U.S. crop production unlikely to suffer much from floods
Spring flooding in the northern Plains and western Corn Belt will have a marginal impact on corn and soybean plantings, according to a USDA survey of growers and initial tallies of flooded land.
At Iowa forum, Democratic presidential candidates vow to take on Big Ag
Antitrust enforcement took center stage at Saturday’s Heartland Forum in Storm Lake, Iowa, a platform for Democratic presidential hopefuls to share their visions for rural America. Nearly all of the candidates said tackling consolidation would be part of their rural agenda, with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar calling it a main priority.
Farmers say they will plant fewer acres this year
Aside from planning a 4-percent expansion of corn area, U.S. farmers aren’t enthusiastic about spring planting. With little improvement expected in commodity prices, growers say they will plant fewer acres of soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum and oats than in 2018, and they’ll stand pat on barley.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Delaney announces rural plan (Des Moines Register): Presidential hopeful John Delaney released his plan for rural America, including enforcing antitrust laws in the agriculture sector and encouraging people to work and live in small towns.
Bipartisan support for checkoff bill (Drovers): Sens. Mike Lee, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Rand Paul co-sponsored a bill to reform the national checkoff program.
No more faux-’meat’ in AK (Quartz): Arkansas became the sixth state to pass a law prohibiting the use of the word “meat” to describe cell-cultured and plant-based animal product alternatives.
Midwest floods hit Pine Ridge hard (New Food Economy): Residents of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southern South Dakota are struggling to recover from the flooding caused by the Midwest’s “bomb cyclone.”
Bayer stocks fall (Mother Jones): Shares of Bayer, the owner of Monsanto, have fallen 25 percent in the past two weeks, coinciding with another court victory for a plaintiff claiming that exposure to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide caused his cancer.
ON THE USDA CALENDAR
Monday
– No joking, it’s April Fool’s Day, by tradition a day in the Western world for “practical pleasantries” and pranks. One of the best is the 1957 BBC spoof about harvesting spaghetti noodles from trees in Switzerland.
– Senate votes whether to limit debate on $13.5-billion disaster-assistance bill, 5:30 p.m. ET, The Capitol. Democrats say the bill, which includes flood relief for the Farm Belt, should include more aid for Puerto Rico than the $600 million for food stamps that is included in the GOP-backed bill.
– Senate Agriculture Committee votes on nomination of Heath Tarbert for chairman of the CFTC, 5:30 p.m. ET, S-216, The Capitol.
– Clean-water groups hold 2019 Water Week and fly-in, through Saturday, Washington. The fly-in is Wednesday and Thursday.
– Partnership for a Healthier America holds annual summit, “Accelerating for a healthier America,” through Tuesday, Chicago.
– Yale FES Energy Student Interest Group and Fresh Energy sponsor panel discussion, “Agrivoltaics: Harvesting multiple benefits from solar sites,” focusing on pollinator-friendly solar generation, 5 p.m. ET, New Haven, Connecticut.
– Global Aginvesting, through Wednesday, New York
– SNAXPO 19, through Tuesday, Orlando.
– USDA releases first of its weekly Crop Progress reports for 2019, issued on the first business day of the week throughout the growing season.
Tuesday
– House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, “The rural economy,” with witnesses from the Farm Credit System, 10:30 a.m. ET, 2362-A Rayburn.
– Administrator Andrew Wheeler is lead witness at House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on proposed fiscal 2020 budget for EPA, 10 a.m. ET, 2359 Rayburn.
– Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue visits Purdue University to meet students, faculty and state agricultural leaders and join Purdue president Mitch Daniels “for a conversation open to the public.”
– Purdue releases monthly Ag Economy Barometer, providing “a sense of the agricultural economy’s health.”
– National Cattlemen’s Beef Association hosts annual Legislative Conference, through Thursday, Washington.
– USDA releases Cold Storage Annual report, 3 p.m. ET.
Wednesday
– House Agriculture subcommittee on nutrition hearing, “Examining the proposed ABAWD rule and its impact on hunger and hardship,” 9 a.m. ET, 1300 Longworth.
– Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is lead witness at House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on proposed fiscal 2020 budget for FDA, 9 a.m. ET, 2362-A Rayburn.
– Administrator Andrew Wheeler is lead witness at Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on proposed fiscal 2020 funding for EPA, 9 a.m. ET, 124 Dirksen.
– Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue speaks at opening of annual Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, noon ET, Jefferson Auditorium, USDA South Building.
– Biotechnology Innovation Organization holds Legislative Day Fly-In, Washington.
– CropLife America spring regulatory conference, through Friday, Arlington, Virginia.
Thursday
– Biofuel industry leaders and Senate Finance chairman Chuck Grassley speak at Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, Mayflower Hotel.
– UN Food and Agriculture Organization releases monthly Food Price Index, Rome.
