Farm Bureau chief urges U.S. to resolve GMO corn dispute with Mexico
On the day before President Biden was to meet Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the head of the largest U.S. farm group called for prompt resolution of a threat by Mexico to block imports of U.S. corn in one year’s time.
World food prices down for ninth month in a row
The Russian invasion of Ukraine drove food prices to record levels during 2022 and the Food Price Index remains elevated after a nine-month decline, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Potential breakthrough on right-to-repair dispute
The Farm Bureau Federation and John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding on farmers’ right to repair their equipment on Sunday — potentially a breakthrough after years of complaints that manufacturers prevented access to the increasingly computerized controls of tractors, combines and other equipment.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Eggs at $7.37 a dozen: Retail egg prices in California are three times higher than a year ago, a result of bird flu outbreaks that have killed millions of egg-laying chickens, including hens producing the cage-free eggs mandated by Proposition 12. (Los Angeles Times)
Vaccine for honey bees: The USDA approved the first-ever vaccine to prevent American foulbrood disease, a widespread and destructive bacterial disease, among honey bees, said Diamond Animal Health, which received the conditional license. (CNN)
Listening session rescheduled: An agricultural listening session will be held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Friday, six days later than initially planned because of time needed to elect a House Speaker. (Thompson)
Glaciers melting: Two-thirds of the world’s glaciers will melt out of existence by the end of this century because of climate change, according to a study. (Associated Press)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
Mexico hosts the North American Leaders Summit, through Tuesday, Mexico City. President Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador are to confer on Monday afternoon and then dine with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Biden and Trudeau were scheduled to meet on Tuesday morning, with the three national leaders meeting afterward.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks to the American Farm Bureau Federation convention, 10:30 a.m. ET, San Juan, Puerto Rico, as part of a two-day trip to the island. Events include a panel discussion at El Yunque National Forest on Monday and a news conference with Gov. Pedro Pierluisi on Tuesday afternoon.
Eliza Fournier, urban farm director at the Lakeshore campus of College of Lake County, speaks at The Chicago Farmers luncheon, 12:30 p.m. ET, Chicago.
Tuesday
EPA holds public hearing on the RFS proposal for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Speakers are limited to three minutes each. The hearing will continue on Wednesday if necessary.
The National Cotton Council hosts 2023 Beltwide Cotton Conference, through Thursday, New Orleans.
Delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation convention vote on policy resolutions, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Peoples Company holds the annual Land Investment Expo, Des Moines.
Wednesday
USDA releases its first Cost of Pollination report since 2018, 3 p.m. ET.
Thursday
The Labor Department releases monthly Consumer Price Index report, 8:30 a.m. ET. At present, the U.S. inflation rate is 7.1 percent annually and the food inflation rate is 10.6 percent.
USDA releases annual Winter Wheat Seedings, annual Crop Production, quarterly Grain Stocks, and monthly Crop Production and WASDE reports, noon ET. Traders expect USDA to report a 4-percent expansion of winter wheat plantings, to 34.5 million acres, in the first major U.S. opportunity to increase wheat production in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Winter wheat accounts for the lion’s share of the U.S. wheat crop. In 2020, winter wheat seedings were the lowest since USDA began keeping records in 1910. The USDA is expected to make minor changes in its estimates of corn and soybean production.
White House science office, FDA, EPA and USDA hold a virtual listening session on how to promote biotechnology innovation and expand the U.S. bioeconomy “across multiple sectors, including health, agriculture and the economy.”
International Grains Council releases Grain Market Report, London.
Sunday
School Nutrition Association holds 2023 School Nutrition Industry Conference, through Jan. 17, San Diego.
Jan. 16
Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday that commemorates the life of the civil rights leader and has become a day to promote equal rights for all. In 1983, President Reagan signed legislation creating the holiday, observed on the third Monday of January, close to King’s birth date of Jan. 15, 1929. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, four years before he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a march in support of striking garbage workers.
