Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts is also chair of the House-Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee. The Hagstrom Report says Roberts feels Congress is running out of time to finish the farm bill conference report before the current bill expires on September 30th. He’s asking House Ag Chair Michael Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson to remain in Washington, in …
ASF Found in Belgium and Spreading in China
Belgian authorities confirmed that the African Swine Fever (ASF) Virus has been found in their country. That’s adding to increasing worries about the virus moving into western Europe. The trade association website Meating Place Dot Com says the country’s food safety agency has found the virus in two wild boars in the southern part of the country. Belgian authorities are …
Farm Bill Passage On-time Uncertain
Time to finish the farm bill before the September 30th deadline is running out. House and Senate ag leaders are working to quickly iron out differences between the two versions of the bill, but many believed the conference committee needed to wrap up this week to get a bill on-time. The Senate adjourned Wednesday night until Monday, and the House …
Trump Administration Seeking China Trade Talks
The Trump administration proposes a new round of trade talks between the U.S. and China to stop an additional round of tariffs on Chinese exports. The Wall Street Journal reports the invitation comes as the Trump administration senses new vulnerability—and possibly more flexibility—among Chinese officials pressured by U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year and threats for more. Treasury Secretary Steven …
China Cuts Soybean Import Forecast
China this week lowered its forecast for the 2018-2019 import season for soybeans due to the trade conflict between the U.S. and China. Farmers are reducing their use of soybeans in animal feed in China as China has placed massive tariffs on U.S. soybeans. Imports of soybeans in the crop year that starts on October first will be 83.65 million …
Global Hunger Continues to Increase
New evidence continues to signal that hunger is rising globally. A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates the number of hungry people in the world is growing, reaching 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 report released this week …
USDA Details Trade Damage Estimate Calculations
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released a detailed accounting of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calculated estimated damage from trade disruptions. USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist developed an estimate of gross trade damages for commodities with assessed retaliatory tariffs by Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico, and Turkey to set commodity payment rates and purchase levels …
EWP Available for Landowners Affected by Natural Disasters
While Hurricane Florence won’t affect all areas of the Southeast, it will some. But no matter when a natural disaster may strike, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to landowners to know if your area suffers damage, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) can help relieve imminent hazards to life and property. This includes damage caused by hurricanes, floods, …
Auburn University College of Agriculture Holding Career Fair
The Auburn University College of Agriculture will be holding a Career Fair Wednesday, October 3rd from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Auburn University Alumni Center (317 South College Street, Auburn, AL 36849) on the campus of Auburn University. The career fair will be a great opportunity for companies to meet with students of diverse backgrounds, like Agricultural Economics …
Wild Adventures Celebrates Local Agriculture with Two-Day Event
Pecan Harvest Festival to Showcase “Georgia Grown” Products Tasty treats and classic cars will takeover Wild Adventures Theme Park this weekend (Sept. 15-16, 2018) as the park celebrates local agriculture during the first annual Pecan Harvest Festival. “To celebrate this year’s pecan harvest, we’ve partnered with the Georgia Pecan Growers Association to bring some delicious foods out, and to help …