Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy intends to run for the Senate seat currently held by the soon retiring Republican Thad Cochran of Mississippi. 80-year-old Cochran will retire April first, saying in a statement that his health has “become an ongoing challenge.” Espy, a Democrat who was the first Agriculture Secretary in the Clinton administration, intends to run for the Senate …
Trump Tells Canada he wants “Fair” NAFTA Deal
President Donald Trump told Canada he wants a fair North American Free Trade Agreement. Speaking over the phone earlier this week to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump said he supported an agreement that is “fair to all three countries,” adding that the current deal leaves the U.S. with a trade deficit, according to Politico. The conversation came shortly after …
AEM’s Slater: Trump Tariffs Won’t Help U.S. Manufacturers ‘Win’ Again
AEM worked to discourage President Trump from imposing heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum imports after the president said he intended to do just that this week. AEM is assessing the impact of Trump’s announcement last week that he would impose 25 percent import tariffs on steel and 10 percent import tariffs on aluminum. “President Trump shouldn’t undercut his own …
Ag Producer Sentiment Improves; but Uncertainty about the Future of NAFTA Looms
The Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer moved higher again in February. At 140 points, producer sentiment, which is based on monthly survey of 400 agricultural producers from across the country, reached its second-highest level in more than two years of data collection. Sentiment is also higher for the second-consecutive month, providing a strong 14-point boost to the index compared to …
New Study: RIN Price Cap for E15 RVP Waiver “Deal” Would Cut Ethanol Consumption and Trounce Corn Prices
Any action to artificially cap Renewable Identification Number (RIN) prices in exchange for an RVP waiver allowing year-round sale of E15 would be bad deal for rural America and the nation’s consumers, according to a new economic analysis released Tuesday. Such a tradeoff would result in reduced ethanol consumption, a drop in corn prices, and an effective cut of 5% …
UF to Host Seminar on Farm Safety on March 16
A leading researcher in farmworker safety will keynote a seminar hosted by the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at the University of Florida. The seminar will be held on March 16. Linda McCauley, dean and professor at the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, will speak about the evolution of academic/community partnerships between Emory University …
Longleaf Pine Initiative for Southeast Landowners
Longleaf pine once covered 90 million acres from Texas to Florida, but today only 3 percent of the habitat remains. So the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind landowners about the Longleaf Pine Initiative, which provides financial and technical assistance for conservation practices to help restore longleaf pine forests and enhance existing stands. Leonard …
USDA Offers Renewal Options for Expiring Conservation Stewardship Contracts
Agricultural producers wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to renew their Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contract. Through CSP, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps private landowners build their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation. Participants with existing CSP contracts expiring on Dec. 31, 2018 can access the benefits of …
Cool-Season Forages Field Days in Florida
A couple of winter forage field days are coming up this week in Florida. The first one will be held Thursday, March 8 at the University of Florida Dairy Unit in Gainesville starting at 10:00 am. There next one will be held Friday, March 9 at the White Oak Dairy in Lafayette County, and Shenandoah Dairy in Suwannee County starting at …
Alabama Regional Beef Ambassador Training Workshop
The Alabama Regional Beef Ambassador Program (RBAP) Workshop will be held at Upchurch Hall classrooms, Stanley Wilson Beef Teaching Center and other facilities on the Auburn University campus on Saturday, April 7, 2018. But the deadline for workshop registration is March 19th or until spots are filled. The workshop is designed to prepare youth with the foundational skills, coaching and direction needed …