A low-key policy session of American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) delegates this week opted to raise annual national dues for members to $5, from $4. The Hagstrom report points out that delegates voted 298 to 50 in favor of the dues increase, but only after rejecting an amendment to limit the increase to 50 cents. The dues increase required a …
Canada Launches WTO Trade Disputes Against U.S.
Canada has launched a wide-ranging trade dispute against the United States that challenges the U.S. use of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties. Canada appeared to be mounting a case on behalf of the rest of the world, since it cited almost 200 examples of alleged U.S. wrongdoing, almost all of them concerning other trading partners, such as China, India, Brazil and …
Trump on NAFTA: Don’t Get Nervous
Following his address to the American Farm Bureau Federation earlier this week, President Donald Trump cautioned farmers and ranchers: “Don’t get nervous” regarding his efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. He made the comments during an interview with RFD-TV. In a separate interview with Agri-Pulse, Trump said: “I’m negotiating tough for the farmers.” Trump says he thinks …
Wrong Trade Policy Poses Risks to Economic Growth
The leader of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says the wrong move on trade policy poses serious risk to economic growth. In the annual “State of American Business” address, Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue says that if the U.S. is not leading on trade, “we’re falling behind.” He reasserted the business communities strong support for modernizing the North American …
National Sunflower Association Hosting Research Forum
Researchers from the federal agriculture department and universities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa are presenting at the event on different sunflower studies dealing with diseases, insects, irrigation and blackbirds. Executive Director of the National Sunflower Association John Sandbakken. Tool Grower Kevin Capistran of Crookston explains some of the top concerns for Minnesota sunflower growers. Concerns Sandbakken …
Early Bird Registration Deadline Approaching for 94th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds those interested in attending this year’s Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF) that early bird registration ends Friday, January 26, 2018. The two-day meeting will be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, February 22–23, 2018. The Agricultural Outlook Forum is the USDA’s largest annual meeting, attracting as many as 2,000 attendees …
Production Research Proposals Lead Agenda for NPB’s Quarterly Meeting
The National Peanut Board will hold its quarterly Board and committee meetings in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 6-7, 2018. The Board’s Research Committee will consider requests for FY18 funding for production research from state peanut producer organizations and universities. Funding production research to make America’s peanut farmers more competitive is a core part of the Board’s mission. All meetings take place …
Annual Florida Bull Test Sale is January 20
Cattle producers are being reminded that the annual Florida Bull Test Sale will take place January 20, 12:30 PM Central Time at the University of Florida/IFAS North Florida research and Education Center (NFREC) Beef Research Unit, located one mile west of Greenwood, FL on Hwy 162. This year’s auction will include approximately 65 Performance Proven Bulls, ranging from Angus, Brahman, …
Livestock Outlook Positive for 2018
Last year ended on a good note, with the outlook generally positive for livestock and poultry in 2018. That forecast came from James Robb, director and senior agricultural economist with the Livestock Marketing Information Center. However, he says there are some concerns surrounding both industries as uncertainty looms around trade agreements. Robb spoke during a workshop at the American Farm …
Farmers Are Becoming Less Optimistic About the Future
For the second-straight month, the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dipped lower, coming in with an index of 126 in December. That number was the lowest since March of last year and the second-lowest of 2017. The decline is driven entirely by producers becoming less optimistic about the future. The Future Expectations Index was recently at 137 in October, …