2020 is expected to be a big year for U.S. agriculture export growth. American Farm Bureau Federation senior congressional relations director Dave Salmonsen says China will be a big part of that growth for the industry. “We have a date of January 15th, let’s hope it happens there is getting a phase one deal with…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Senate Expected To Take Up USMCA
The U.S. Senate will take its first look at the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Tuesday if the House sends the implementing legislation to the Senate. Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley announced the hearing after the House passed the agreement last month. However, the hearing is still not on the official calendar for the committee. The hearing,…… MORE
Organic Sales Double
U.S. organic sales doubled between 2012 and 2017, even though the total value of U.S. agricultural sales remained flat. The USDA says growth in the organic sector has taken off since the early 2010s as food manufacturers, retailers, and livestock producers have increased their demand for organic foods and inputs. Organic operations’ average sales…… MORE
President Trump Announces Phase One Trade Deal Signing Date
President Trump is tweeting that he will be signing the Phase One Trade Deal with China January 15th at a ceremony at the White House. And President Trump is announcing that high level representatives of China will be present. The president goes on to tweet that at a later date he’s will be going…… MORE
USDA Sets Requirements for Meat Labels
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a clarification on its requirements for accuracy in labeling of meat and poultry products. An Agri-Pulse report says the Food Safety and Inspection Service says the only way beef can be labeled “grass-fed” is if they fed on grass or forage 100% of the time after they were…… MORE
Signs of Farm Financial Stress
Things have been hard in agriculture and more specifically, it’s been hard to be a farmer. Wet weather, low crop prices, as well as trade disputes have put some farmers on the edge. Financial stress is taking a toll and Successful Farming has put together a list of signs that may indicate a farmer…… MORE
Farmers Union Wants Improvements to USMCA
Back on December 10th, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced that the White House and her chamber of Congress had reached an agreement on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Deal. While the National Farmers Union was happy to see an effort to update the old North American Free Trade Agreement, the group says that effort…… MORE
USDA Sends Livestock Study to Congress
The USDA sent Congress details on a study to determine whether a Dealer Statutory Trust would improve the recovery of livestock sellers in cases of dealer payment defaults. The Hagstrom Report says the study, which was required under the 2018 Farm Bill, was undertaken by the Ag Marketing Service’s Packers and Stockyards Division. “Based…… MORE
USMCA Senate Action Early January
Following a landslide vote to pass the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in the House last week, the trade deal heads to the Senate. A vote, expected in January, could come early in the month, pending how the impeachment articles are handled. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week elected to hang on the impeachment documents, rather than…… MORE
CDC Confirms 138 Cases of E. coli Linked to Salinas Lettuce
By Leah Asmelash, CNN Remember the E. coli outbreak in romaine lettuce last month? Turns out, it’s not over.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday it has confirmed 138 cases of E. coli in 25 states, with the most recent one occurring on December 1. That means consumers should continue avoiding romaine lettuce from Salinas, California — where…… MORE
