Drought scorches U.S. corn, soy, and wheat crops
U.S. farmers will reap two of their largest-ever corn and soybean crops, the first step to assuring an abundant food supply, the government said on Thursday, despite drought damage in the northern Plains and upper Midwest. The wheat crop, meanwhile, will be the smallest in 19 years.
Farmland values soar despite pandemic
Fueled by strong commodity prices and continued pandemic assistance, farmland values are skyrocketing, up by 14 percent in the central Midwest and by 10 percent in the central Plains, said the Federal Reserve banks in Chicago and Kansas City on Thursday.
We want a voice, too, say Republican senators
The 11 Republican members of the Senate Agriculture Committee asked chairwoman Debbie Stabenow on Thursday to open up the decision-making process on how to spend a potential windfall of $135 billion.
Today’s Quick Hits
Move to cities continues: Some 52 percent of the 3,143 counties in the United States lost population between 2010 and 2020, while four-fifths of metropolitan areas grew. Eighty-six percent of Americans now live in metro areas, up one percentage point from 2010. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Emergency health funds: Up to $500 million is available in emergency grants to rural healthcare facilities to expand access to Covid-19 vaccines, healthcare services, and nutrition assistance. (USDA)
SNAP boost to end: The temporary 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits, enacted last winter by Congress in response to the pandemic, is due to expire on Sept. 30, which anti-hunger groups say will mean greater food insecurity. (CBS News)
Water cuts: The first mandatory cuts in water supplies by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will hit Arizona dairy and cotton farmers hard while sparing cities and tribes. Although some farms will turn to wells, there is concern that groundwater is already over pumped. (Associated Press)
