USDA awards $196 million for local food production and marketing
As part of President Biden’s initiative to strengthen U.S. supply chains, the Agriculture Department announced $196 million in grants, loans, and loan guarantees to projects to expand domestic food and agriculture production on Monday. The awards range from loan guarantees to expand a nut processing plant in California and develop a 35-acre tomato greenhouse and processing plant in South Carolina, to 170 smaller grants across the country.
War has limited impact on world grain and oilseed output
Commodity prices soared when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 amid fears of grain shortages with two of the world’s leading grain exporters engaged in war. Instead, global production of grains and oilseeds has exceeded forecasts based on production before the invasion, said four agricultural economists on Monday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Winter wheat condition improves: Half of the U.S. winter wheat crop was in good or excellent shape at the start of this week, up 2 points from a week ago and far better than a year ago, when 34 percent rated good/excellent due to drought. (USDA)
Right-to-repair trial: A federal judge in northern Illinois rejected a request by Deere and Co. to dismiss a right-to-repair lawsuit filed by farmers and said the world’s largest farm equipment manufacturer must answer in court the charges that it restricts repair work on its products. (Reuters)
Groundwater levels are falling: In much of the United States, groundwater levels are falling, often due to over-pumping and under-regulation, along with powerful industries that fear financial losses if their water usage is curtailed. (New York Times)
USDA cancels hemp licenses: The USDA has revoked hemp licenses for growers in at least two states, Vermont and Mississippi, because they enrolled in state programs to produce marijuana, which is illegal on the federal level but legal in several states. (Politico)
Oil deals at COP28: The United Arab Emirates, the host of this year’s UN climate summit, planned to use the gathering as an opportunity to pursue oil and gas deals, according to leaked documents. (BBC)
