One of the biggest sticking points in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has to do with the auto industry. There’s a little more optimism about progress after Canada joined Mexico in indicating there may be room for negotiation in the auto sector. The development comes just one day after markets dipped on Canada’s fear that the odds are …
Canada Welcomes Possible NAFTA Deadline Extension
President Donald Trump suggested that the deadline for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement might need to be extended. A Reuters report says Canada is agreeable to the idea. Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that “a lot of things are hard to negotiate” as the Mexican presidential election is coming up in July. Canadian Foreign Minister …
Latest WASDE Report from USDA
The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report (WASDE) was released recently. During December, raging wildfires in southern California and a late-month cold wave east of the Rockies highlighted a La Niña-driven weather regime. La Niña also contributed to a broad expanse of drier than-normal conditions, especially across the southern tier of the country. A few areas, however, received …
USDA Rule Allows Pork Imports From Mexico
The U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized a regulation that will allow all Mexican states to export pork to the United States, a move supported by the National Pork Producers Council. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is implementing a science-based risk assessment that determined Mexico is free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF), highly contagious viral disease in pigs. …
Florida Forever Boost moving to Senate Floor
A proposal that would designate $100 million a year for the Florida Forever land-preservation program is ready to go to the Senate floor. On Thursday, the Appropriations Committee unanimously backed a measure (SB 370) by Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island. The Florida Forever program, which in the past received as much as $300 million a year, has for nearly a …
Citrus Industry Remains ‘In Crisis’ Despite Stable Forecast
Forecast numbers for Florida’s struggling citrus industry held steady from December to January, the first month since Hurricane Irma that the figures didn’t drop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Friday that Florida will grow enough oranges to fill 46 million 90-pound boxes, the same as in December. Meanwhile, grapefruit production held at 4.65 million boxes for the third consecutive month. While the …
USDA Under Secretary Ibach on Section 199A Tax Code Fix
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach issued the following statement regarding efforts to address concerns with recent changes to Section 199A of the federal tax code. Some agriculture stakeholders have raised questions about potential market effects on cooperatives and independent grain-related businesses. Ibach’s statement is as follows: “The aim of the …
Perdue Names Appointees to the Florida USDA Farm Service Agency State Committee
U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced the individuals who will serve on the Florida USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee. The state committee is responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving appeals from the agriculture community, and helping to keep producers informed about FSA programs. Each state committee has five members, …
Panel Kills Controversial Environmental Proposal
After drawing widespread opposition from business and agriculture groups, a proposal to redefine legal standing for Floridians on environmental issues won’t go before voters in November. The Judicial Committee of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission on Friday unanimously rejected the proposal (P 23), filed by commission member Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, with opponents saying it was too broad. Thurlow-Lippisch, a former mayor …
War of Words Over Republican Tax Package Continues
The war of words over the recently enacted Republican tax package continues, and farm state GOP lawmakers are pushing back against claims by Democrats, that the new tax law benefits mostly the wealthy. Farm-state Republicans weighed in, as the partisan sniping over the successful tax legislation continued, ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst said her neighbors …