U.S. Wins at WTO – April 19, 2019

U.S. wins again at WTO, though compliance by China may be months away

The WTO ruled in favor of the United States in its complaint that China had rigged its tariff system to constrict entry of foreign-grown grain. The ruling was the second U.S. victory in seven weeks against trade-distorting Chinese agricultural practices.

Rep. Pingree highlights role of farmers in fighting climate change

Maine Democrat Rep. Chellie Pingree rolled out a five-point plan to “support farmers in the fight against climate change,” offering a contrast to the Green New Deal announced earlier this year, which largely sidestepped agricultural issues and came under criticism for not engaging with farmers.

Report: The ‘new NAFTA’ will boost ag exports by 1.1 percent

U.S. food and agricultural exports would increase by $2.2 billion, or 1.1 percent, with full implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the successor to NAFTA, said the U.S. International Trade Commission in a report issued Thursday.

SNAP starts small, will go national, in test of online grocery shopping

The USDA launched a test of online grocery shopping for food stamp recipients in New York State on Thursday, with plans to expand the pilot to nine states across the nation.

TODAY’S QUICK HITS

Farm loan volumes increase (Kansas City Fed): Farm lenders, especially smaller ag banks, are turning increasingly to USDA loan guarantees and loan syndication to handle a rising demand for farm loans.

Wild bee identification (Center for Food Safety): The Wild Bee ID app was developed by the Center for Food Safety, an environmental group, to make it easy to identify wild bees and the plants that will provide habitat for them.

Parks for play, not pesticides (Environmental Health News): Two members of the New York City Council proposed legislation to ban city agencies from spraying glyphosate-based herbicides and other toxic pesticides in parks and other public spaces.

What do urban coyotes eat? (High Country News): As coyotes spread from the western plains into metropolitan areas, their prey increasingly includes small pets. In fact, a National Park Service study says up to one-fifth of urban coyotes’ diet is cats.

Weather trumps technology in planting corn (farmdoc daily): According to two University of Illinois economists, a stretch of fair weather is the key determinant in the timely planting of the corn crop because despite the larger equipment now in use, there been little change in the number of days needed to plant the corn crop.

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