Canada wants the U.S. to explain an additional $30 billion made available to support farmers harmed by trade woes, and how the U.S. might distribute the funds. Canada made the request through the World Trade Organization last week. Canada’s written question asked the United States to explain the U.S. Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, in which Congress lifted certain restrictions …
No RFS Changes From the White House, For Now
President Trump indicated he would not be signing a White House proposal that was “bad for farmers,” referring to the proposal offering changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard. The pledge followed an apparent conversation with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. Further, the comments came the same day Ernst criticized Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt over his handling of the …
More Than 20,000 Dairy Farms Have Signed up for MPP
The Department of Agriculture this week said more than 20,000 dairy farmers have enrolled in the Dairy Margin Protection Program, which enrollment for closes Friday. USDA undersecretary Bill Northey told Politico he expects more producers to enroll in the program, compared to last year. In 2017, roughly 20,300 dairy farmers enrolled in the program, accounting for 64 percent of U.S. …
Court Sides Against R-CALF in COOL Dispute
A U.S. District Court this week said alleged financial harm to U.S. beef producers was “fairly traceable” to the Department of Agriculture. A lawsuit, filed by R-CALF USA, alleged that USDA was unlawfully allowing imported beef to be both sold to consumers without a country of origin label and sold to consumers with a “Product of USA” label, even if …
National Pork Board Elects New Officers
Steve Rommereim, a pork producer from South Dakota, was elected president of the National Pork Board at the organization’s June board meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, as part of the World Pork Expo. Rommereim is the owner, manager and operator of Highland Swine, which markets 10,000 pigs annually. He also grows corn and soybeans, as well as has a cow/calf …
USDA and FDA Announce Key Step to Advance Collaborative Efforts to Streamline Produce Safety Requirements for Farmers
As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing effort to make the oversight of food safety stronger and more efficient, USDA and FDA announced the alignment of the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices Audit Program (USDA H-GAP) with the requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA’s) Produce Safety Rule. The new step is …
Ag Economy Barometer Monthly Results
Farmers showed more optimism in the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The May survey reading was 141, 16 points higher than April and the highest since January of last year. A rating below 100 is negative, while a rating above 100 indicates positive sentiment regarding the agriculture industry. The rise in the barometer, a sentiment index derived from …
Ernst Expresses Frustration with EPA
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa expressed deep frustration Tuesday regarding the Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump. Speaking of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, Ernst told an energy symposium in Washington, D.C. “If the President wants to drain the swamp, he needs to take a look at his own cabinet.” Pruitt has been a target of biofuels states after granting …
Trump Voters in Midwest States Losing Faith in Administration’s Commitment to Renewable Fuels
New polling shows that voters across three Midwestern states are disappointed with Trump Administration decisions regarding biofuels. Released by the National Biodiesel Board this week, a survey of voters in Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota overwhelmingly say they support federal policies to encourage growth in biodiesel and renewable fuels use. Their support cut across party lines, with more than two-thirds of …
Last Chance to Complete the 2017 Census of Agriculture
Less than two weeks to submit the questionnaire by mail The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is wrapping up data collection for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. To stay on track for data release in February 2019, the deadline for submitting the paper questionnaire is June 15, 2018. Farmers and ranchers who have not responded …