As coronavirus drives down commodity prices, farm groups ask for aid
By driving down commodity prices, the coronavirus outbreak is draining $50-$90 an acre from corn and soybean revenue that farmers expect to receive this year, said economists Brent Gloy and David Widmar on Monday. Farm leaders said the counterweight to falling prices and economic uncertainty should be federal support.
Higher SNAP benefits backed by House Democrats for coronavirus relief
With the Senate stymied over a coronavirus relief bill, House Democrats drafted a 1,200-page alternative on Monday that called for a 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits and the donation of $300 million worth of food to food banks. (No paywall)
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Russia curbs food exports, eases imports (Bloomberg): For now it’s just restricting exports of rice and buckwheat, but Russian officials are monitoring supplies of food, medicine and other consumer goods as coronavirus spreads.
Keeping kids fed (NPR): With schools closed, school districts are scrambling to feed students who rely on them for meals. Some are preparing grab-and-go lunches, others are delivering food via school bus.
Klobuchar’s husband has coronavirus (Klobuchar): John Bessler, husband of Minnesota Democrat and Senate Agriculture panelist Amy Klobuchar, was diagnosed with the coronavirus and hospitalized, said the senator in a statement.
Halfway to $1 million for Rep. Peterson (MinnPost): A super PAC says it is halfway to its goal of raising $1 million in support of the re-election of House Agriculture chairman Collin Peterson, a Minnesota Democrat who is a GOP target in the Nov. 3 election.
EPA challenged over glyphosate (CFS): A coalition of farmworker and environmental groups sued the EPA in federal court, saying the agency’s re-approval of the herbicide glyphosate was based an incomplete risk assessment.
Jekanowski to lead ‘World Board’ (USDA): Mark Jekanowski will begin work next week as chairman of USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board, which produces the monthly WASDE report on production and usage of major commodities worldwide, said USDA chief economist Rob Johansson.
