USDA asks comments on a new, separate beef checkoff
The Agriculture Department seeks public comment on all aspects, from the size of the assessment to who will be in charge, of a separate beef checkoff program that it intends to create.
Rapid growth seen for fish farming, boon to Asia and Africa
Production from fish farms will grow by as much as 4.14 percent annually through 2022 - faster than a forecast made earlier this year - and offering a chance of better nutrition for millions of people, especially in Africa and Asia, said a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Lawsuit challenges FDA on drug used to fatten food animals
A lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco challenges FDA approval of several ractopamine-based animal drugs. The Humane Society of the United States, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the United Farm Workers union says...
Farm groups, agribusiness agree on ground rules for Big Data
A dozen farm groups and agribusinesses agreed on a 10 principles for data privacy and security in the emerging field of agricultural Big Data. The agreement follows months of discussions.
Farm expert says farm-program deadline should be changed
USDA "may want to consider" changing the March 31 deadline for growers to decide which crop subsidy option to take - a traditional plan based on target prices or a new approach based on crop revenue, says economist Carl Zulauf of Ohio State University.
Machinery costs on the rise as commodity prices fall
During the agricultural boom that started in 2006, farm income zoomed and many producers upgraded their equipment. Data from two major farm states, Illinois and Kansas, shows the impact of the expenditures.
Four Chinese poultry plants approved to ship to US
USDA said it certified four processing plants in China's Shandong Province to cook and ship poultry meat to U.S. customers, the latest step in a decade-old proposal.
White House undecided if farm workers in immigration order
President Barack Obama could announce as soon as next week an overhaul of the immigration system that would protect up to 5 million people from deportation and provide work permits to many of them, said the New York Times, citing administration officials.
Whole-farm crop insurance available for 2015 crops
A new crop insurance policy, whole-farm revenue protection, is available for 2015 crops, said USDA's Risk Management Agency. It says the new policy "makes crop insurance more affordable for producers, including fruit and vegetable growers and...
Monsanto, Dow sue to overturn Maui GE crop moratorium
Seed companies Monsanto and Dow filed suit in U.S. District Court in Honolulu to overturn a voter-approved moratorium on genetically engineered crops in Maui County, Hawaii, said the Maui Times.
Monsanto, Dow consider legal action against Maui GE ban
Agribusiness giants Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences are looking at legal options in the wake of passage of a moratorium on genetically engineered crops by voters in Maui County, Hawaii, says DTN.
Nebraska tops US in irrigated land, California in water use
Some 55.3 million acres of U.S. farmland are irrigated, says the Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, drawn from USDA's 2012 Census of Agriculture.
As rural moves right, Democrats face obstacles
Book-ending the Daily Yonder's data on Republicans winning a larger share of the rural vote in the mid-term election, political analyst Matt Barron says Democrats face problems ranging from poor recruitment of candidates...
Urban-rural split is threat to farm and food policy-Glickman
The partisan split between rural and urban America jeopardizes the future of the panoramic bills that meld farm supports, rural economic development, public nutrition and global food security programs into a single bill, says former agriculture secretary Dan Glickman.
Food price index dips, so does global grain outlook
Lower dairy and meat prices led to a decline in the world Food Price Index for the seventh month in a row, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Another Ag panelist joins Senate leadership
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, an Agriculture Committee, member will be part of Democratic leadership in the next session. She was elected to chair the Democratic Steering and Outreach committee.
The alpaca boom goes bust
Alpacas are the latest animals in the livestock version of a speculative bubble, says Modern Farmer. It says the industry, which boomed in the early 2000s, emphasized breeding over developing a market for the alpaca's chief product, their fine, soft fleece.
Lower prices, brisk sales point to record soymeal exports
Strong demand in the opening weeks of the marketing year and lower market prices are forecast to result in record exports of U.S. soybean meal, said USDA. It estimated sales of 12.8 million short tons, up 10 percent from 2013/14.
Congress may act soon on biodiesel, other ag tax credits
Revival of four dozen tax breaks, including incentives for the agricultural sector, is possible in the lame-duck session that opens next week, says the Washington Post.
Farm income “has fallen short of previous years”
Crop farmers are seeing much lower incomes this year, down by an average 25 percent in the Plains, according to agricultural bankers in the Farm Belt.