A letter obtained by Politico indicates the Department of Agriculture will not open Conservation Reserve Program acres for crop production. In a letter to the National Grain and Feed Association, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says, “Quickly converting this land to crop production is clearly unfeasible.” Vilsack notes that most acres enrolled in CRP are largely…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Senate Passes Ocean Shipping Reform Bill
The Senate reform bill would make it more difficult for ocean carriers to refuse to load American goods that are ready to get shipped from U.S. ports. The legislation is a federal response to congested ports. Some shipping lines find it more profitable to haul empty shipping containers back to Asia than carry loaded containers,…… MORE
Senate Passes Ocean Shipping Reform Bill
The Senate passes the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. The reform bill would make it more difficult for ocean carriers to refuse to load American goods that are ready to get shipped from U.S. ports. The legislation is a federal response to congested ports. Some shipping lines find it more profitable to haul empty shipping containers…… MORE
Supreme Court to Hear Case Against Prop. 12
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation against California’s Proposition 12. The law bans the sale of pork from hogs born to sows that weren’t raised according to the state’s production standards. NPPC President Terry Wolters says, “We are…… MORE
New American Beef Trade Agreement With Japan
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. and Japan reached an agreement that will help keep more American beef flowing into Japan. Both countries agree to increase the beef safeguard trigger level under the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement. The Hagstrom Report says it’s now less likely that U.S. exports…… MORE
Ocean Shipping Reform Makes Progress
The Senate Commerce Committee supports passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. According to the the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, that committee support calls for action to address shipping supply chain challenges. Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation says, “Export supply chain issues continue to…… MORE
Farmer Share Of Food Dollar Increases
The farm share of the food dollar increased one cent in 2020, according to new data from USDA’s Economic Research Service. On average, U.S. farmers received 16 cents for farm commodity sales from each consumer dollar spent on domestically produced food in 2020, up from a revised 15 cents in 2019. Known as the farm…… MORE
National Ag Day
Today is National Ag Day, celebrating American agriculture. In his proclamation of National Ag Day, President Joe Biden writes, “I call upon all Americans to join me in recognizing and reaffirming our commitment to and appreciation” of American agriculture. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers is highlighting the technology and innovation in agriculture on the National…… MORE
Drought Will Continue In The West
A severe drought has gripped western parts of the U.S. since the middle of 2020. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says drought will likely persist or worsen in the spring due to above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation. NOAA’s spring outlook says dry conditions will likely heighten the risk of wildfires across the Southwest and…… MORE
Clean Water Act Possible Impact on Farming
A new report from the Environmental Integrity Project calls for eliminating agricultural exemptions for the Clean Water Act. They want the Act fixed because it’s missed the original goal of getting 100% of American waters fishable and swimmable by 1983. DTN says farmers and ranchers have had many of their practices exempted from the CWA,…… MORE
