Following the president’s announcement of a $12 billion trade assistance package to farmers, the nation’s bankers echoed farmer sentiments, saying producers want free trade and not handouts. A Farm Journal report quotes ag lender Alan Hoskins as saying it’s far too soon to know how beneficial the aid will be. Hoskins did say one thing is clear; it’s not what …
Lighthizer Testimony: NAFTA Deal Possible in August
During congressional testimony on Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told lawmakers that it’s entirely possible that the three North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) members will reach a deal in August. Lighthizer says that would meet the Mexican objective of having current President Enrique Pena Nieto sign the deal before he leaves office in December. Bloomberg says U.S. trade …
Senate Stalls on Farm Bill Conference
The Senate left Washington on Thursday without voting to move the farm bill forward to conference, or even naming conferees. Politico says those were two goals that Ag Chair Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow wanted to get done before Senators left town. Politico says the delay could be a result of a number of different things, including backdoor, …
Groups Want “Fake Meat” Regulated by USDA
Seven groups that represent meat and poultry producers, as well as processors, wrote a letter to President Trump asking him to place cell-cultured protein products under USDA regulation. The meat industry website Meating Place Dot Com says the groups want these products held to the same high standards for food safety and labeling that meat and poultry are held to …
State Appeals Conservation Funding Case
Legislative leaders are appealing a Leon County circuit judge’s ruling that the state has not properly carried out a 2014 constitutional amendment that required spending on land and water conservation. Attorneys for House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, filed a notice this week of taking the case to the 1st District Court of …
USDA Invites Comments on the Implementation of the e-Connectivity Pilot Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced USDA is inviting comments on the implementation of the e-Connectivity Pilot Program established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 on March 23, 2018. USDA is developing this pilot program to catalyze private investment and bring broadband to unserved rural areas of the country. The new program provides a unique opportunity to develop …
4-H Extracurricular for My Child? 10 Reasons Why
With so many extracurricular activities available these days, parents and kids are overwhelmed with choices. To choose the right one, know what to prioritize, says Heather Kent, associate director of the Florida 4-H youth development program, part of University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension. “The 4-H motto is ‘To make the best better.’ The research shows …
NAFTA Back in the Spotlight
The Mexican negotiating team is back in Washington to continue the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation after talks among the U.S., Mexico, and Canada stalled two months ago. The Mexican Economy Minister will meet with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for the first time since the Mexican presidential election on July first to formally restart the talks. A …
Ag Committee Leaders Meet to Discuss Farm Bill
Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts, Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, House Ag Chair Michael Conaway, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson met about the farm bill conference. The meeting took place even though the Senate hasn’t voted to go to conference. The Hagstrom Report says, “The Big Four,” as they’re sometimes called, issued a brief joint statement that didn’t mention any …
USDA Preparing Alternative to WHO Antibiotic Guidelines
USDA officials are reportedly developing an alternative set of guidelines on antibiotic use in animal agriculture, rather than abide by those developed at the World Health Organization. The WHO recommendations first came out last November, proposing to end the use of medically important antibiotics in healthy animals to promote growth and prevent disease. The agency wanted the drugs only used …