A Bloomberg report says that two days of trade discussions in Beijing ended with nothing else than an agreement to keep talking. China’s official news agency says the two sides did reach an agreement on some trade issues, but also admitted there were some big disagreements on some major issues. The news report says the sides will continue discussions but …
USDA-White House Liaison Clovis Leaving Washington
Sam Clovis, the USDA liaison to the White House, is leaving his job in Washington, D.C. Newsmax Dot Com says the former Trump campaign co-chair and policy adviser was nominated by President Trump to be the USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. Clovis withdrew before the Senate Ag Committee could hold a hearing. Senate Democrats and environmentalists came …
Fake Veterinarian Takes Part in Missouri Cattle Fraud Scheme
A man posing as a veterinarian admits to taking part in a $4.7 million investment fraud scheme in Missouri. A Drovers’ report says Robert D. Hawkins has consented that he aided Cameron J. Hager in defrauding more than 90 investors across 21 states in the scheme. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Securities Division says Hawkins allegedly posed as a veterinarian …
Farm Loan Rates Edging Higher
Interest rates on most types of farm loans continued to move higher. A Kansas City Fed report says, following modest increases in short-term rates, commercial banks raised interest rates on loans used to finance various farm-sector purchases. Following a period of historically-low rates, interest rates increased most significantly on loans used to finance operating expenses. Operating loan interest rates have …
Alabama Farmers Discuss Farm Bill Plans with Ag Secretary
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue met with Alabama farmers May 3 to hear their ideas for the farm bill Congress is drafting. Perdue held the meeting at the request of Alabama’s U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, who chairs the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. About 20 farmers attended a roundtable discussion with Perdue at Sam Spruell’s Marion County farm near Guin. …
Perdue Applauds President Trump’s Selection for USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Dr. Mindy Brashears to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Food Safety. After the announcement, Secretary Perdue issued the following statement: “Food safety is at the core of USDA’s mission, because it directly affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans …
USRSB Releases Framework for Beef Sustainability
Thursday, the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) released their first-ever National Framework for Beef Sustainability. It officially opens a 60-day public comment period on the group’s Sustainability Framework. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Director for Sustainability, Ashley McDonald, explains what this means. USRSB Releases Framework for Beef Sustainability The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) has opened a …
Analyst: Labor Shortages and Volatile Feed Prices Ahead for Meat Industry
A Rabobank analyst says the U.S. could be on the tail end of the second longest expansion of its economy in history. Rabobank Analyst Don Close told the North American Meat Institute this week there are implications for the meat industry, including a pending labor shortage and possible volatile commodity prices ahead, according to meat industry publication Meatingplace. Close warns …
Biofuels Group Files Lawsuit against EPA’s Pruitt
A renewable fuels trade group has filed a lawsuit against Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt. The Advanced Biofuels Association is the first to sue Pruitt over the Renewable Fuel Standard waivers the EPA is dishing out to refineries, large and small. Association President Michael McAdams says the group is concerned that Pruitt is granting the exemptions in an arbitrary …
CBO Publishes Farm Bill Analysis
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill draft would reduce nutrition spending by $9.2 billion, offset by a $7.7 billion increase in spending on federal administrative costs. The CBO report on the legislation says changes to the Republican-supported bill that passed out of the House Agriculture Committee would reduce nutrition spending because some people would …