A new report out from CoBank says rising global demand for pork and stronger profitability will create a strong incentive for American pork processors to expand their capacity. Increased competition among processors may lead to a tightening of packer margins and give producers much more favorable prices in the months ahead. CoBank economist Trevor Amen says, “U.S. pork processing capacity …
Dow / DuPont Merger Gets Conditional Approval
DuPont and Dow Chemical announced on Thursday that their proposed merger has been approved by the U.S. Department of Justice. Dow Chair and CEO Andrew Liveris says he’s very pleased the DOJ approved the transaction. “With today’s DOJ clearance, we’ve taken a significant step forward in bringing together these two iconic enterprises,” he says. Ed Breen, Chair and CEO of …
USDA Reorganization Takes Shape
Perdue Names Leadership in Acting Roles Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue named three individuals who will take on leadership roles as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues the reorganization announced on May 11, 2017. In accordance with a directive in the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA created a new Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs as part of …
American Farm Bureau Cautions on Cuba
The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “We urge the administration to exercise caution in rolling out any new restrictions on doing business with Cuba that would limit our agricultural export opportunities. We should be doing more, not less, to encourage U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. Our farmers and ranchers and the Cuban people …
Wind and Solar Energy Cover Over 10 Percent of U.S. Power Generation
Wind farms and solar panels that dot the map of rural America now account for more than 10 percent of U.S. power generation. Bloomberg News reports wind farms in Texas, Oklahoma and elsewhere accounted for eight percent of electric generation, while residential and commercial solar installations provided about two percent. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says that during 2016, wind …
Organic Trade Associations Applauds USDA for Revoking Organic License
The Organic Trade Association welcomed a move by the Department of Agriculture aimed at stopping fraudulent organic products from entering the United States. USDA this week revoked the organic certificate for a Turkish firm for shipping nonorganic ingredients to the United States labeled as organic, according to the Hagstrom Report. The Organic Trade Association said “fraud cannot be tolerated in …
Nebraska Firm First to Ship U.S. Beef to China
Nebraska’s Greater Omaha Packing Company is sending U.S. beef to China, the first shipment of its kind in 14 years. After the U.S. and China finalized protocols to allow the U.S. to export beef to China, the Nebraska-based company announced it would send beef by air freight to a customer in Shanghai. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Department of …
China Trade Agreement Includes Biotech Approvals
The trade agreement between the U.S. and China that focused on U.S. beef also paved the way for Chinese approval of two U.S. genetically modified crop traits. The Wall Street Journal reports China has approved imports of two new varieties of genetically modified crops, clearing the way for U.S. agricultural companies to market new biotech seeds to farmers. Through the …
Senators Want NAFTA Renegotiations to Address Canada Poultry Market
A group of senators wants the renegotiation effort of the North American Free Trade Agreement to address U.S. poultry exports into Canada. The group, led by Delaware Democrat Tom Carper says Canada has engaged in protectionist trade policies that limit sales for U.S. poultry exporters. The Senators are asking the Donald Trump administration to address the issue during NAFTA renegotiation …
Secretary Perdue Hosts Inaugural Rural Prosperity Task Force Meeting
Task Force showcases broad interagency support for promoting economic growth and spurring innovation in rural America U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue hosted the inaugural meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. Joined by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, Director of the White House Office of Management and …