India is challenged at WTO over rice and wheat subsidies
Some of the world’s agricultural powerhouses accused India on Thursday of violating world trade rules through exorbitant subsidies for its wheat and rice farmers. India was the ninth-largest farm exporter in the world in 2020, but its success was built on subsidized production, said Australia, Canada, Paraguay, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United States in a WTO filing.
Americans like crop subsidy limits where they are
For years, the crop subsidy limit has been $125,000 a year per farmer. Given a free hand on subsidies, Americans would keep the limit roughly the same, though they would give small family farms an extra bit of help, said a trio of analysts on Thursday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Agrifood employment: About 1.23 billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population, are employed in the global agrifood system, and nearly two-thirds of them are in Asia, according to the first systematic global estimate. (FAO)
Unpersuaded on SNAP cuts: Republican Reps. Mark Molinaro and Mike Lawler of New York are examples of the challenge House GOP leaders face in assembling a majority to cut SNAP benefits. (New York Times)
Bayer breakup?: The incoming chief executive of Bayer said all options are on the table when it comes to complaints about the 2016 purchase of Monsanto and proposals to separate the company’s agricultural and pharmaceutical divisions. (Financial Times)
Temporary primary rules: The Montana Senate passed a Republican-backed bill that would create a “jungle primary” solely for the state’s 2024 race for U.S. Senate, a move Democrats say is aimed specifically at defeating current Sen. Jon Tester. (Montana Public Radio)
Climate grants: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $40 million in grants for 31 projects to develop innovative approaches to climate-smart agriculture and $19 million in grants for two projects to reduce nutrient runoff. (USDA)
