President Biden delivered a defiant argument for a second term in his SOTU speech Thursday. From the economy to his thoughts on infrastructure, the border and climate, there were several key takeaways for agriculture.
The dairy industry has fundamentally changed in the last 25 years and the current FMMO system is not supporting growth and prosperity across the dairy supply chain. Now is the time to allows USDA to figure this all out.
After months Federal Milk Marketing Order hearings unfolding, dairy leaders are still doing what they can to advocate for U.S. dairy farmers. USDA is considering forty proposals that were submitted by stakeholders.
Cattle producers Andy Bishop of Kentucky, Ryan Moorhouse of Texas and Dr. Cheryl DeVuyst of Oklahoma are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB).
From improved telehealth services to reimagined small-town hospitals, the National Rural Health Association is working to help folks in farm country tap into more and better medical care options.
In October 2023, Arkansas became the first state to ban foreign-owned farmland. More states look to adopt similar laws, but one policy expert says the issue is rooted in politics and warns of unintended consequences.
More than a decade after banning whole and reduced-fat milk from being served during school lunches, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in support of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.
The House of Representatives passed the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act on Tuesday. It will help fight illicit use of the product in humans while preserving access to the drug for animals.
COP28's decision to not include food and agriculture as a way to meet climate goals was influenced by a request from the G77 group of developing countries for additional review related to agriculture and food.
Some Republican House and Senate members have expressed their concerns to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, particularly regarding the new payment formula used for ERP in 2022.
Six of the world's largest dairy companies will soon begin disclosing their methane emissions as part of a new global alliance launched at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on Tuesday.
Dairy organizations are disheartened by USMCA's dispute panel which is allowing Canada to restrict dairy access to the United States and weakens the agreement’s value for the U.S. dairy industry.
A trade dispute settlement panel set up under a major North American free trade agreement has rejected a U.S. complaint that Canada is improperly limiting access to its dairy market.
Schools across the nation have a crisis on their hands – a milk carton shortage that doesn’t seem to have an end in sight. But could the USDA provide assistance? One U.S. Senator thinks so.
An extension of the current farm bill is now a reality. House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders were able to extend the current legislation as a possible government shutdown looms.
The debate over immigration continues to be an issue in Washington. However, the Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor shows economists are still skeptical it's enough for Congress to act on immigration reform.
Rep. Thompson, chairman of the House Ag Committee, continues to express optimism about passing a new farm bill in December in the House of Representatives. But he says an extension of the current farm bill is needed.
Political unrest, a healthy ag economy and the start of an election year. These are all reasons economists in the October Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor think it could 2025 before Congress passes a new farm bill.
While the U.S. and EU aim to make progress during an upcoming summit, reaching a final agreement is uncertain. This issue has significant implications for U.S./EU ties, climate goals, and geopolitics.
Work by the House or Senate Agriculture Committee on a new farm bill is essentially stalled, Randy Russell tells AgriTalk's Chip Flory. Russell says that could be the case until government funding issues are resolved.
China's Commerce minister expressed concerns over trade and tech restrictions to U.S. Senate Majority Leader this week. That's as the U.S. Commerce Department added 42 more Chinese companies to the export blacklist.
While ag economists continue to be at odds when it comes to the likelihood of a recession in the U.S., some doubt the country's biggest importers will be able to avoid a recession over the next 18 months.
With the government funding in place for now, work on a new farm bill can continue, with the same questions (timing, funding, Title 1 reform, etc.) still being unanswered.
Less than 5% of new grads choose rural food animal practice. That needs to change to protect the U.S. food supply and public health. Contacting legislators is one way farmers and ranchers can weigh in and help.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelming rejected a proposal on Wednesday that would have barred USDA from operating commodity checkoff programs.
As brent crude futures soar toward $100, it's creating a new battle in the Federal Reserve's effort to fight inflation. One money manager warns another rate hike is likely.
Members of Congress are currently in disagreement over how long it will take to get a new farm bill finished, which is why one ag economist fears it could take two years to finally see a new Farm Bill.
Assistance will be available to dairy operations that had to dump or remove milk without compensation from the commercial milk market due to qualifying weather events during the years 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The Livestock Consolidation Research Act would direct a study on the impact of livestock industry consolidation, and a report about how this has affected new market entrants, access to resources and purchasing power.
China's GDP growth could possibly drop lower than the U.S. this year. In fact, fewer and fewer sectors are healthy, and only then by direct government intervention.
Waters of the U.S. rules have evolved many times in the past 50 years. EPA announced another round of changes on Tuesday, following a May Supreme Court ruling that required EPA to revise the definition.
USDA on Thursday lowered expectations for both ag exports and imports in FY 2023. The export decline is linked to corn and wheat, while the import decline is correlated with easing prices.
Beginning Aug. 23 at 9 a.m. EST in Carmell, Ind., the USDA Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) hearing will start considering proposals to amend the uniform pricing formulas applicable in all 11 FMMO orders.
“Mexico’s decree, which runs counter to scientific findings and is in direct violation of USMCA, is negatively impacting American corn growers,” said Tom Haag, NCGA president.
Just in time for school to start, in the midst of the Illinois State Fair, students across the state will no longer be penalized for participating in a 4-H or FFA event.
Sens. Chuck Grassley and Sherrod Brown have introduced the Farm Program Integrity Act. It would create a cap of $250,000 in commodity support for a single farm operation and, potentially, some undesirable side effects.
“Producers looking to adopt precision ag technologies need network connectivity that extends far past their residences. They need to be able to make real-time decisions that increase yields," says Sen. Fischer (R-Neb.).
Roughly 37.6 million acres of U.S. ag land is foreign owned, according to USDA. However, select purchases of U.S. land could come to an end following a Senate vote this week.
House Republicans, particularly on the House Ag Committee, are debating changes to the Conservation Reserve Program as part of the upcoming farm bill reauthorization.
EPA has been asked to exclude ditches from the definition of federal waters, include wetlands when they can't be distinguished from navigable waters, and erase the independent interstate waters and wetlands category.
The hearing, which will take place in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, Indiana, could potentially result in the first significant reform of milk marketing orders since 2000.
There are 22 proposals for consideration during the Federal Milk Marketing Order system hearing process that will be assembled on Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. EST in Carmell, Ind.
Farm Bill discussions and debates don't pack as much drama for producers. According to JohnPhipps, there's an unspoken realization that the Farm Bill doesn’t have the same influence on the farm economy it once did.
Organic dairy farmers emphasized the need for consideration of an organic exemption in any forthcoming federal order hearing, citing the current system as insupportable for their industry.
The leaders also drafted a proposed legislation earlier this month that promises treaty-like benefits for businesses seeking cross-border investment opportunities via the tax code.