Makers of dicamba herbicides are assessing what’s next following a court ruling vacating registration of the products. A U.S. appeals court ruling this week vacates current U.S. registrations of certain low volatility dicamba products, including Bayer’s XtendiMax Herbicide. The ruling comes after a group of environmental organizations filed a petition challenging the Environmental Protection…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Nutrition Coalition Urges Delay
The Nutrition Coalition alleges there is a serious threat to the integrity and trustworthiness of the nation’s federal nutrition policy. The coalition released earlier this week, allegations made by one or more members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, under the direction of the Department of Agriculture. The coalition expressed concerns about the committee’s…… MORE
Ag Economy Barometer Improves
After a sharp drop in March and April, farmer sentiment in May improved slightly. The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose to 103, seven points higher than April. However, the index remained almost 40 points below its all-time high of 168 that was set in February of this year. The people behind this…… MORE
China Halts Buying Some Ag Products
China is halting imports of some U.S. agricultural products through state-run agricultural companies. The move comes as a response to tensions between the U.S. and China regarding Hong Kong. Bloomberg News reports state-owned traders Cofco and Sinograin were ordered to suspend purchases. The action is the latest by China, which puts a trade agreement…… MORE
Dairy Month Celebration
In celebration of June Dairy Month, Dairy Management, Inc., as well as state and regional checkoff teams across the country, are showcasing dairy’s resilience and community impact during COVID-19. The efforts kicked off on June 1, which is World Milk Day, with a video titled “Raising Gallons.” It features Olympians, NFL players, famous chefs,…… MORE
House & Senate Ag Committees Get Low Grades
The House Agriculture Committee got a D grade and the Senate Ag Committee received a C- on oversight. Those grades came from the Lugar Center, which was founded by former Indiana Republican Senator and Ag Committee Chair Richard Lugar, in a report that measured congressional oversight. The Hagstrom Report says the Congressional Oversight Hearing…… MORE
H-2A Worker Increases
The Department of Agriculture says the number of H-2A workers increased fivefold between 2005 and 2019. Calling the data an indicator of the scarcity of farm labor, USDA’s Economic Research Service says the number of H-2A positions requested and approved increased from just over 48,000 in 2005 to nearly 258,000 in 2019. The H-2A…… MORE
Costa and Other Lawmakers Press USDA
House Agriculture Committee members, including valley congressman Jim Costa, want questions answered regarding the Department of Agriculture’s Families Food Box Program. Led by Democrat Marcia Fudge of Ohio, the group sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. They say the letter comes amid reports of contracts under the program awarded to companies with…… MORE
DOT Publishes Hours of Service Rule
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published its final rule updating the “Hours of Service” rules designed to increase safety on America’s roads. The department updated multiple existing regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers. “America’s truckers are doing a heroic job of keeping our supply chains open during this unprecedented…… MORE
Group Seeks COVID-19 Ag Testing
The Sustainable Food Policy Alliance wants the White House to prioritize COVID-19 testing for food and agriculture workers. The group sent the request in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue this week. The organization urges that food and agriculture workers, as part of an essential industry, be heightened…… MORE
