Latest News From Ag Policy

EPA hosted its fifth WOTUS roundtable last week with the Kansas Livestock Association, revealing murky waters in the WOTUS definition.

According to the Office of the USTR, the safeguard will allow U.S. exporters to meet Japan’s growing demand for high-quality beef while minimizing the odds that Japan will increase tariffs.

Transforming the U.S. food system by improving supply chains and addressing issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic was detailed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during a speech at Georgetown University.

From record-high gas and diesel prices on the road to a major spike in the price Americans paid for their Memorial Day weekend barbecue essentials, shoppers are seeing price spikes everywhere they go.

USDA is making $200 million available to create a new meat processing capacity expansion program, providing $25 million for workforce training under the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP).

USDA raised its estimated range of 6.5%-7.5% y/y increase from a range of 5%-6%, according to the May Food Price Outlook report, the highest forecast for all food prices and restaurant prices since 1981.

The White House is considering waiving U.S. gasoline environmental rules aimed at reducing summertime smog, hoping the waiver will combat rising pump prices, Reuters reported.

The U.S.-China trade war began in July 2018 when the Trump administration imposed tariffs on $550 billion worth of Chinese goods. Nearly four years later, the debate remains as to which country actually won.

Some farmers are concerned about the possibility of losing farmland to energy projects like wind and solar. John Phipps points out some major misconceptions about the placement of solar projects.

The North American Meat Institute says a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis’ report distorts the truth about the meat and poultry industry’s work to protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden says Ukraine has 20 million tons of stored grain awaiting export to various countries. He says lack of port movement coupled with halted planting in Ukraine will ignite a global food crisis unless action is taken.

Despite a “no nothing burger” Cattle Market Price Discovery and Transparency Act hearing, NCBA’s Don Schiefelbein joins “AgriTalk” to highlight his thoughts on where the industry needs to see action.

The North American Meat Institute answered questions asked of meat and poultry industry companies by House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott during a hearing on beef and cattle markets.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today participated in the committee’s hearing on the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act.

Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), ranking panel member reveals he had ‘spirited conversations’ and 'unsuccessfully attempted to secure the expert opinion of the Office of the Chief Economist on S 4030.'

Prior to testimony at the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Wednesday, Tyson Foods Inc. President and CEO Donnie King released a statement to give his perspective about cattle and beef market practices.

USDA's 2022 food price inflation forecasts are already at a 14-year high with forecasts for consumer food price inflation increased again this month. All food prices now seen rising 5% to 6% vs 4.5% to 5.5% in March.

The Senate Ag Committee will hold a hearing this week on a revised bill that proposes to establish a regional mandatory minimum threshold for the percentage of cattle purchased under negotiated grid or pricing terms.

Working group of ag economists assess Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022

NCBA and PLC say the Biden administration’s National Environmental Policy Act rule undermines progress made at a time when efficient regulatory processes are critical to environmental and economic sustainability.

John Phipps says positive or negative, any trade balance has dubious value, and only limited prediction power. Other than bragging rights, they mean little with no economic advantage for having a positive trade balance.

Renewing its call for the immediate suspension of fresh beef imports from Brazil, NCBA also asks for a thorough audit of Brazil’s animal health and food safety system, to ensure the safety of the U.S. cattle herd.

The House Ag Committee has requested CEOs from the top five meat packers to testify on April 27. The panel will take “other measures” if the CEOs say they will not attend.

If enacted, the bill would clarify regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act to allow livestock market owners to maintain an ownership interest in small meatpacking entities.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he is “confident” the Senate Agriculture Committee will conduct a hearing on the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022 introduced last week.

USDA says the launch of the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) will address increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021. Phase 1 of the payments is expected to total $577 million.

With Ukraine and Russia at war in the midst of a world moving away from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot to consider in the 2023 Farm Bill. Industry experts weighed-in to share their predictions.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine, a recent U.S. Farm Report viewer asked about the U.S. and energy independence. John Phipps provides a reality check of the current situation when it comes to crude oil and petroleum.

President Biden's USDA FY 2023 budget proposal focuses on climate, conservation and research with $3.8 billion discretionary spending increase for USDA with climate, conservation and clean energy the major focal points.

Four U.S. Senators announced they have introduced a revised Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act and will push for a hearing on the bill by the Senate Agriculture Committee in the coming weeks.

Lawmakers introduce a bill to send an energy rebate any month the national average gas price exceeds $4 per gallon for the remainder of 2022.

USDA now expects food price inflation in 2022 to be from 4.5% to 5.5%, compared with 2021, based on the all-food Consumer Price Index. No category shows a potential decline.

Under Secy. Moffitt says her objective is to ensure producers have access to USDA dollars: “We see there’s a need for qualified technical expertise to capture the projects for producers and MPPTA will address that."

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), helping agricultural exporters level the playing field for American exports.

Precedent-setting mandates are coming at ag from all angles, undermining freedom of farmers. These regulations aren't based on science. They aren't based on experience. Many argue they aren't based on a shred of truth.

The Northwest Seaport Alliance is partnering the USDA to bring the Port of Seattle a 49-acre pop-up site that will accept both dry and refrigerated agricultural products for temporary storage.

The Right to Repair movement in agriculture is a popular cause with farmers, for various good and questionable reasons. As multiple states create Right to Repair rules, it looks like we may be watching the wrong battle.

Even with Russia removed from the global fertilizer market, it still doesn’t create worst-case scenario. StoneX Group says China could make the situation worse, as China and Russia account for 40% of global phosphate.

The pilot program marks a win for the U.S. cattle industry as it equips producers with the market data they need to make informed business decisions and work to capture more value for producing the highest quality beef.

Soft Red Winter (SRW) futures hit an all-time high Friday, as consecutive limit up trading days meant wheat prices topped a previous high set in 2008.

Activist investors including Carl Icahn say a U.S. proposal that would require them to disclose 5% stakes in companies days sooner than current rules could make it unprofitable for them to build successful campaigns.

As the Ukraine crisis continues to grab the world’s attention, President Biden's State of the Union address declared the U.S. is in a better place than it was a year ago, while agriculture was left largely unmentioned.

Expect Russia's invasion of Ukraine to dominate the State of the Union address tonight. As for issues affecting agriculture, there may be few details offered, says USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

With the U.S. on the back end of COVID-19 and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine unraveling, USTR Katherine Tai says her office is currently focused on three themes: resilience, sustainability and competition.

China will buy 40,000 tonnes of pork for its central state reserves this week, in the first round of such stockpiling this year, China Merchandise Reserve Management Center said on Monday.

Congress returns Monday, but to a very different situation due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is expected to be one of the key issues President Biden talks about during his State of the Union address.

The Russia-Ukraine crisis sent wheat prices skyrocketing 50 cents higher, with corn up 30 cents at one point Thursday. Crude oil also soared above $100 per barrel, hitting the highest level since 2014. 

Welcome to a nightmare—the Yazoo Backwater Project—a bureaucratic taffy pull of dysfunctional government, politics, science, farming, and the backdoor dealings of a federal agency.

The top 10 export markets all saw gains in 2021, with six of the 10 (China, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, the Philippines and Colombia) setting new records.

A federal judge on Friday blocked for now the Biden administration from restoring Obama-era values for calculating the cost of climate change in the government's permitting, investment and regulatory decisions.