U.S. soybean exports could drop as much as 65 percent if the back-and-forth trade rhetoric battle between the two largest economies causes China to slap on retaliatory tariffs. Politico says that number comes from a soon-to-be-published report out of Purdue University. Earlier this month, China said it will put a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans if President Trump follows …
Dicamba Legal Battle Continues in Arkansas
Nearly 200 farmers have obtained temporary restraining orders against the Arkansas in-season ban on dicamba use. A DTN report says judges in three counties have granted restraining orders in response to last-minutes complaints filed by farmers. The office of State Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is filing appeals of those decisions to the state Supreme Court. In the meantime, a spokeswoman …
Wildfire Aid Amendment Included in Farm Bill Proposal
Wildfires have burned major portions of Oklahoma, as well as several other areas in the High Plains, over the past week. In an attempt to give better aid to people in those areas, a Drover’s report says Kansas Republican Representative Roger Marshall proposed an amendment that was included in the House Farm Bill, which passed out of the Ag Committee …
Peterson: Pelosi Didn’t Direct Farm Bill, but Ryan May Have
Republicans in the House have accused Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of pushing Democrats on the House Agricultural Committee to oppose the House version of the farm bill. The biggest objection is over proposed changes to the nutrition title. However, ranking member Collin Peterson of Minnesota told the Hagstrom Report that he hadn’t discussed the farm bill with her until last …
Earth Day, UF Researchers Say Conserve Water Now or Pay the Price Later
Florida residents are using more and more water every day, leaving future Floridians with more expensive options to meet anticipated needs, according to University of Florida researchers. Earth Day, April 22, is a great time to start conserving water. “Water is a natural resource, and if we don’t take care of it we will really struggle to leave something for …
Baldwin, Ernst, Introduce Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network Bill
Senators Tammy Baldwin and Joni Ernst Thursday introduced legislation to fund the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. The two say the legislation will provide farmers with critical support and resources to respond to the difficult economic times. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found agricultural workers have a higher suicide rate than any other …
Japan-EU Trade Agreement Threatens U.S. Pork Exports to Japan
The Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service says a Japan-EU trade agreement threatens U.S. pork exports to Japan. Japan and the EU announced finalization of negotiations on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement in December of last year. For 2017, Japan imported $1.68 billion of pork from the U.S. and $1.69 billion from the European Union. Japan ranked as the world’s …
Trump: Not Interested in Re-joining TPP
President Donald Trump says “I don’t want to go back into” the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). In a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump told reporters “the media has not covered the TPP correctly.” President Trump however did say that “if they offered us a deal that I can’t refuse, on behalf of the United States, I would …
Conaway Hopeful House Will Consider Farm Bill in May
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway is hopeful the U.S. House will consider the 2018 farm bill next month. Conaway told reporters he wants to bring the bill to the full U.S. House in May, but says the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act will be taking up time on the floor in coming weeks, according to Politico. The bill faces a …
Perdue Announces New Senior Leaders at USDA
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the selection of senior leaders in several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies. Perdue appointed Ken Isley as Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator, Joel Baxley as Rural Housing Service (RHS) Administrator, and Martin Barbre as Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator. In addition, Perdue announced the appointment of Tommie Williams as Minister-Counselor for Agriculture …