Investments in the early stages of agricultural technology in 2017 increased 29 percent, compared to 2016. AgFunder, a self-proclaimed online investment marketplace for agricultural technology, reports early stage investment in …
Ag Producer Sentiment Improves; but Uncertainty about the Future of NAFTA Looms
The Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer moved higher again in February. At 140 points, producer sentiment, which is based on monthly survey of 400 agricultural producers from across the country, …
Ag Committee Members Press USDA on Payments to Deceased Farmers
Senate Ag Committee members Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan raised concerns with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency about farm program payments to deceased farmers. The Senators …
Perdue Advocates for Crop Insurance Program
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue walked a tightrope while talking with reporters about President Trump’s budget proposals that agriculture wasn’t enamored with. One of the proposals included cuts to crop …
Perdue Promotes “Harvest Box”
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue wants people who don’t like the idea of “America’s Harvest Box” to know that they are very serious about the idea. He says House Ag Committee …
Section 199A Fix Is Coming
A DTN report says Congress may be close to replacing the Section 199A language in the new tax law that curbs the advantages of farmers who sell their products to …
USDA Seeks Ideas to Help SNAP Participants Become Independent
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it is looking for innovative ideas to promote work and self-sufficiency among able-bodied adults participating in the department’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program …
Republicans Deliver Letter to Congressional Leadership Calling on Section 199A Changes
A group of Republican lawmakers Wednesday sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan calling for changes to Section 199A in the tax code. …
FTC Nominee Pledges to Look Closely at Ag Mergers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would take a look at past merger deals to see if regulators were too easy on the companies involved. That’s the promise of Joseph Simons, …
Trump Budget Proposal Considered “DOA”
Presidential budget proposals have been dead on arrival before. However, the Hagstrom Report says no budget outline has been as dead as the one President Trump sent to members of …
President’s Infrastructure Plan Paves Way for Boosting Rural Economy, Farm Bureau Says
The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “President Trump’s ‘Building a Stronger America’ plan promises to bring long overdue improvements to the country …
Tyson: Higher Freight Costs Will Push Up Consumer Prices
Tyson said the rising cost of freight is starting to put pressure on all of its businesses. That means consumers will eventually feel that pressure in the form of higher …
Highlights From the February 2018 Farm Income Forecast
Farm Sector Profits Expected To Decline in 2018 Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is forecast to decrease $4.3 billion (6.7 percent) from 2017 to $59.5 billion in …
Canada Offering Livestock Producers Tax Relief
The Government of Canada Wednesday released the final list of designated regions where livestock tax deferral has been authorized for 2017 due to drought, flood or excess moisture. In November, …