The development comes just one day after markets dipped on Canada’s fear that the odds are …
Canada Welcomes Possible NAFTA Deadline Extension
President Donald Trump suggested that the deadline for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement might need to be extended. A Reuters report says Canada is agreeable to the idea. Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that “a lot of things are hard to negotiate” as the Mexican presidential election is coming up in July. Canadian Foreign Minister …
Latest WASDE Report from USDA
The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report (WASDE) was released recently. During December, raging wildfires in southern California and a late-month cold wave east of the Rockies highlighted a La Niña-driven weather regime. La Niña also contributed to a broad expanse of drier than-normal conditions, especially across the southern tier of the country. A few areas, however, received …
USDA Rule Allows Pork Imports From Mexico
The U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized a regulation that will allow all Mexican states to export pork to the United States, a move supported by the National Pork Producers Council. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is implementing a science-based risk assessment that determined Mexico is free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF), highly contagious viral disease in pigs. …
Florida Forever Boost moving to Senate Floor
A proposal that would designate $100 million a year for the Florida Forever land-preservation program is ready to go to the Senate floor. On Thursday, the Appropriations Committee unanimously backed a measure (SB 370) by Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island. The Florida Forever program, which in the past received as much as $300 million a year, has for nearly a …
Citrus Industry Remains ‘In Crisis’ Despite Stable Forecast
Forecast numbers for Florida’s struggling citrus industry held steady from December to January, the first month since Hurricane Irma that the figures didn’t drop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Friday that Florida will grow enough oranges to fill 46 million 90-pound boxes, the same as in December. Meanwhile, grapefruit production held at 4.65 million boxes for the third consecutive month. While the …