Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley had some harsh words for House Ag Committee Chair Mike Conaway of Texas. The Grassley response came as Conaway said Grassley is wrong “every single time” …
OTA: Higher Organic Standards Up to Industry
The USDA recently withdrew its organic livestock and checkoff rules, which signals that the agency likely won’t be setting any higher standards for the organic seal. Laura Batcha, CEO of …
Brazil Truck Drivers Quit Working Because of High Diesel Prices
Brazilian truck drivers were protesting high diesel prices for a fourth day this week on Thursday. The truckers don’t plan to quit with blockades until measures to reduce fuel taxes …
Rural Mainstreet Index Chief Eyeing Two Economic Red Flags
The Rural Mainstreet Index has been steadily climbing over the last four months, signaling improving conditions in farm country. However, the man behind the RMI, Ernie Goss from Creighton University, …
Dairy Farmers Have Until June 1 to Apply for Improved Safety Net under MPP
Many Participants Will Receive Payments Beginning in Early June The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds dairy farmers of the June 1 deadline to enroll in the improved Margin Protection Program …
Action Taken Against Canadian Trade Measures That Discriminate Against U.S. Wine
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer announced that the Trump Administration has requested that the World Trade Organization (WTO) establish a dispute settlement panel …
Cattle Groups Applaud Introduction of Livestock Hauling Bill
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, as well as the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, were both pleased with the introduction of the Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act on Wednesday. The NCBA …
USDA Heavily Involved in Trade Talks
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service has been “intimately involved” with U.S. trade negotiators and will be included in an upcoming trip to China. Politico says the U.S. delegation will be …
Trump Raises Doubts About U.S.-Chinese Trade
President Donald Trump cast doubts on Wednesday regarding the prospects for talks between the U.S. and China that are aimed at heading off a trade war. An Associated Press report …
U.S. and Mexico Talking Cars in NAFTA 2.0 Discussions
Two sources familiar with the negotiations have told Bloomberg that the U.S. and Mexico are discussing automobiles in an attempt to break an impasse over auto-production rules in an updated …
USDA-EPA Discuss Year-Round E15
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials met to discuss ways to increase ethanol usage and to address refiner concerns about volatility in the market for …
H-2A Agricultural Worker Visa Modernization Joint Cabinet Statement
Secretary Acosta, Secretary Nielsen, Secretary Perdue and Secretary Pompeo When President Trump addressed the American Farm Bureau Federation in January of this year, he reminded the audience that his commitment …
Aquatic Organism Passage, Rail Car Bridge
The tribal (Yurok) connection, donated work of Forest Service for geotechnical work and the Non-NRCS engineering make this an especially interesting story. Two 36-inch culverts with concrete paving collapsed in …
Almond Update: Dialing in Irrigation with Pressure Chambers
May is a critical month to see how your irrigation schedule is doing. Almond Board of California’s Spencer Cooper said it can be hard to catch up on watering in …