Category: Farm Report

Export sales to Japan aren’t fake news, wheat growers tell Trump   A day after President Trump scoffed at wheat exports to Japan — “They don’t even want our wheat,” he said — U.S. wheat growers called out the president for maligning an important trade relationship. It was one of… Continue reading

As Trump delays tariffs, he says China wants to buy U.S. ag exports   China intends “to buy a lot of farm product,” said President Trump on Tuesday. At the same time, the White House announced it would delay 10 percent tariffs on electronics such as cell phones, laptop computers,… Continue reading

Trade war limits outlet for smaller-than-usual U.S. corn and soy crops U.S. farmers will harvest their smallest corn and soybean crops since 2013, but the trade war will constrain exports of America’s two major crops for the second year in a row, forecast the USDA on Monday. Soybeans would sell… Continue reading

Farm and ethanol groups ask Trump to intervene on RFS waivers   President Trump, who campaigned for election as a friend of corn ethanol, ought to stop the EPA from issuing “hardship” waivers that free refineries from complying with the so-called ethanol mandate, said ethanol and farm groups. The EPA… Continue reading

Rise in commodity prices slows decline in farm income, say bankers Agricultural lenders expect farm income, which weakened in the spring, to continue to decline this summer, although a recent rally in corn, soybean, and wheat prices will act as a stabilizer, said Federal Reserve banks in Kansas City, Minneapolis,… Continue reading

USDA’s bank’ keeps trade aid flowing to farmers   The Trump administration can pay billions of dollars in trade aid to farmers and ranchers this year, and in 2020, too, if it wishes, because Congress quietly and reliably replenishes funding for the Commodity Credit Corp., sometimes referred to as the… Continue reading

  Trump ready to spend again on farmers, who expect to win trade war   With the China-U.S. trade war deepening, President Trump said he would continue trade aid payments next year if necessary. Meanwhile, farmers are confident the conflict will be resolved in their favor.    Poultry companies subpoenaed… Continue reading

USDA dismisses finding of agency relocation as unconstitutional   The USDA failed to obtain congressional approval before relocating two research agencies to Kansas City this summer, said an inspector general’s report on Monday. “The budgetary provisions…requiring committee approval are unconstitutional,” responded USDA’s lawyers in rejecting the standard Capitol Hill requirement… Continue reading

The $2 billion difference in Trump trade aid The Trump administration has spent notably less than commonly described on its package to mitigate the impact of the trade war on 2018 agricultural production. This year’s version may come closer to the $16 billion maximum trumpeted by the president because of… Continue reading

Trump cites sluggish ag sales as reason to expand trade war A day after the White House reported constructive talks with China, President Trump expanded the Sino-U.S. trade war on Thursday, saying China wasn’t buying enough U.S. farm exports and Beijing wasn’t moving fast enough in negotiations. ‘Dead zone’ in… Continue reading