Economy is top issue for rural voters, who expect worse to come — poll
By far, inflation is the No. 1 issue in rural America ahead of the midterm elections, said the Daily Yonder Rural Poll on Monday. Six of every 10 of the likely voters in the survey said they would vote for Republicans in congressional races, roughly the same margin won by former president Trump in 2020; three in 10 said they would vote for Democrats.
Rural areas feel migration pressures the most, says FAO leader
With migration at a high level worldwide, rural areas feel the greatest burden related to forced displacement, whether in loss of population or influx of newcomers, said the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on Monday. Food security, along with climate change and armed conflict, is a main driver of human migration.
Farmers plowed up 1.8 million acres of grasslands in 2020
U.S. and Canadian farmers plowed up about 1.8 million acres of Great Plains grasslands to plant crops in 2020, according to a report released Tuesday by the World Wildlife Federation. The report also showed that, for the first time since 2016, wheat surpassed corn and soy as the leading crop driving annual grasslands loss across the entirety of the Great Plains, and not just within the northern Great Plains.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Spending without congressional approval: When the Trump administration spent $23 billion on trade war payments in a widely-criticized program, it also set a precedent for spending vast sums without asking Congress for permission, a possible issue for the 2023 farm bill. (Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting)
Mississippi River ebbs lower: Water levels on the Mississippi River sank to a record 10.81 feet below the zero level on the river gauge at Memphis on Sunday, as shipping lines reduced the amount of cargo that can be loaded onto barges. (DTN/Progressive Farmer)
Investigate rising commodity prices: The CFTC should study whether excessive speculation in key commodities — including natural gas, wheat and oil — contributed to rising prices for household necessities, said two Democratic senators. (Sen. Warren)
Farmers oppose burp tax: New Zealand farmers protested against a government proposal to tax methane and nitrous oxide emissions from livestock, intended to combat climate change, as punitive and a threat to rural life. (Deutsche Welle)
Biden-Axne digital get-together: President Biden will participate in a virtual fundraiser on Wednesday for Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne, considered the underdog in the House district in southwestern Iowa. (FERN’s Ag Insider)
