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 …
International Trade and Deforestation: Potential Policy Effects via a Global Economic Model
by Jayson Beckman, Ron Sands, Anne Riddle, Tani Lee, and Jacob M. Walloga USDA Economic Research Service What is the Issue? An increasing world population and a shift in global diets toward vegetable oils and animal products increase the demand for agricultural commodities. To meet this demand, forestland is frequently converted into crop fields or pasture, especially in developing countries. …
Ag Secretary Perdue Moves to Make School Meals Great Again
Local Control of Whole Grains, Sodium, Milk to Make Meals Healthful, Appealing U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide greater flexibility in nutrition requirements for school meal programs in order to make food choices both healthful and appealing to students. Perdue made the announcement during a visit to Catoctin Elementary School in …
Bipartisan Congressional Letter Voices Support for Tackling of Canada’s Protectionist Dairy Practices
Adding to the groundswell of recognition that Canada’s protectionist dairy policies are harmful to U.S. dairy exports, a bipartisan group of 68 members of the House of Representatives wrote to President Donald Trump yesterday urging him to insist that Canada comply with its dairy trade commitments, including those under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). At a time when questions are arising about the future of the …
National FFA Organization Awards More Than $2.7 Million in Scholarships
The National FFA Organization and National FFA Foundation has awarded more than $2.7 million in scholarships to 1,884 recipients. This was made possible thanks to the generosity of 115 sponsors. More than 8,300 students applied online for the scholarships, with many of the applicants being considered for multiple awards. Approximately one in every four students who applied was awarded a …
USDA to Study Antibiotics Use in Pork operations
The Department of Agriculture will begin a four-month study in May on how antimicrobials are used in U.S. swine operations. Meat industry publication Meatingplace reports the agency’s National Animal Health Monitoring System, along with the National Agricultural Statistics Service, is conducting a new data collection and reporting effort that will focus on antimicrobial use and stewardship practices on swine nursery …
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 …
Japan Taking Lead on TPP Without U.S.
Japan is seeking to revive the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal without the United States. President Donald Trump in January removed the U.S. from the deal that was estimated to be worth more than $4 billion to U.S. agriculture. Now, Japan is seeking to amend the deal to 11 nations, cutting out the U.S., and moving forward. The Nikkei (Nee-kay) …
Georgia Tobacco Producers Overwhelmingly Approve Continued Tobacco Assessment
From the Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia tobacco producers overwhelmingly voted to extend the assessment of fifty cents per hundredweight of tobacco for an additional three years—90.6% of the eligible ballots returned voted yes. The balloting period for the market order was conducted from March 1st to March 30th. The Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Tobacco utilizes funds received for …
Group Wants Congress to Cap Ag Subsidies
The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Free Markets and Regulatory Reform wrote an op-ed piece for the National Review Dot Com on agricultural subsidies. The piece by a senior research fellow refers back to higher than expected costs for the Ag Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs in the 2014 farm bill. The piece says those costs …