Largest U.S. farm group opposes cattle market quotas
While supporting more transparency in cattle prices, the American Farm Bureau Federation draws the line at requiring meatpackers to buy slaughter cattle on the cash market, said president Zippy Duvall. Mandatory purchases are a prime feature of the leading Senate bill for cattle market reform.
EPA to investigate North Carolina biogas for discrimination
The Environmental Protection Agency has notified North Carolina civil rights groups that it will investigate whether state regulators discriminated against communities of color when they approved four applications to convert hog waste into fuel. The Jan. 13 letter, from EPA’s External Civil Rights Compliance Office, came two days after a state administrative-law judge upheld the same permits.
White House announces $1.36 billion for wildfire recovery
The Biden administration will spend $1.36 billion on wildfire recovery, including $600 million in California, said Vice President Kamala Harris during a visit to a fire station in San Bernardino, 50 miles east of Los Angeles.
Today’s Quick Hits/h3>
Sons inherit farms: Half of Iowa farmland is owned by women, but there is a gender imbalance in farm succession planning: Nearly six in 10 farmers choose sons and only 8 percent choose daughters to take over the farm. (CARD)
Volcanic agriculture threat: Agriculture is the occupation of most Tongans and initial estimates say 85 percent of the nation’s agricultural households were affected by the eruption of an underwater volcano. (FAO)
Soy beats corn: A Farm Futures survey found farmers will plant more land to soybeans than corn this spring due to high prices for fertilizer and other inputs; 2018 was the first time soybeans exceeded corn plantings. (Farm Futures)
Rapid rural spread: For the second week in a row, rural counties set a record for the number of new cases of Covid-19. (Daily Yonder)
Climate and BBB:House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats will “continue to advance the provisions of the Build Back Better Act, including those related to child care and family care, health care, and climate.” (Pelosi)
On The Calendar
Monday
International Dairy Foods Association holds Dairy Forum 2022, through Wednesday, Palm Desert, California.
The German Food and Agriculture Ministry holds Global Forum for Food and Agriculture online, through Friday.
USDA issues monthly Cold Storage report, 3 p.m. ET.
Tuesday
The School Nutrition Association holds Virtual School Nutrition Industry Conference, through Wednesday.
USDA releases monthly Food Price Outlook, 9 a.m. ET. The USDA has forecast food inflation at a near-normal 2.5 percent this year, following two years of higher than average increases.
USDA releases monthly State Stories, with weather and crop summaries for 44 states and the New England region. The report is issued on or near the first Tuesday of the month in January, February and March.
Thursday
U.S. Custom Harvesters holds members-only annual convention, through Saturday, Amarillo, Texas.
Friday
Kansas corn, sorghum, soybean and wheat associations hold Kansas Commodity Classic, Salina, Kansas. Speakers include Kansas Agriculture Secretary Mike Beam and Sen. Jerry Moran.
