Senate to vote on funding for ‘heirs property’ initiative

 

The Senate is scheduled to vote today on an amendment to provide $5 million for a re-lending program that would be a step toward resolving ownership issues for farmers operating on so-called heirs property — land that passed from one generation of a family to another without a clear title. Heirs property laws have been used for decades to effectively steal land from African-American farmers. 

 

Wildfires strike California’s wine country

The rapidly moving Kincade fire destroyed the historic Soda Rock winery near Healdsburg in Northern California and “had Sonoma County wine country under siege,” the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.

TODAY’S QUICK HITS

Senate votes for more ag inspectors (Ag Insider): The Senate passed by voice vote a bill, S. 2107, that would require the Customs and Border Protection agency to hire an additional 240 agricultural inspectors a year to work at ports of entry.

 

Roadkill, it’s what’s for dinner (New Food Economy): A new California law calls for state wildlife officials to designate three pilot regions where motorists and passersby will be allowed to “salvage” for food the wild animals that are struck and killed on roadways.

 

High risk of Missouri River flooding (DTN/Progressive Farmer): The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the risk of spring flooding remains high throughout the Missouri River watershed, where farmland remains saturated from flooding this year.

 

World soybean supply shrinks (IGC): With a smaller U.S. crop in store, global soybean production will be 5 percent smaller in 2019/20 than in the previous year and carry-over stocks will fall by one-third, to the lowest level in six years.

 

Another year of low food inflation (USDA): As 2019 heads into its final months, food prices are forecast to rise 2 percent this year, the fifth year in a row of below-average increases in food prices.

 

ON THE CALENDAR

Monday

– Deputy Agriculture Secretary Steve Censky leads agricultural trade mission to West Africa, through Thursday, Accra, Ghana.

 

– Rural Women’s Summit, through Tuesday, Greenville, South Carolina.

 

– USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.

Tuesday

– House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, “Protecting the RFS: The Trump administration’s abuse of secret waivers,” 10:30 a.m. ET, 2123 Rayburn.

 

– Organic and Non-GMO Forum 2019, through Wednesday, Minneapolis.

Wednesday

– House Agriculture subcommittee hearing, “Reviewing the state of organic agriculture — producers perspectives,” 10 a.m. ET, 1300 Longworth.

 

– EPA holds public hearing on supplemental RFS rule intended to account for exemptions granted to small refineries, Ypsilanti, Michigan. Public comment period runs through Nov. 29.

Thursday

– Boo! It’s Halloween, believed to originate 2,000 years ago in a Celtic festival ahead of the Nov. 1 start of the new year, according to the History Channel. Nov. 1 “marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death.” The festival of Samhain was held on Oct. 31, “when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth” and caused trouble and damaged crops.

 

– Agri-Pulse holds “Industry discussion on USMCA,” 8 a.m. ET, 1300 Longworth.

 

– AgriFood Conversations hosts webinar, “How manure might just save the planet,” with with a panel that includes speakers from EPA and Cargill, 4 p.m. ET. 

 

– USDA releases monthly Agricultural Prices report and annual Fruit and Tree Nut Yearbook, 3 p.m. ET.

Friday

– USDA releases selected tables, covering U.S. crop and livestock supply and use along with macroeconomic assumptions, from its 10-year baseline, noon ET. The tables, based on production and market conditions in October, will be part of the agricultural projections discussed at USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum on Feb. 20-21.

 

– Deadline for comments on USDA proposal to tighten SNAP participation by restricting use of so-called categorical eligibility.

 

– Food Tank Summit, “The food movement is growing (and winning),” New York City.

Sunday

– The United States returns to standard time and sets clocks one hour later.