The 11 remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership are moving forward with a modified trade agreement, known as the Comprehensive and progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or the CP-TPP. Officials with the U.S. Meat Export Federation say this updated deal will leave American producers in the dust. Federation economist Erin Borror says market access remains the biggest concern for U.S. …
New Tax Regulations Could Be a Boost for Farm Commodities
The Environmental Protection Agency Thursday finalized a rule that establishes the required renewable fuel volumes under the Renewable Fuels Standard program for 2018 and biomass-based diesel for 2019. The agency set a total renewable fuel blending obligation of 19.29 billion gallons next year, maintaining the statutory requirement of 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuel such as corn-based ethanol and 4.29 …
2017 Census of Agriculture Gets Underway
The Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service has started mailing the 2017 Census of Agriculture to the nation’s producers. USDA NASS state statistician Erik Gerlach says a lot of valuable information is collected from the answers given on the census. Data Gerlach says the way survey information is compiled, individual producers are never identified. Survey Conducted once every five …
So, You’ve Inherited a Farm, Now What?
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension is sponsoring a series of seminars next week focusing on issues that involve inheriting farmland. The seminar is titled “So, You’ve Inherited a Farm, Now What?” and will provide information and education about farmland ownership. Extension Educator Allan Vyhnalek will be one of the presenters at the two and half hour seminar. Info Vyhnalek says …
USDA Announces Sorghum Checkoff Board Appointments
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of five members to serve on the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board. The producers appointed to serve three year terms are: Klint G. Stewart Columbus, Neb. Carlton Bridgeforth, Decatur, Ala. Verity Ulibarri, Melrose, N.M. Shayne C. Suppes, Scott City, Kan. Charles Ray Huddleston, Celina, Texas “The United Sorghum Checkoff Program helps sorghum producers …
Perdue: U.S. Farm Exports to Continue Strong in FY 2018
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) export forecast. “This quarterly trade forecast reflects the fact that U.S. agricultural exports are continuing strong in the 2018 fiscal year. We just closed out FY 2017 with the third-highest export total on record and I’m delighted to see that FY 2018 is …
GAO: Improvements Recommended to Checkoff Oversight
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending several changes to improve oversight of commodity checkoff programs. The recommendations include instituting a better review of subcontracts and display of key documents on program websites, according to meat industry publication Meatingplace. There are 22 federal agricultural research and promotion programs, funded by a fraction of the sale of each unit of a …
Farm Profits Expected to Stabilize
Following years of decline, net farm income in 2017 for the U.S. farm sector as a whole is forecast to be relatively unchanged at $63.2 billion in inflation-adjusted terms. The figure is up about one half billion dollars, or .8 percent. Meanwhile, inflation-adjusted U.S. net cash farm income is forecast to rise almost $2.0 billion, 2.1 percent, to $96.9 billion. …
Crawford Renews Calls to Open Ag Trade with Cuba
Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford is renewing his call to open agricultural trade with Cuba. The Republican says his proposal is an alternative to repealing the Cuban trade embargo, allowing the U.S. to tap into Cuba’s $2 billion agricultural market, according to Politico. Crawford first proposed the bill in January that would cut back restrictions on U.S. financing for agriculture exports, …
South Korea To Hold KORUS Public Hearing
South Korea will hold a second public meeting regarding the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, known as KORUS. The meeting was announced after the first public meeting was disrupted by angry farmers and livestock breeders, according to the Korea Herald, a Korea-based newspaper. The second public hearing taking place Friday (today) allows Policymakers, trade experts and citizens to take part in …