The pork industry is pressing for a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine bank in the 2018 farm bill. The price tag would be high, but the industry argues the cost of an FMD outbreak would be even higher. Farm bill writers will already be under huge pressure to keep costs down in the 2018 bill. But the National Pork Producers Council wants …
China, India, Call for End of Farm Subsidies by U.S., Others
China and India are calling for an end to farm subsidies by others, including the European Union and the United States. India-based newspaper Live Mint, a collaboration with the Wall Street Journal, reports China and India have jointly proposed the elimination of $160 billion of farm subsidies in the U.S., European Union, and other wealthy nations. The move comes months …
WOTUS Public Meetings Scheduled
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers Monday announced a series of teleconferences regarding the repeal and revision of the Waters of the U.S. rule. Nine of the conferences will focus on a specific sector, including agriculture, conservation, small entities, construction, and others. The teleconferences will run throughout the fall on Tuesdays beginning September 19, 2017. The …
Harvey Forces Shutdown of Texas Ports, Threatens Others
Two major ports along the Gulf of Mexico in Texas are closed following the flooding and damage from Hurricane Harvey. Ports at the Texas Gulf account for about 24 percent of U.S. wheat exports, three percent of corn shipments and two percent of soybeans. In 2011, the Port of Corpus Christi ranked 13th in the Nation for total waterborne agricultural …
Harvey Impact on Texas Agriculture
Hurricane Harvey arrived on the Texas coast as the state’s cotton harvest of an expected bumper crop was getting underway. The Texas cotton harvest is around 10 percent complete, with bales in the field and high storage levels. The storm came at what one cotton gin operator called “the worst possible time.” Southeast Texas agriculture has extensive damage from the …
Mexico Won’t Negotiate NAFTA Via Twitter
Mexico declared over the weekend the nation would not negotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement via social media. The announcement followed another post on Twitter by President Donald Trump calling NAFTA the “worst deal ever made.” Trump wrote on Twitter that Canada and Mexico were being “very difficult” and suggested he “may have to terminate” the trade agreement. Many …
Putnam Supports 2017 National Trade Policy Agenda
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam sent a letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means, voicing his support of the 2017 National Trade Policy Agenda. This agenda will help create a more even playing field for America’s farmers, ranchers and businesses. The following is an excerpt from the letter: “I applaud the Trump Administration’s National Trade Policy …
U.S. and Mexican Dairy Industries Make United Call
The U.S. and Mexican dairy industries released a unified list of priorities today that includes modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to solidify their strong dairy market partnership, and addressing concerns about Canadian and European dairy policies. A list of nine shared priorities was agreed upon Thursday at a second annual summit meeting here between leaders of the …
Study Shows Fungal Infections Reduce Frogs’ Tolerance of Heat
Fungal diseases are increasing in animals, which might have serious consequences for wildlife living in a hotter world, said a University of Florida scientist. A new study published in the international journal Scientific Reports shows that fungal infections reduced the heat tolerance of frogs by up to 4 degrees Celsius. “We have seen an increase in animal and plant diseases, …
EPA and the Army Seek Input in the Review of the Waters of the U.S. Rule
Stakeholder sessions will be held weekly between September and November The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) will hold 11 sessions to give stakeholders an opportunity to provide recommendations on a revised definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies will hold nine, 2-hour long teleconferences that will be tailored for specific …