Month: January 2022

More competition will reduce meat prices in fight against inflation, says Biden Acknowledging “we need to get inflation under control” as part of the economic recovery from the pandemic, President Biden said on Wednesday that the administration will inject competition into the highly consolidated meat industry to bring down prices… Continue reading

New wildfire strategy targets ‘firesheds’ near towns Responding to a “wildfire crisis” in the West, the Biden administration will double or even triple its efforts to thin forests and prevent fires that would threaten communities, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Phoenix on Tuesday. The 10-year plan will focus on… Continue reading

Hemp industry pivots toward grain and fiber After a brutal shake-out that chopped hemp acreage in half in two years, the industry is focusing on hemp as a source of grain and fiber, a less profitable but possibly steadier market than cannabinoid (CBD) oil, used in food, beverages and dietary… Continue reading

Farmers feel less need to borrow money from the bank The strong agricultural economy, fueled by high commodity prices, has reduced farmers’ reliance on farm lenders, despite concerns about rising input costs, according to a Federal Reserve survey of ag bankers. “Higher costs are likely to put upward pressure on… Continue reading

Ethanol producers to electric car makers: We’re greener than you are With automakers shifting toward the production of electric cars and trucks, the ethanol industry said on Wednesday that biofuels will be an important tool against global warming, and arguably create less pollution than battery-powered vehicles. The comparison was based… Continue reading

ADM proposes carbon dioxide pipeline, third in Iowa Agribusiness giant ADM said on Tuesday it would reduce its carbon footprint by building a 350-mile pipeline to transport carbon dioxide for injection in central Illinois from its ethanol plants in eastern Iowa. It was the third carbon dioxide pipeline proposed for… Continue reading

‘You have a partner in the White House,’ Biden tells farmers In a message to a sector that overwhelmingly voted against him, President Biden told farmers on Monday, “you have a partner in the White House” who is pursuing agricultural prosperity and fair prices in the marketplace. Biden, who has… Continue reading

Farm Bureau urges members to turn ‘energy and passion’ against clean water rule The president of the largest U.S. farm group called for members to bring the “same energy and devotion when it comes to WOTUS” that they used last year to preserve a tax break on inherited property. President… Continue reading

Stability uncertain after global food prices surge 28 percent in 2021 World food prices soared by 28 percent during 2021, according to an index based on five major commodities, including cereal grains, meat, and sugar, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on Thursday. The abrupt increase, as the world… Continue reading

Time running out for Chesapeake Bay cleanup At their current pace, the three major states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, responsible for 90 percent of pollution in the bay, will miss their targets for reducing sediment and nutrient runoff by 2025, said the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on Wednesday. Maryland and… Continue reading