China squeezes out other foreign buyers of U.S. soybeans
More than 1 billion bushels of U.S. soybeans are likely to be shipped to China during the current marketing year, say economists John Newton and Todd Keuthe of U-Illinois, who ask, "Are all our beans in one basket?"
U.S. urged to update ag research to meet global demands
The AGree policy initiative called for greater funding for the U.S. agricultural and food research system, coupled with an updated list of priorities for publicly funded research.
Farm subsidies soar in developing countries, panel hears
Major agricultural countries in the developing world, such as China, India and Brazil, are increasing their farm subsidies and displacing U.S. ag exports on the world market, two trade analysts told the House Agriculture Committee. "The United States, as the biggest agricultural exporter, suffers most from these distortions," said Craig Thorn of DTB Associates. U.S. negotiators have raised the issue at WTO discussions.
Schools seek less paperwork, more money for meals
South Dakota's secretary of education told a House Education subcommittee that schools are swamped by too much paperwork from the federal school food program. A school board president from Indiana said some students smuggle in salt and pepper to season the bland meals served at school...
One-fifth of farmers have yet to make ARC/PLC choice
More than one-fifrth of farmers have yet to tell the USDA which crop-subsidy plan they want under the 2014 farm law, the insurance-like Agricultural Risk Coverage or the traditionally styled Price Loss Coverage. The deadline for action is Tuesday. Some 77 percent of grain and oilseed growers made the ARC/PLC selection by March 19, says the USDA. "We expect these numbers to continue to increase significantly by the end of the month," said Val Dolcini, head of the Farm Service Agency, during a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing.
Key senator proposes voluntary origin labels for beef and pork
The United States can avoid billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs by switching to voluntary country-of-origin labels (COOL) for beef and pork, said the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Comment period for organic checkoff is extended by 30 days
The government said it will allow an additional month for comments on a proposed checkoff program for the organic industry, the first based on a production method rather than a specific farm product such as beef, cotton or pork.
USDA pays $72 million to farms in bird-flu indemnities
The government has paid $71.9 million to producers as indemnities for poultry flocks that were victims of the worst epidemic of avian influenza ever to hit the United States.
A simple way to make starchy rice less caloric
Rice, one of the world's staple foods, feeds hundreds of millions of people daily. It's also high in starch, "which turns to sugar, and often thereafter body fat," says the Washington Post.
In sweetener duel, corn refiners challenge sugar subsidies
The Corn Refiners Association, a trade group whose members make sweeteners, ethanol and starch, "just hired 10 outside lobbyists for an aggressive, unorthodox attack on the federal sugar program just a year after a new farm bill was signed into law," says the Washington Post.
House agrees to debate CFTC reauthorization bill
On a party-line vote, the House agreed to debate a bill drafted by the House Agriculture Committee to reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees the derivatives market, including futures contracts. The Republican-controlled House acted one day after the White House threatened to veto the bill "because it undermines the efficient functioning" of the CFTC. The House bill creates barriers within the agency to writing new regulations, said the administration.
Is Prop 2 to blame for sharp drop in California egg production?
Egg farms in California produced 323 million eggs in May, a drop of 16 percent from the same month in 2014, says the Chicken and Eggs report.
Prieto tapped to be USDA general counsel
President Obama has nominated Jeffrey Prieto, a federal attorney since 1998, to be general counsel for the Agriculture Department, said the White House. The general counsel is USDA's chief lawyer.
Russia extends ban on Western food to January
In a tit-for-tat move, Russia extended for six months - until January - its ban on imports of food from Europe and the United States, says Channel NewsAsia.
EPA eases biofuels mandate that aided farmers
Months behind schedule, the EPA said it would set the biofuels share of the gasoline market well below the level specified by law because the fuel market is saturated with corn-based ethanol and second-generation biofuels are in scant supply. Farm groups and the ethanol industry said the agency was being short-sighted in its decision, and that the move would allow the oil industry to throttle a home-grown competitor. The American Petroleum Institute called for congressional repeal of the 2007 biofuels mandate.
Mountain soils vital to food and water supply worldwide
In the newly published book, "Understanding Mountain Soils," the FAO calls for attention to sustainable management of the soils, which are "home to a vast array of human activities ranging from quinoa cultivation in the Andes through European ski resorts to the collection of medicinal plants in Tajikistan's 'roof of the world' Pamir range."
Group says USDA researchers face industry harassment
A public-employee group petitioned the USDA to better protect its scientists from outside pressure and assure the integrity of its research, says DTN.
“Repeal is the only solution” for COOL, says Senate Ag
Two days ahead of a hearing on meat-origin labels, the Republican-controlled Senate Agriculture Committee circulated a release saying that, "Repeal is the only option for Canada and Mexico - and now the United States."
Higher density planting in the water-short California
Avocado farmer Nick Stehley is vigilant to chop down weeds on his farm in San Diego County in the southwestern corner of California. Weeds "can suck up a lot of water and he's protecting every drop of water he can. He's also removing trees and fallowing fields," says Capital Public Radio.
Minnesota clears the way for some industrial hemp
Minnesota legislators have approved cultivation of industrial hemp in the Gopher State, says the Associated Press...