Obstacles for Fischbach in her campaign to challenge Ag chair Peterson
With an early endorsement from President Trump, former Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach is the GOP favorite to run against House Agriculture chairman Collin Peterson in western Minnesota. But other candidates were loath to clear the way for her at a nominating convention in May and in the upcoming Aug. 11 primary election.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
A German weak spot for Covid-19: With eight outbreaks linked to the meat industry, Germany’s meat processing industry “has emerged as the Achilles heel” of the nation’s otherwise successful struggle against the coronavirus pandemic. (Washington Post)
Pendley tabbed as BLM director: President Trump said he intends to nominate William Pendley, who has been acting director of the Bureau of Land Management since last July, as director, a controversial choice for a post requiring Senate confirmation, considering his past support of the sale of public lands. (Colorado Public Radio)
Tyson sued over Iowa deaths: The families of three workers who died of Covid-19 sued Tyson Foods, alleging the company deceived employees about a coronavirus outbreak at its hog slaughter plant in Waterloo, Iowa, and failed to adequately protect them from infection. (Iowa Public Radio)
Findlay out as soybean leader: Brian Vaught will serve as interim chief executive officer with the departure of Ryan Findley from the American Soybean Association after two years as its CEO. (Brownfield Ag News)
Borden Dairy sold for $340 million: Capital Peak and KKR acquired substantially all of the assets of Borden Dairy for $340 million in a court-supervised sale following Borden’s filing of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition. (Dairy Foods)
Workers strike over virus at pistachio farm: Workers went on strike for protective equipment at pistachio grower Primex Farms in central California, where 31 employees are infected with the coronavirus. (Associated Press)
ON THE USDA CALENDAR
Monday
OECD releases annual Agricultural Monitoring and Evaluation report, 11 a.m. ET.
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology and the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association hold webinar, “Economic impact of Covid-19 on food and agricultural markets,” noon ET. Speakers are Jayson Lusk of Purdue University, Alison Davis of the University of Kentucky, Timothy Richards of Arizona State University and John Anderson of University of Arkansas.
Midwest Association of State Departments of Agriculture holds second of three online sessions to replace its annual meeting in person. Today’s one-hour session is about renewable fuels. On July 6, a session is planned on animal health. The first session, on June 22 was about water quality.
Hemp Industry Daily holds conference online “to learn, discuss, network and chart the future of our industry as we look to emerge stronger than ever from these uncertain times,” through Wednesday.
USDA issues weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.
Tuesday
USDA releases annual Acreage and quarterly Grain Stocks reports, noon ET. Traders expect the report to show corn plantings are 1.8 million acres smaller and soybean plantings are 1.2 million acres larger than growers indicated in a March survey. With futures prices making soybeans more attractive, traders said in a Reuters survey that they believe 95.2 million acres of corn and 84.7 million acres of soybeans were planted. That would result in a record-setting corn crop of 15.7 billion bushels and the fourth-larges soybean harvest on record, 4.18 billion bushels, assuming normal weather and using USDA’s projected yields.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell testify at House Financial Services hearing, “Oversight of the Treasury Department’s and Federal Reserve’s pandemic response,” 12:30 p.m. ET.
Harvard school of public health hosts webinar, “Food insecurity, inequality and Covid-19,” noon ET.
Farmdoc Daily webinar, “Updated supply and demand for corn and soybeans,” 4 p.m. ET.
USDA releases monthly Agricultural Prices report, 3 p.m. ET.
Final day for farmers to select ARC or PLC for 2020 crops.
Wednesday
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, successor to NAFTA, takes effect today. The new agreement preserves duty-free access to Canada and Mexico for most U.S. agricultural products and is forecast to bring marginal gains in farm exports to those nations.
Associate administrator James Rivera of the Small Business Administration is lead witness at a House Small Business Committee hearing, “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program: Status update from the administration,” 10 a.m. ET, 2118 Rayburn.
Thursday
UN Food and Agriculture Organization releases monthly Food Price Index, Rome.
Friday
Federal holiday in observance of Independence Day.
Saturday
Independence Day. On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring “That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown.” The revolution started on April 19, 1775, in fighting between British troops and American militia at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. It effectively ended with the surrender of a British army commanded by Lord Charles Cornwallis on Oct. 18, 1781. Nearly two years later, Britain signed the Treaty of Paris and formally recognized the independence of the former colonies, on Sept. 3, 1783.
