Valley Congressman Jim Costa falls short in his bid to become the top House of Representatives farm leader. The Democratic Steering Committee nominated Congressman David Scott of Georgia over Costa to become the next chair of the House Agriculture Committee. That means Scott is now one step away from officially becoming the first African-American chair…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Farm Production Expenses To Drop
The USDA says farm sector production expenses, including those associated with operator dwellings, are forecast to decrease by $4.6 billion to $344.2 billion in 2020 in nominal terms, which means not adjusted for inflation. That’s a 1.3% drop from the previous year. These expenses represent the costs of all inputs used to produce farm commodities…… MORE
Possible Action Against Imported Produce
Fresh produce coming into the United States is getting increasing scrutiny from the Trump Administration. Imported strawberries are now on the list of imported items that the administration wants investigated for possibly harming U.S. fruit and vegetable growers. Strawberry imports, mainly from Mexico, represent about 16 percent of the U.S. market, valued at approximately…… MORE
CFAP Program Deadline
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency is reminding farmers and ranchers that the deadline to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 is December 11th. The program provides direct relief to producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs due to COVID-19. “Producers have one more month to get their applications in…… MORE
Farmworker Overtime Case
A divided Washington state Supreme Court ruled that the state’s dairy workers will get overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours a week. The Associated Press says it’s possible that the decision could someday apply to the rest of the agriculture industry. For the past six decades, Washington state laws have mirrored…… MORE
Costa seeks House Ag chairmanship
Representative Jim Costa will seek to become the next chair of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. According to a news release Costa says “The Committee on Agriculture should reflect the changing landscape of agriculture in the United States.” He goes on to say “As a third-generation farmer, I have the firsthand experience, expertise…… MORE
House Ag Chair Defeated
Agriculture lost decades of experience in the defeat of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson. The Minnesota Democrat lost Tuesday to the Republican Challenger Michelle Fischbach, garnering 53% to Peterson’s 39% of votes in Minnesota’s District 7. In a statement, Peterson said, “We ran a strong and positive campaign, but with the President winning…… MORE
Ag Barometer Reaches All-Time High
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 27 points to a reading of 183 in October, setting an all-time high for the index. Farmers were more optimistic about both the future and current financial situations on their farms. The Current Conditions Index rose 36 points to a reading of 178, and the Future…… MORE
Labor Department Finalizes H-2A Wage Rule
The Department of Labor issued a final rule that updates the methodology for determining the annual Adverse Effect Wage Rates in the H-2A visa program. The Trump administration claims the new rule improves the consistency of the wage rates, provides stronger protections for workers, and establishes better stability and predictability for employers. Agriculture Secretary…… MORE
USDA Farm Labor Survey
Farmworker advocates are pleased the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a temporary restraining order and an injunction against the USDA decision to suspend the annual Farm Labor Survey. The Packer says unless the decision gets appealed, it means USDA has to conduct its Farm Labor Survey and issue its…… MORE
