Diet for Healthy Planet – January 17, 2019

Less red meat for healthier diet and planet

Diet for a healthy planet: Half the red meat and sugar, more grains, nuts, produce A three-year collaboration by three dozen experts in nutrition, agriculture, economics, and the environment says it has solved one of the world’s great challenges: how to feed an expected 10 billion people at mid-century without… Continue reading

Dicamba Challenge, Trade War – January 14, 2019

Court challenge to EPA approval of dicamba is dismissed as moot

Trump trade war: ‘We’re going to hang with him,’ says Farm Bureau chief The Sino-U.S. trade war, which as stymied U.S. farm exports, “is going to be a long one, and we keep delivering the message, ‘We’re with you, Mr. President,’” said the leader of the largest U.S. farm group… Continue reading

USDA and the Shutdown – January 4, 2019

USDA and the Shutdown

As House Agriculture chairman, Peterson plans extensive oversight hearings Incoming Agriculture Committee chair Collin Peterson spelled out an ambitious plan for hearings on topics from the farm economy and the trade war to rural broadband and a review of Sonny Perdue’s decision to move two USDA agencies out of Washington…. Continue reading

Science Agencies, Food Stamps – December 21, 2018

Lawmakers say science agencies need to stay in D.C.

Trump injects food stamp limits into signing of ‘really tremendous’ farm bill At the same time President Trump signed into law the 2018 farm bill, which modestly strengthens the farm safety net, loosens farm subsidy rules, and legalizes industrial hemp, he announced “immediate action on welfare reform” on Thursday through… Continue reading

Family Farming on Precipice – December 11, 2018

Family Farming on Precipice

Farm bill makes distant relatives eligible for subsidies Congress is expected to send President Trump a farm bill this week that makes nieces, nephews and first cousins of farmers eligible for crop subsidies, a setback in the decades-old drive to control farm spending. Family farming on a precipice, Wisconsin farmers… Continue reading

Pork Prices, China Trade – December 4, 2018

Pork prices affected by trade

White House expects immediate action by China on ag trade Taking a “show me” stance, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Monday he expected China to roll back tariffs on U.S. farm exports promptly and begin trade reforms in line with the trade deal struck by President Trump… Continue reading

Farm Bill, Income, Nutria Invasion – December 3, 2018

Nutria Invasion in California

The farm-income bump is the bailout by Trump U.S. farm income will be slightly higher than expected this year due chiefly to $4.7 billion in Trump tariff payments that will buffer the impact of trade war on commodity prices, says the USDA. With the bailout, farmers are forecast to collect… Continue reading

China Ag Sales Fall in Trade War – November 30, 2018

China Ag Sales drop 45 percent in trade war

U.S. ag sales to China to fall by 45 percent in trade war China, formerly the No. 1 customer for U.S. ag exports, will buy a comparatively paltry $9 billion worth of those exports this fiscal year, a startling 45 percent cutback due to the trade war, said the USDA… Continue reading

Farm Bill on Capitol Hill, Cell-Based Meat – November 29, 2018

Capitol Hill

On Capitol Hill, tentative agreement for a ‘status quo’ farm bill With congressional leaders calling the shots on forestry language, and with an incendiary Republican proposal for strict SNAP work requirements apparently off the table, negotiators reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on a farm bill that is evolutionary rather than… Continue reading