USDA Report Highlights Benefits of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for Farmers

Randall Weiseman Industry News Release, Legislative

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today highlighted a new report showing the positive impacts of President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) on American farms. Six months after the President signed the tax cuts and reforms into law, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) has released a report, titled “Estimated Effects …

Commodity Classic Releases 2019 Schedule

Randall Weiseman Field Crops, Industry News Release

ST. LOUIS (June 27, 2018) — Commodity Classic has released its tentative schedule for the 2019 show slated for Thursday, February 28 through Saturday, March 2 in Orlando, Fla.  Commodity Classic is America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused educational and agricultural experience. The 2019 schedule includes extended trade show hours, allowing attendees to spend even more time with the wide array of …

Women in Agribusiness Now Accepting Award Nominees

Josh McGill Industry News Release

The Women in Agribusiness Summit is seeking award nominations for the Women in Agribusiness Demeter Award of Excellence. Now in its fifth year, the award is bestowed upon “some of the most innovative, action-oriented movers and shakers in the agribusiness sector.” Nominations must have a minimum of ten years of experience in agriculture, be a positive example and break down …

NC Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Protect Hog Farms from Lawsuits

Josh McGill Industry News Release

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has vetoed a bill that would provide protection to hog farms from lawsuits. The bill passed by state lawmakers aimed to protect the ability of farms to “operate as surrounding development encroaches” and protect farms from” frivolous nuisance lawsuits.” Governor Cooper stated following his veto: “While agriculture is vital to North Carolina’s economy, so property …

Oil Industry: EPA Makes Right Call on Not Reallocating Waived Volumes

Josh McGill Industry News Release

The American Petroleum Institute says the Environmental Protection Agency “made the right call” to not reallocate volumes of biofuels displaced by hardship waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard. The EPA volume proposal this week included a small overall increase, but kept conventional ethanol at 15 billion gallons for 2019. API made the comments while at the same time calling the …

Canada Announces Pork Sector Investment

Josh McGill Industry News Release

Amid global trade uncertainty and U.S. pork facing tariffs, Canada is investing to expand its swine sector. While the two moves are not directly related, Canada Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay just announced a federal investment of up to (Canadian) $12.7 million to Swine Innovation Porc, a non-profit corporation that facilitates research in the Canadian swine sector. The non-profit …

Perdue Signals Aid Plan Announcement Possible Around Labor Day

Josh McGill Industry News Release

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in Chicago this week says he is hopeful his aid program for farmers will be released by Labor Day and the harvest season. Perdue spoke at the United Fresh event Tuesday and told the Chicago Tribune that while farmers want “trade, not aid,” the Department of Agriculture is following the trade war on a “weekly basis,” …

Senate Farm Bill to Include Grassley Payment Limits

Josh McGill Industry News Release

The Senate farm bill now contains 18 additional amendments, including Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley’s payment limits amendment. Grassley was the lone vote against the bill when it passed through committee because it did not contain his amendment. The change would “amend actively engaged in farming requirements by allowing only one person or legal entity per farming operation to be considered …

Florida Gets Another Chance to Make Case in ‘Water War’

Randall Weiseman Florida, Georgia, Industry News Release, Water

By: Lloyd Dunkelberger TALLAHASSEE — In a victory for Florida, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the nation’s third-largest state should be given another chance to prove its case that overconsumption of water in Georgia is damaging the Apalachicola River system. The 5-4 decision, written by Justice Stephen Breyer, overturned a 2017 recommendation by a court-appointed special master that found …