Five months late, USDA gets full-year funding
President Biden signed into law a $460 billion appropriations bill with funding through Sept. 30 for the USDA and five other federal departments on Saturday, providing full-year funding after four stopgap bills. House and Senate leaders have a March 22 deadline to agree on and pass a funding bill for the rest of the federal government.
Disease is factor in higher death rate in rural America
While the U.S. mortality rate is lower than in the 1960s, the urban rate has declined more rapidly than the rural rate, especially in the past generation. Three USDA analysts said a notable factor was a higher death rate from disease among working-age people in rural America.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Florida outlaws heat protectant: Florida legislators sent to the governor a bill that bars cities and counties from mandating water breaks, shade, and cooling-off breaks for the state’s estimated 2 million outdoor workers, such as farmworkers. (The Guardian)
Hunger rises in food-short nations: Armed conflict and adverse weather are exacerbating hunger in the four dozen nations that need food aid, with dire conditions in the Gaza Strip, said the FAO report Crop Prospects and Food Situation. (Food and Agriculture Organization)
Smaller Brazil soybean crop: With the harvest at its mid-point, the USDA lowered its estimate of the 2023/24 soybean crop in Brazil to 155 million metric tons, 4 percent smaller than the record set in the previous season. (World Agricultural Production)
Despite wildfires, lots of beef: The Smokehouse Creek wildfire that burned more than 1 million acres (1,560 square miles) in Texas is unlikely to affect cattle prices or beef supplies in the grocery store because the U.S. cattle herd is large and spread across many states. (Drovers)
Extension or new farm bill?: The polarized Congress will soon face the question of whether to pass a new farm bill or extend the life of the 2018 farm law, already extended one year past its 2023 termination date. (farmdoc daily)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks at the National Farmers Union annual convention, 11:45 a.m. ET, Scottsdale, Arizona. The speech will be livestreamed on the NFU convention YouTube page. The convention runs through Tuesday.
Indoor Ag-Con LLC holds 11th annual Indoor Ag-Con, a trade show and conference for indoor, vertical, and controlled environment agriculture, through Tuesday, Las Vegas, Nevada.
North American Millers Association holds spring conference, through Tuesday, Marco Island, Florida.
Tuesday
White House releases proposed federal budget for fiscal 2025. Shalanda Young, director of the White House budget office, will testify before the Senate Budget Committee at 10:15 a.m. ET, 608 Dirksen.
The Labor Department releases monthly Consumer Price Index report, 8:30 a.m. ET. At present, the food inflation rate is 2.6 percent and the overall U.S. inflation rate is 3.4 percent.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visits an elementary school in Las Vegas to discuss healthy school meals and the Farm to School program.
Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington State hold presidential nominating primaries. Hawaii holds Republican presidential caucuses.
Informa Markets hosts Natural Products Expo West, through Saturday, Anaheim, California.
National Farmers Organization holds Convene ’24, its annual winter meeting, through Wednesday, Coralville, Iowa.
Kisaco Research holds the second annual Regenerative Agriculture and Food Systems Summit, through Thursday, Chicago.
Wednesday
American Coalition for Ethanol hosts the annual Washington Fly-in and Government Affairs Summit, through Thursday, Washington.
USDA releases annual North American Grain and Oilseed Crushings report, 3 p.m. ET.
Thursday
Senate Agriculture chairwoman Debbie Stabenow speaks at a farmer expo on climate-smart agriculture sponsored by LCV Education Fund and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, noon ET, 385 Russell. Agriculture undersecretary Robert Bonnie will lead a roundtable discussion with farmers about federal climate-smart programs.
International Grains Council releases Grains Market Report, London.
USDA releases monthly Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, 3 p.m. ET.
Friday
USDA releases annual Honey Report, 3 p.m. ET.
Sunday
National Grain and Feed Association holds its 127th annual convention, through March 19, Orlando.
