…cost of producing those crops. For the past three years those prices have dropped a little every year. The cost of production has not declined. Well, maybe a little but…
Ag Lender Survey: Farm Profitability Down, Commodity Prices Top Concern
ABA and Farmer Mac release first biannual survey of agricultural lenders Nearly 90 percent of agricultural lenders have seen an overall decline in farm profitability in the last 12 months,…
Ag Producer Sentiment Inches Higher in April
By Jim Mintert, David Widmar and Michael Langemeier Purdue University/CME Group Figure 1. Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. October 2015 to April 2017. Producer sentiment inched higher during April as…
2017 P.I.E. Program Tour Dates Set
The National Cotton Council (NCC) has scheduled tour dates and locations for the 2017 Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) Program. The P.I.E. program’s goal is helping U.S. cotton producers maximize production…
Brazil Looking at Tariffs on U.S. Ethanol Imports
…the biggest market for U.S. corn ethanol and American exports have swelled in recent months because of a domestic shortfall in production. Brazilian cane farmers have harvested more of their…
Canada/Mexico Doing NAFTA Renegotiations “Together”
The relationship between Mexico and Canada amid the upcoming North American Free Trade (NAFTA) negotiations is said by both countries to be more important than ever. The Canadian Broadcasting Company…
Groups Want Checkoff Reform
Over 80 organizations recently sent letters to both the Senate and House of Representatives, calling on lawmakers to fix the government’s “failed commodity tax support programs.” The 80 organizations represent…
New Spending Bill’s Impact on Agriculture
…billion above last year’s spending levels. Unfortunately for agriculture, provisions that would trigger addition subsidies for the cotton and dairy industries didn’t make it into the spending bill. Instead, there’s…
Agri View: China and Beef Exports
…China buys a lot of farm goods. Cotton, corn, tree nuts just to name a few. But most people don’t know is China does not import U.S. beef. They have…
Dairy Industry Applauds USDA Secretary Perdue for Supporting School Milk Options
Dairy leaders thanked newly confirmed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for recognizing the important role school milk plays in ensuring school-aged children get the nutrition they need. In one of his…
NFU Calls on FTC to Oppose ChemChina Acquisition of Syngenta
…processing, meatpacking and agricultural production.” Johnson pointed to the Chinese meat processing company Shuanghui (now known as WH Group) purchase of Smithfield Foods in 2013. Just two years later, Smithfield’s…
Conaway Disappointed Cotton, Dairy Farmers Left in the Lurch
…It is also no secret that the safety net for cotton and dairy is failing our producers. To its credit, the entire cotton industry came together on a plan to…
Saving Costs with Cover Crops
A tractor rolls a rye cover crop and plants cotton seeds at the same time. (Photo by Ted Kornecki.) Cotton farmers in Alabama who use cover crops have a new,…
International Trade and Deforestation: Potential Policy Effects via a Global Economic Model
…Malaysia. Deforestation in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay is linked with production of beef and soybeans, while deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia is linked with production of palm oil and…