Kevin Hassett, Chief White House Economist, attacked the integrity of past and present government officials who have negotiated U.S. trade agreements. However, he declined to say if the U.S. would be better off economically should President Trump withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The question at a White House briefing was, “Would it be a good thing …
USDA Releases 2018 Planting Estimates
While some planters are already working in Texas, the Corn Belt seems a long way away from planting because of snow and ice. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is already thinking about planting. During the Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington, Virginia, the USDA released its acreage estimates for 2018. The USDA says corn and soybean acres will be …
Changes Made to H-2C Immigration Bill
A bill proposed by Virginia Republican Representative Bob Goodlatte would scrap the current H-2A program which is partly controlled by the U.S. Labor Department. It would institute an H-2C program that would be overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Goodlatte has made several amendments to the legislation after listening to concerns from ag groups. A Milk Business Dot Com …
Perdue Promotes “Harvest Box”
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue wants people who don’t like the idea of “America’s Harvest Box” to know that they are very serious about the idea. He says House Ag Committee Chair Mike Conaway is open to considering a small-scale pilot program in the 2018 Farm Bill. The Secretary has faced a lot of criticism since the proposal came out last …
Section 199A Fix Is Coming
A DTN report says Congress may be close to replacing the Section 199A language in the new tax law that curbs the advantages of farmers who sell their products to cooperatives rather than private companies. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says a possible fix would give farmer cooperatives the same tax benefits they had under the old Section 199A, known as …
Mexico Buying More Brazilian Corn as NAFTA Negotiations Continue
Mexico purchased ten times more corn from Brazil last year than it had previously. Reuters says that’s due to the uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations. Mexican government data and top grain merchants all say they fear supply disruption from the U.S. if the White House ever followed through on its threat …
NCGA Responds to Cruz Speech on RFS
The following is a statement from North Dakota farmer Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), in response to Senator Cruz’s remarks during the Philadelphia refinery (PES) town hall. “While most refiners are reporting double digit profit increases, Philadelphia Energy Solutions has filed for bankruptcy protection because its investors put their interests ahead of their workers’ interests. …
USDA Seeks Ideas to Help SNAP Participants Become Independent
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it is looking for innovative ideas to promote work and self-sufficiency among able-bodied adults participating in the department’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The public is invited to provide input through a notice in the Federal Register. Comments can be submitted on the web through the Federal Register tomorrow. USDA intends to use …
USDA Opens New Office in Vietnam to Help Facilitate Increasing Agricultural Trade
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently celebrated the opening of its new office in Hanoi, Vietnam. The office will play a vital role in helping expand the United States’ $2.5 billion-dollar agricultural export market in Vietnam. “Growing agricultural trade between the United States and Vietnam means new opportunities for American producers,” said Greg …
How Potential ADM, Bungee Merger Would Impact Farmers
The possible merger of ADM and Bungee could decrease marketing outlets for farmers as the companies would combine operations. Chad Hart of Iowa State University told DTN-The Progressive Farmer this week that, however, unlike mergers in the seed business, there still is a fair amount of competition in crop marketing. Hart says there are “plenty of marketing outlets” independent from …