Smallest U.S. ag exports in three years amid trade war The trade war with China and low commodity prices will combine to slash U.S. farm exports by 4.5 percent this fiscal year, said the USDA on Thursday in a quarterly forecast. Exports of $137 billion would be the smallest since… Continue reading
Pence goes to Canada, looking for a sprint to the new NAFTA Vice President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are scheduled to confer today in Ottawa on what could be a summertime sprint in both countries to ratify the USMCA trade agreement. SNAP boosted rural employment during… Continue reading
Corn losses in rainy spring will be ‘similar to a severe drought’ in scope Heading into the final week of May, U.S. farmers have planted only 46 percent of the corn and soybean acreage that they intended this year, due to the rainy spring. Controversial pesticide use sees dramatic increase… Continue reading
How an Agricultural Weed Came to Symbolize Memorial Day A poem by a Canadian soldier helped turn the poppy into a symbol of remembrance for fallen soldiers. Papaver rhoeas, also known as the common poppy, corn poppy and red weed, among other names, is considered a nuisance plant by European… Continue reading
Sign the Petition Via This Link The Marijuana Justice Act was just reintroduced into the House and Senate. It would legalize weed nationwide. If passed, the Marijuana Justice Act would remove marijuana from the US Controlled Substances Act, thereby ending federal criminalization of cannabis. If passed, this would allow medical research… Continue reading
Trump tariff payments could triple farm subsidies this year When Congress passed the 2018 farm policy law, analysts estimated farm subsidies would cost an average $6.1 billion a year. The Trump tariff payments, ordered by the White House to mitigate the impact of the trade war, could triple the total… Continue reading
More trade aid coming to farmers, Senate holds climate change hearing and slow planting season continues. Missed some ag news this week? Here’s seven ag stories to catch you up. 1. USDA released details of its latest round of trade aid on Thursday. The package includes $14.5 billion for direct… Continue reading
Trump announces $16-billion farm bailout, Perdue says more possible President Trump announced a $16-billion aid package on Thursday to buffer the impact of the trade war on farmers and ranchers this year. Speaking separately to reporters, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said billions of dollars of additional aid may flow in… Continue reading
Slowest growth rate for organic food sales since 2009 Organic food is everywhere, from nationwide retailers to the local corner store, and facing increased price competition that slowed sales growth to its lowest rate since 2009, said the Organic Trade Association in an annual report on Wednesday. House panel to… Continue reading
Trade war expands government role in agriculture, despite decades of free-market reforms The multibillion-dollar Trump tariff payments to farmers are expanding the government role in agriculture despite decades of free-market reforms that told farmers to pursue profits rather than subsidies. Come here, ERS and NIFA, say Kansas and Missouri lawmakers… Continue reading
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