Perdue could pick new home for ERS and NIFA in May
The USDA is working briskly to move two scientific agencies out of Washington, an aide to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told lawmakers on Wednesday, despite skepticism on Capitol Hill about whether the relocations are justified. “We anticipate we will have a site recommendation to the secretary in early May,” she said.
In new ag platform, Warren pledges to take on Big Ag
Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced her agriculture policy platform Wednesday, three days before she is set to participate in a Democratic presidential candidates’ forum in rural Iowa. The platform calls for curtailing consolidation in agriculture by breaking up big agribusiness companies, reversing agriculture mega-mergers, and more.
Senators mull limits on ‘national security’ tariffs
Senate Finance Committee chairman Chuck Grassley has lots of company in considering limits on the president’s power to impose tariffs on national security grounds. In the coming weeks, Grassley expects to introduce a bipartisan bill to reform these so-called Section 232 tariffs.
Federal jury awards $80 million in Roundup trial
In a bellwether trial, a federal jury found Monsanto liable for causing blood cancer in a man who used its Roundup weedkiller, and awarded the man, Edwin Hardeman, more than $80 million in damages, said The Recorder.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
McDonald’s gives up the fight against $15 (Restaurant Business): The fast-food giant will no longer lobby against increases to the minimum wage, the company wrote in a letter to the National Restaurant Association, an industry lobby, on Tuesday.
Big Cheese money grows (Bloomberg): The three siblings who own Lactalis, the world’s largest cheesemaker, are now worth a collective $18.7 billion. The company’s boost in profits this year pushed the family into the ranks of the 500 richest people in the world.
Dairy group in trouble (Eater): Dairy Farmers of America, which represents some 30 percent of the country’s milk producers, said its sales plunged $1.1 billion in 2018. The company attributes the drop largely to falling milk prices.
Dicamba, a public health issue? (DTN/Progressive Farmer): Ag chemical companies, farmers, and regulators may have only a year or two to resolve the issue of “off-target” damage by the weedkiller dicamba before questions of public health and safety take precedence in the debate about the difficult-to-control herbicide.
No benefit from increased tillage (farmdoc Daily): More trips across a field with tillage equipment doesn’t pay off with higher corn or soybean revenue, according to data from 200,000 acres of cropland in Illinois. While the data show no statistical difference in yields, more passes to work the soil may add to production costs.
Green groups sue for cleaner water in Iowa (Des Moines Register): Two environmental groups, citing the Public Trust Doctrine, filed suit to force farmers to reduce nutrient runoff into the Raccoon River, the source for drinking water for Des Moines, and to stop livestock farms from building or expanding operations in the Raccoon watershed until a mandatory nutrient-reduction plan is in place.
