During a meeting with farmers and ranchers, President Donald Trump pledged that his administration, including newly installed Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, would work to address critical challenges faced by agriculture, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. Duvall was among 14 farmers and ranchers from across the country who met at the White House with Trump, Vice …
Executive Order Creates New Agriculture Panel
President Trump’s Executive Order President Trump’s Executive Order established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity “to ensure the informed exercise of regulatory authority that impacts agriculture and rural communities.” As Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue will serve as the task force’s chairman. “It is in the national interest to promote American agriculture while protecting and supporting the rural …
2017 W.O. Atwater Memorial Lecturer Renews Call for Excellence in Nutrition Research
“Traveling the Road from Precision to Imprecision: Have I Gone in the Wrong Direction?” is the title of Dennis M. Bier‘s 2017 Agricultural Research Service (ARS) W. O. Atwater Memorial Lecture, which he delivered at the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting in Chicago. Bier is a renowned advocate for the highest standards of experiment design and increased rigor in nutritional research. …
Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by fellow Georgian and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a brief ceremony at the Supreme Court building. The U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. After Secretary Perdue took the oath of office, he addressed employees at …
Historic White House Ag Roundtable Discussion Includes Florida Farmer
Fourteen farmers from across the country, including American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, are meeting with President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for an agriculture roundtable discussion. During the roundtable, the farmers will discuss with Trump and Perdue the issues the White House believes are most pressing for American agriculture. Farmers from California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, …
Lobbyist Backs Away From Florida Forever Comments
From: News Service of Florida Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida and a prominent environmental lobbyist, released a statement Tuesday walking back concerns about a House measure that would alter the distribution of money for land conservation. Draper said he was wrong Monday to link a House bill (PCB GAC17-06) that would change the state’s Florida Forever land-conservation program …
NFU President Attends March for Science in D.C.
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson spoke to thousands attending the Washington, D.C. March for Science over the weekend that also included former Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. Johnson spoke at the flagship march held in Washington, D.C., saying: “Farmers Union members are acutely aware of the important roles that science and science-based policies play in the success of American …
Syngenta Corn Lawsuits Underway
The first of several lawsuits filed against Syngenta is underway. Syngenta is facing dozens of lawsuits that claim a move by the company depressed corn prices in 2013. The farmers involved claim Syngenta’s selling of a corn trait that was not approved to export to China, and found in shipments of U.S. corn to China, depressed U.S. corn prices and …
U.S., EU, Opening Door to TTIP Talks
The European Union and the United States could soon be reviving negotiations of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross over the weekend told the Financial Times reducing the trans-Atlantic trade deficit in goods is a top priority. The $146 billion trans-Atlantic trade deficit is only second to China’s $347 billion deficit. Ross was hosting …
AFBF Labor Expert Taking USDA Post
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s immigration and labor expert is heading to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. AFBF’s director of congressional relations for labor and immigration, Kristi Boswell, will serve as a senior adviser to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Boswell starts next month at USDA and Politico reports she will be working on labor and immigration issues. Boswell is a …