Talks between Canada and the U.S. regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement are intensifying in Washington, D.C. Bloomberg says Canadian dairy farmers recently told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau not to use access to the protected Canadian dairy market as a bargaining chip. The Dairy Farmers of Canada says it’s already lost $193 million because of past trade agreements and …
Livestock Losses Mounting after Florence
Recovery is underway in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence. The number of livestock lost to flooding is climbing in the aftermath. The North Carolina Ag Department says 5,500 hogs and 3.4 million poultry were lost due to the hurricane. In addition to damage on farms around the area, other reports included wind damage to hog farms, as well as substantial …
U.S. – India Closing In On Trade Agreement
India and the United States are currently in negotiations on a trade package. Reuters says Washington and New Delhi are looking to remove some long-standing disagreements between the two countries that would strengthen ties. Initial reports say it looks like Indian farmers and U.S. medical device manufacturers could be some of the early winners in the deal. The two countries …
Bayer Says Dicamba Decision Likely Coming Soon
The world’s largest agribusiness is predicting the Environmental Protection Agency will decide soon on the future of dicamba. Bayer expects the EPA to issue a renewal and an updated license for the product in the weeks ahead. Liam Condon, President of the Crop Science Division at Bayer, says, “The EPA wants to make a decision before the next growing season …
Growth Energy Welcomes Congressional Support for Year-Round E15
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor thanks the 24 members of the House Biofuels Caucus for sending a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency asking them to approve year-round E15 and support the Renewable Fuels Standard. The letter also calls for the agency to “put an end” to the secretive refinery waivers that have “hurt farmers and the growth of ethanol.” …
NIFA Invests in Research to Solve Critical Water Problems
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced seven grants for research that will provide solutions to critical water problems across the United States. These awards were made through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area. AFRI is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by …
RFA Statement on EPA Efforts to Provide Greater Transparency on RFS
Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced new efforts to provide greater transparency in the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market, used to show compliance with annual Renewable Fuel Standard requirements. As part of this announcement, EPA said it will be providing aggregated annual data on small refiner exemptions, as well as waiver requests for current and future compliance years. RFA President …
Less Likely to Get Farm Bill Done in Time
Getting a September farm bill in time to replace expiring law appears less likely as difficult House-Senate negotiations will now stretch into the final week of the month. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a farm bill conference committee member, says in an Omaha World-Herald editorial, House-Senate negotiators are now “running into problems” hashing out differences over farm subsidies, conservation support, and …
Georgia Grown Baby Barn Coming to 2018 Georgia National Fair
The Georgia Grown Baby Barn, a live birthing center and nursery for farm animals, will open its doors for the first time at the upcoming 2018 Georgia National Fair in Perry Oct. 4-14. The Georgia Department of Agriculture – in collaboration with the Georgia National Fair Board, the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association and Georgia’s animal industry partners– are excited to …
China Sets More Tariffs on U.S. Food and Ag Imports
China said Tuesday that it will hit back against President Donald Trump with retaliatory duties of five or 10 percent against another $60 billion worth of American products. The response comes one day after Trump issued the largest number of tariffs yet in an escalating trade dispute. Politico says China is scheduled to implement their plan on Monday to coincide …