Amid decline in commodity prices, farmland values could fall too Farmland values are still at elevated levels despite the sharply lower farm income of recent years but may drift lower in the near term, according to two examinations of the farm economy. The big customer for U.S. animal protein: Mexico… Continue reading
‘Flat-lining’ of U.S. gasoline use may hurt ethanol sales and corn farmers For years, larger and larger sales of corn ethanol were almost a given. For one thing, the Renewable Fuel Standard guaranteed biofuels a share of the gasoline market, and car-happy Americans used more gasoline every year. The joyride,… Continue reading
In a break, disaster relief bills could pay farmers’ crop insurance premiums In a departure from past practices, companion disaster bills filed by Democrats in the House and Senate would give farmers the money to pay for their crop insurance policies. Central figure in Iowa nutrient runoff case, Bill Stowe,… Continue reading
On average, U.S. farmers are aging, but a quarter of them are newcomers One-third of America’s 3.4 million farmers are over the age of 65, and nearly a million more of them are within a decade of that milestone, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, released by the USDA… Continue reading
Roberts sees route for reauthorizing child nutrition this year After warning against saddling small schools with big-city regulations, Senate Agriculture chairman Pat Roberts said on Wednesday that Congress could act swiftly on the overdue renewal of child nutrition programs. The programs, headlined by school lunch and WIC, cost $30 billion… Continue reading
House ag leader backs one-time aid for flooded grain Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said farmers ought to be considered for federal compensation for grain lost in flooded bins this spring. At nearly the same time, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee called for a one-time grain payment to flooded… Continue reading
U.S. farm products likely targets as Canada refreshes tariff list Canada could soon propose retaliatory tariffs on “a significant number of agricultural products,” including U.S. wine, pork, apples and ethanol, as part of its campaign for removal of American tariffs on steel and aluminum, said ambassador David MacNaughton on Monday…. Continue reading
Proposed rule would ease standards for retailers that accept SNAP The Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule Friday that would ease the standards for how many and what types of products food retailers must stock in order to accept SNAP benefits at their stores. An Obama-era rule had expanded… Continue reading
Trump, dropping Mexico threat, says ‘very close’ to China deal U.S. and Chinese negotiators may be within four weeks of resolving the Sino-U.S. trade war, said President Trump on Thursday. Trump said the nations are working on a comprehensive agreement. “And whether it’s our farmers or our technology people, all… Continue reading
SNAP defenders blast USDA time-limit proposal The administration is motivated by conservative ideology, not facts, with its proposal to toughen the 90-day limit on food stamps for able-bodied adults, said the chair of a House Agriculture subcommittee on Wednesday, vowing “to do everything I can to stop this rule.” Farm… Continue reading
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