House/Senate Negotiating Differences in Tax Bill

House and Senate tax writers are moving quickly to negotiate differences between their two chambers’ bills, with one of the most sensitive, a tax break for ag and other small businesses. Among the biggest and most politically-sensitive differences between the two tax bills is the treatment of so-called “pass-through” businesses — a huge number in agriculture —  that file returns …

Busy Week Ahead for Congress

It will be a busy week in Congress with two big issues that will be addressed. Mary Kay Thatcher, senior director of congressional relations with the American Farm Bureau Federation spoke to Kansas Farm Bureau members at their annual meeting in Manhattan Monday morning. We’ll learn soon the conferees for the conference committee that will try and put the House …

Hog Market Supported by Demand

Hog markets were under considerable pressure in September and October, but there has been improvement in recent weeks. Steve Meyer, who is with EMI Analytics, offers his take on this market. Market Meyer says demand has held up during the fourth quarter. Demand Hog slaughter has been over 2.5 million head per week. Meyer will have more on that part …

Few Senators Mention Agriculture in Tax Bill Debate

The Senate-passed tax bill that the House must now either accept or reconcile with its own, would have a big-impact on agriculture. Yet, few Senators even mentioned agriculture in the days-long debate leading up to the early-morning Saturday vote. Agriculture was largely ignored in the marathon debate on the GOP Senate tax bill, that passed 51 to 49 with just …

UF Professor Helps Write Latest Edition of Gold Standard Propagation Textbook

Growers, students and professors use this textbook across the world, and now a UF/IFAS environmental horticulture professor has helped write the new edition of what those in the industry and academia consider the Bible of propagation texts. Sandra Wilson is now the fifth author in the nearly 60-year history of the book, Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices. Wilson co-authored the …

Ag State Lawmakers Voice Concern Over Possible NAFTA Withdrawal

Ag State lawmakers continue to voice strong concern, even worry, that the U.S. may pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with dire consequences for home-state farmers and ranchers. The latest Department of Agriculture export forecast shows the importance of Canada and Mexico as the U.S.’s second and third-largest markets, respectively, and Secretary Sonny Perdue hails both, …

General Mills Contributes to National Wheat Foundation

General Mills has sent a contribution of $735,000 to the National Wheat Foundation. The funds are earmarked for the foundation to work with the Soil Health Partnership to advance adoption and implementation of soil health practices. The funds, equally distributed over the next three years, will be used to conduct soil health research on wheat farms and education outreach to …

Grain Elevator Profit Margins Could Increase in 2018

A new report from CoBank says 2018 could bring an increase in profit margins for grain elevators. The report cites a weak harvest basis, along with low transportation rates, and other issues for the prospect of improved profit margins. A CoBank researcher also says a large carryover and another huge crop have “created an attractive carry in futures markets, particularly …