The following statement regarding the announcement of trade progress with Mexico, and the the Agriculture Department’s tariff mitigation package, can be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall: Trade Progress with Mexico is a Good Start “Farmers and ranchers are ready to move forward on trade with our nearest neighbors. Farm Bureau is excited about this announcement …
FFVA Statement on U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal
Mike Stuart, president of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, issued the following statement regarding a trade agreement between the United States and Mexico: President Trump announced today that the United States and Mexico have reached agreement on a new trade pact that does not include a specific trade remedy for specialty crop producers in the Southeast. This is not …
Assistance for Farmers Impacted by Unjustified Retaliation
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details of actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take to assist farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation by foreign nations. President Donald J. Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the administration works on free, fair and reciprocal trade deals …
Secretary Perdue on U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the announcement on trade between the United States and Mexico: “President Trump is delivering on his promise to renegotiate the old, outdated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), making good on his pledge to strike the best deals possible for all of our economic sectors, including agriculture. The President …
Crop-Damage Assessment System Will Speed Reporting After Disasters
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, economists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) realized that its Extension colleagues needed a better system for reporting damages and losses suffered by producers – something faster, more focused and more standardized. Today, that better system is in place. A team with the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics …
Transferring Sorghum’s Weed-Killing Power to Rice
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have transferred a biochemical pathway found in sorghum, which produces a weed-killing compound, into rice plants. The compound sorgoleone, secreted by sorghum, helps the plant combat weeds. It works so well that some other crops struggle to grow in fields where sorghum has been raised, causing problems for growers who want to rotate different crops …
Florida-Grown Foods Part of Rich Tailgating Tradition
Set up the grill; it’s tailgating season. Chicken, burgers, corn, slaw, potato salad, chips – and maybe some fresh fruits and vegetables — are just some staples for the weekly ritual that coincides with football season. Some will win before the games start by eating Florida-grown foods. College football enthusiasts nationwide can take comfort in tips from University of Florida …
U.S./China Trade Talks Draw a Blank
The trade war between China and the United States seems primed to worsen as the governments failed to make progress in two days of discussions. Reuters says the two sides met last week with low expectations of progress and there are no further talks scheduled at this time. A source close to the negotiations told Reuters that Chinese officials have …
Bayer CEO Says Monsanto Merger Still a Win-Win
Werner Baumann, Bayer Chief Executive Officer, tried to soothe the frayed nerves of investors after a recent jury award of $289 million during a trial regarding glyphosate. Baumann says the merger between Bayer and Monsanto still makes sense in spite of the challenges ahead. Baumann told a German newspaper that there is “no reason to break out in nervousness” in …
Memphis Meats, NAMI Want Joint Regulation of Cell-Based Meat
The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) joined up with Memphis Meats, a San Francisco-based company that’s developing cell-based meat to send a letter to the Trump Administration. The Hagstrom Report says they’re asking that the Food and Drug Administration and the Ag Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service share regulatory responsibilities for cell-based meat. The letter says in the case …