Less land, higher risk for disadvantaged farmers
Socially disadvantaged farmers, a group that includes racial and ethnic minorities, women, and producers with limited resources, are more likely to operate smaller farms and face greater financial stress than the white farmers who dominate U.S. agriculture, said a USDA report.
Reference prices are the farm bill mystery and roadblock
Congress is not so much stalled over writing the new farm bill as unable to get started on it, considering the ongoing mystery of reference prices, said farm policy expert Jonathan Coppess. Higher reference prices, a key factor in boosting crop subsidies, are a priority of farm groups and their allies in Congress but no proposal has been made public in the past year to increase them.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Sixth decline for food index: The FAO Food Price Index fell for the sixth month in a row in January, down 1 percent due to lower prices for cereal grains and meat; the index is 10.4-percent lower than one year ago. (FAO)
U.S.-China biotech legislation: The House select committee on competition with China introduced a bill to ban groups receiving federal funds from buying equipment and services from “foreign adversary companies,” which could include crops and fuel. (Axios)
Bird flu takes a pause: Last fall’s surge in highly pathogenic avian influenza, which killed 20.9 million birds in domestic flocks in three months, slowed abruptly with losses of 2.02 million birds in January, mostly in the first week of the month. (USDA)
Big California dairies emit methane: Fifteen California dairy farms emit so much methane that it can be detected by overhead surveillance despite the farms installing digesters intended to trap the gas for sale as renewable fuel. (Food and Water Watch)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
Farm Journal holds Top Producer Summit, through Wednesday, Kansas City.
Clean Fuels Alliance America holds the annual Clean Fuels Conference, through Thursday, Fort Worth, Texas.
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture holds annual winter policy conference, through Tuesday, Washington.
American Sugarbeet Growers Association holds annual meeting, through Tuesday, Orlando, Florida.
Tuesday
Purdue University releases Ag Economy Barometer, a monthly gauge of the agricultural economy’s health.
U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai takes part in a fireside chat, “Free trade in the balance,” 6:30 p.m. ET, University of Chicago.
The California chapter of the American Society of Agronomy and the University of California Extension Service hold the 2024 California Plant and Soil Conference, through Wednesday, Fresno.
Nevada holds a presidential primary election. The state’s Republican Party will hold a caucus on Thursday.
Wednesday
USDA releases its first forecast of farm income in 2024, 11 a.m. ET. Net farm income is expected to decline by more than 10 percent from 2023 due to lower commodity prices and high production costs; 2023 was the second-highest income ever. The Economic Research Service will hold a webinar on the report at 1 p.m. ET.
Thursday
USDA releases monthly Crop Production and WASDE reports, noon ET.
Friday
House Small Business subcommittee hearing, USDA releases semi-annual Catfish Production report, 3 p.m. ET.
Saturday
National Association of Conservation Districts holds annual meeting, through Feb. 14, San Diego.
Sunday
The Rural Broadband Association holds RTIME for Rural Broadband, “the annual kickoff for the rural broadband industry to discuss all the essential topics for the year ahead,” through Feb. 14, Tampa, Florida.
