Beef prices soar, food inflation is highest in more than eight years   Food prices rose sharply for the second month in a row, with beef recording its largest one-month increase ever, as the U.S. food inflation rate hit 4 percent in May, said the Bureau of Labor Statistics… Continue reading

  Huge federal payments will make up 36 percent of farm income this year   The government will send a record $32.8 billion in direct payments to farmers this year and federal supports will amount to 36 percent of farm income, its largest share since 2001, said the FAPRI think… Continue reading

EPA cancels dicamba registration, allows use of the weedkiller until July 31   Farmers and pesticide applicators can use the weedkiller dicamba until July 31, the EPA announced on Monday as it canceled its approval of the herbicide, as required by an appellate court decision announced last week. The so-called… Continue reading

  There are holes in USDA’s Food Box, say congressional Democrats   When Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue talks about hunger relief during the pandemic, he puts the spotlight on the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program. But Democrats in the House and Senate question if the donation program is… Continue reading

  Beef and pork exports run ahead of 2019 pace despite pandemic   Exports of U.S.-grown pork and beef are flowing at a higher volume than in 2019, with a sales value of $4.86 billion through April. Strong meat exports are a sign that the United States is a reliable… Continue reading

Few farm groups speak out on George Floyd’s death or protests that followed   The National Farmers Union was the first major farm group to call for racial justice following the killing of George Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. A handful of groups said this… Continue reading

Record USDA support flowing, but farmers say more federal assistance will be needed   With signup underway for $16 billion in coronavirus payments, farmers overwhelmingly say more federal aid to agriculture is needed this year, according to a Purdue University poll released on Tuesday.       Fruit-packing workers strike,… Continue reading

China pauses buying U.S. ag exports, then sputters ahead   On the same day that Beijing reportedly told state-run trading houses to pause purchases of U.S. farm exports, the companies bought a small amount of U.S. soybeans on Monday, according to unnamed sources. The saber-rattling pause was a sign that… Continue reading

  Covid-19, ‘this global tragedy,’ flattens U.S. ag exports   Throttled by pandemic, U.S. farm exports this year will barely exceed last year’s totals, wiping out hopes of a speedy recovery from trade-war losses, said the USDA. Sales to China are rising but slower than projected when the “phase one”… Continue reading