A new survey of bankers shows 82 percent of agricultural lenders reported a decline in farm profitability in the last 12 months. However, the pace of the decline has slowed. The survey produced by the American Bankers Association and Farmer Mac shows 51 percent of agricultural lenders noted an increase in the demand for agricultural operating loans, while there was …
Farm Bill Near Ready Status
A lobbyist close to the farm bill effort told the Hagstrom Report this week that the House Agriculture Committee staff is close to being done preparing the bill for consideration. However, the lobbyist says Chairman Mike Conaway will likely keep the bill “under lock and key” until House leadership guarantees floor time for the legislation. That points to the bill …
Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge Provides New Ag Businesses Opportunity
The Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge gives new agriculture businesses a boost in a startup. More than $145,000 of startup funds will be given out during this year’s challenge. Four finalists, recently announced, will compete for $25,000 in January. AFBF rural development director Lisa Benson says even the businesses that won’t be competing in the finals benefit from applying for the challenge. …
America’s Waterways, An Important Part of Ag Infrastructure, Need Repairs
America’s waterways, including some of the largest rivers in the country, are an underappreciated but highly important part of American agriculture. The nation’s lock-and-dam system was put together to provide a cost-effective means of transporting goods from rural areas to major cities and coastal ports. Lynn Muench is the Senior Vice President of Regional Advocacy at the American Waterways Operators, …
Rubio Seeks Funding Commitment for Dike Repairs
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio wants money put behind President Donald Trump’s recent call to speed up completion of repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee. The Miami Republican asked Mick Mulvaney, the chief of the White House Office of Management and Budget, on Tuesday to support funding levels outlined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that would …
Voting Begins for 2017 FSA County Committee Elections
Producers to Receive Ballots Week of Nov. 6 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country for the 2017 Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee elections on Monday, Nov. 6, 2017. “County committee members play an indispensable role in our efforts to provide assistance to producers,” said FSA Acting Administrator …
USDA Issues Safety-Net Payments to Florida Farmers
USDA Florida Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Acting SED Mark Cotrell announced that approximately 3,585 Florida farms that enrolled in safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill will receive financial assistance for the 2016 crop year. The programs, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are designed to protect against unexpected drops in crop prices …
Raising Livestock May be a ‘Smelly’ Business
Raising livestock may be a ‘smelly’ business, but that hasn’t stopped the federal courts from ordering the Environmental Protection Agency to move ahead with manure emission reporting requirements. EPA issued guidance to producers and is expected to get more time to educate producers on the manure emission reporting requirement, after losing a court petition to allow a farm exemption. The …
Wheat Growers Association President Resigns for Potential FSA Appointment
The National Wheat Growers Association said Monday that association president David Schemm has resigned from his position to pursue other professional opportunities in his home state. The High Plains Journal says Schemm, a Sharon Springs, Kansas, wheat grower, has reportedly been tapped to accept the position of Kansas Farm Service Agency executive director. Wheat Growers CEO Chandler Goule said that …
Insurer Suing ABC over BPI Settlement
AIG Specialty Insurance Co. is suing ABC News over its settlement with Beef Products Inc. regarding ABC’s “pink slime” reports. AIG Specialty Insurance is one of the insurers for ABC’s parent company, the Walk Disney Company. AIG is suing Disney over its insistence that its settlement with BPI, which cost Disney $177 million, after the amounts covered by insurance, is …