The following may be attributed to Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation: “Land management decisions governing federal lands are best left to state and local officials and other stakeholders. We are pleased that Congress passed and President Trump signed a law to overturn the flawed ‘Planning 2.0’ rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management. The new law places …
Report Names Ag Labor in Human Trafficking List
A new report on sex and labor trafficking in the United States places agriculture labor in the top 25 industries for human trafficking. The Typology of Modern Slavery report announced Wednesday breaks down instances of sex and labor trafficking into 25 distinct categories.
Very Early Planting Not Worth the Risks
An agriculture professor from the University of Illinois says very early planting is not worth the risks involved. Emerson Nafziger says planting well ahead of normal is unlikely to result in higher yields. In Illinois, he says some corn and soybeans were planted as early as February this year, with unseasonably warm and dry weather.
Sonny Perdue Vote Delayed to Thursday
Sonny Perdue’s nomination vote out of the Senate Agriculture Committee will wait another day after it was delayed Wednesday. However, a vote seems likely Thursday morning. The next Senate floor vote was scheduled for 10 am ET Thursday, and the Senate Agriculture Committee said Wednesday afternoon the vote would take place Thursday, following the next Senate floor vote.
NFU Urges Trump Administration to Oppose Dow-DuPont Merger
Following European Union approval of the proposed merger between Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co., National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling on the Trump Administration to block the deal. The merger, if approved by the U.S. Justice Department, would create the largest biotechnology and seed firm in the U.S.
Cargill CEO Stands Up for Trade
MacLennan makes a strong case for open and inclusive trade policies at the Financial Times Commodities Global Summit Cargill Chairman and CEO David MacLennan today laid out a strong case for open and inclusive trade policies in his keynote address at the Financial Times Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Study Find Some Confusion Regarding New Fuel Choices
Industry deeply concerned about government’s failure to educate consumers about new fuels at the pump A new nationwide research study of over 2,000 adults 18+ conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) has found that Americans seem to remain confused about new fuel choices at the pump and their appropriate usage. Even more …
Guayule: Past Meets Future
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) team is putting their own spin on the phrase, “Where the rubber hits the road.” Using biotech tools, the team has developed an improved variety of guayule plant as a natural source of tire rubber. Chemist Colleen McMahan achieved the technological feat together with molecular biologists Grisel Ponciano, Niu Dong and Dante Placido and …
House Agriculture Committee Reviews the Farm Credit System
The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the Farm Credit System (FCS). Members of the committee heard from representatives of the Farm Credit Administration as well as representatives from institutions that provide credit. The hearing highlighted the century-long mission of FCS to provide credit to rural communities in both good times and bad, and it reviewed the overall …
Southeast Landowners Continue to Restore Longleaf Forests
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service continues to work with agricultural producers and conservation partners to restore longleaf forests through the Longleaf Pine Initiative (LLPI), a program that was launched back in 2010. NRCS Associate Chief for Conservation, Leonard Jordan, says NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to producers, helping them implement a variety of conservation practices.