The House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to examine how the tax code impacts agricultural producers. Members of the committee heard from a panel of Members of Congress—including Rep. Kristi Noem (SD-at large) and Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS-2)—from the House Committee on Ways and Means, the committee charged with crafting our nation’s tax code. The Committee also heard from a diverse …
EU Approves ChemChina-Syngenta Deal
The European Union has approved the $43 billion takeover of Syngenta by ChemChina, just a day after receiving U.S. approval. Bloomberg reports the EU approval is conditional on ChemChina’s offer to divest “a significant part” of its Adama unit’s pesticide business, some generic pesticides the unit is developing, a plant growth regulator and some of Syngenta’s pesticides along with related …
Seed Demand Prompts First Half Gains for Monsanto
Monsanto this week announced increased sales and profits for the first half of its current fiscal year. Monsanto’s net sales for the second quarter increased to approximately $5.1 billion, up from $4.5 billion in the prior year period. Gross profit for the quarter also increased over the prior year to $3.0 billion versus $2.6 billion. For the first six months, …
Lawmakers Asking Trump to Talk Beef with China’s President
A group of legislators are pressing the White House to raise the issue of U.S. beef trade with China when President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi (she) Jinping (today) Thursday. A group of 39 Senators, including Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, have penned a letter to President Trump, asking him to raise the issue of U.S. beef …
Perdue Vote Could be Stalled Until May
It’s been nearly 11 weeks since President Donald Trump nominated Sonny Perdue as Agriculture Secretary, and a partisan brawl in the Senate will push the wait into early April, or late May. While it is still possible that leaders could strike an eleventh-hour deal for a quick vote to confirm Perdue sometime soon, the odds are becoming minimal. House Agriculture …
USDA Announces $1.2 Million to Support Aquaculture Research Projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced $1.2 million in available funding for aquaculture research projects in the areas of genetics, disease, production systems, and economics. Funding is made through NIFA’s Aquaculture Research Competitive Grants Program, authorized by the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act. “Sustainability of the aquaculture industry is important …
EAA Farmers, Inc. Issues Statement on Passage of SB 10
A statement from Danielle Alvarez, spokesperson for EAA Farmers, Inc., following the passage of SB10 during the Senate Appropriations Committee: “Today’s amendment acknowledges what EAA farmers have said all along: a storage reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee can be accomplished within the existing footprint of state-owned lands without the need to acquire additional farmland. However, an EAA reservoir will not …
Senate Panel Signs Off on Revamped Water Plan
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida A revised measure that seeks to create a “deep” water-storage project south of Lake Okeechobee — and win support from the House and people throughout the Glades region — was overwhelmingly backed Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The $1.5 billion measure (SB 10), which relies on federal money to cover half …
Farmers and Ranchers Need Comprehensive Tax Reform
America’s farmers and ranchers need a flexible tax code that gives them freedom to both grow and adapt quickly to changes beyond their control, the American Farm Bureau Federation told Congress today. Pat Wolff, senior director of congressional relations for AFBF, addressed agriculture’s need for sweeping tax reform in a hearing before the House Agriculture Committee. “Running a farm or …
Survey: Consumers Baffled by Food Labels
A recent survey shows global consumers remain baffled by food labels. Sponsored by Elanco, The Truth About Food survey gathered input from 3,300 consumers in 11 countries. Of the findings, online meat industry publication Meatingplace reports the survey shows 82 percent of consumers said they buy organic products mainly because they believe the foods to be pesticide-free. But, In reality, …