Congress is expected to pass an appropriations bill this week that for the remainder of this fiscal year would provide strong support for many of the voluntary conservation programs that millions of landowners nationwide utilize to protect and improve America’s water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat. “NACD is very pleased that House and Senate appropriators have finally reached an …
Organic Farmers Push for Welfare Standards Implementation
Organic dairy and livestock farmers are pushing for Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue to let animal welfare standards formed at the end of the Obama Administration to go into effect. Politico’s Morning Agriculture Report says the farmers argue that the long sought-after rules will give consumers what they want. The measure has long been supported by the USDA’s Organic Advisory Board …
TPP Nations Meet in Canada to Discuss Future of Pact
Bloomberg reports Canada is hosting what it calls an “exploratory” round of talks regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Senior trade officials from the remaining countries in the pact are in talks this week in Toronto. The event is expected to be a stage-setter for an upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Vietnam. The article says this week’s trade talks are a …
Monsanto Terminates Sale of Precision Planting to John Deere
The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that John Deere and Monsanto had terminated their attempted sale of Precision Planting, LLC., from Monsanto to John Deere. The department filed suit to block the sale on August 31, 2016, to block the acquisition. The reasoning behind the suit was the Justice Department felt the sale was a merger-to-monopoly in high-speed …
Ag Lender Survey: Farm Profitability Down, Commodity Prices Top Concern
ABA and Farmer Mac release first biannual survey of agricultural lenders Nearly 90 percent of agricultural lenders have seen an overall decline in farm profitability in the last 12 months, according to a joint survey by the American Bankers Association and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac; NYSE: AGM and AGM.A). The survey of more than 350 agricultural lenders …
Negron Water Priority Going to Governor
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Florida could bond up to $800 million — two-thirds the amount previously sought by the Senate — to speed construction of a reservoir intended to help clean South Florida waterways, under a compromise measure heading to Gov. Rick Scott. The governor’s office Tuesday noted his support for the water-storager plan on Tuesday, …
Ag Producer Sentiment Inches Higher in April
By Jim Mintert, David Widmar and Michael Langemeier Purdue University/CME Group Producer sentiment inched higher during April as the Ag Economy Barometer increased to 130. The latest result for the Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, which is based on a monthly survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, was slightly higher than March’s 124 reading, but still well below January’s peak …
2017 P.I.E. Program Tour Dates Set
The National Cotton Council (NCC) has scheduled tour dates and locations for the 2017 Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) Program. The P.I.E. program’s goal is helping U.S. cotton producers maximize production efficiency and improve yields and fiber quality by: 1) gaining new perspectives in such fundamental practices as land preparation, planting, fertilization, pest control, irrigation and harvesting; and 2) observing diverse …
Brazil Looking at Tariffs on U.S. Ethanol Imports
Reuters says the Brazilian Ag Minister is asking the country’s Foreign Trade Council to impose tariffs on U.S. ethanol imports after a recent surge in shipments coming in from America. The article says a move like that could potentially stir up trouble with the Trump administration, which is already looking at renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. Brazil is …
Canada/Mexico Doing NAFTA Renegotiations “Together”
The relationship between Mexico and Canada amid the upcoming North American Free Trade (NAFTA) negotiations is said by both countries to be more important than ever. The Canadian Broadcasting Company website says Mexican President Enrique Pena (payn-ya’) Nieto (Knee-eht-oh) and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were both caught off guard by media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump was readying …