Amid drought, a California battle for cheap water
"(T)he nation's largest irrigation district is in the wrong place," says the Los Angeles Times in story about the Westlands district of the Central Valley of California and its role as a driving force behind a $25 billion projects to ship water from...
Appeal and negotiate on COOL, don’t repeal it, say backers
The United States should appeal an adverse WTO ruling on country-of-origin labels on beef, pork and chicken meat, said four farm and consumer groups.
An aggie as House banking chairman?
Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, barred from another term as Agriculture chairman, may seek the chairmanship of the banking committee. "I've been approached by several members" about the post, Lucas told Politico.
Cotton stands taller in Arkansas
Arkansas Sen Mark Pryor's chances are fading against Republican Tom Cotton, saysSabato's Crystal Ball, adding "it’s increasingly hard to see him overcoming Arkansas’ hard shift to the right.
Returns on US farmland are lowest in four years
Returns from investment in U.S. farmland in the third quarter of this year were the lowest in four years, said the National Council of Real Estate Fiduciaries, a trade group based in Chicago for investors.
Meeting biofuel mandate “will be challenging,” says CBO
The Congressional Budget Office says, "In the future, meeting (biofuels) mandates will be challenging" because of the so-called blend wall at the traditional blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline and because of the slow development of...
Grocery chain is asked to use its leverage to save antibiotics
Grocery chain Trader Joe's should help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics by putting stricter standards on its meat suppliers, says Consumers Union.
Corn revenue per acre could be lowest since 2009
Gross revenue per acre for corn growers in northern Illinois is forecast to be the lowest in five years, says economist Gary Schnitkey of U-Illinois.
USDA to re-start ethanol report in February
The Agriculture Department aims for a February launch for a revived government report on ethanol production, says a spokesman. It would be the first of several reports that USDA will produce after they were dropped by the Census Bureau during budget cuts in 2011.
Back to the hog lot for Senate candidate in Iowa
Republican Joni Ernst is back in the hog lot for a 30-second TV ad in her race against Democrat Bruce Braley for the Senate, says Politico.
Drought dims outlook for Brazil’s soybean crop
Brazil's soybean belt is critically short of rainfall, in the view of consultancy Oil World, which sees a harvest of 89 million tonnes this season, said AgriMoney.
US corn crop to shrink by 10 percent in 2015
After harvesting two record crops in a row, U.S. farmers will cut back on corn plantings in the spring and produce a comparatively small 13.073 billion bushel-crop, says agricultural economist Dan O'Brien of Kansas State University.
Roberts rises in polls as Orman gets scrutiny
The latest poll from Kansas shows a dead-even race for the Senate. Business Insider says "there's a simple reason" for incumbent Pat Roberts' rebound from trailing independent Greg Orman - Orman "has finally been put under the microscope."
Low commodity prices put pressure on farmland prices
If the low commodity prices persist into the future - a widespread concern - "it is becoming clear...there will be pressure on farmland values to end their upward march and likely fall," says Brent Gloy at the blog Agricultural Economic Insights.
USDA aids food supply in Africa’s ebola zone
The Agriculture Department is taking a supporting role in assuring food security in countries struggling with an outbreak of the deadly ebola virus in West Africa.
McDonald’s may sell more McOrganic food
Fast-food giant McDonald's may sell more organic food to hold on to its customers, says chief executive Don Thompson, according to Bloomberg.
Big data is boon, farmers say, but they worry who gets it
U.S. farmers say Big Data allows them to reduce costs and boost yields but they also worry the information could wind up in the hands of regulators or could be used by someone else to speculate in the commodity market, says the largest U.S. farm group.
First APH yield exclusion policies go to 2015 spring crops
Farmers will be able to buy crop insurance polices for crops planted in spring 2015 that allow them to get higher yield coverage by excluding catastrophic losses when they calculate average production, the government said.
Oregon GMO labeling referendum sets spending record
The statewide referendum in Oregon over labeling foods containing genetically modified organisms is now the most expensive ballot question in state history, says the Salem Statesman Journal.
WTO again says U.S. meat-orgin labels distort world trade
For the second time, the World Trade Organization ruled U.S. meat-origin labels are a violation of global trade rules. The ruling, which can be appealed, opens the door to retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods if the regulations are not modified. Appeals generally are not successful at this stage at WTO but they can delay an adverse decision for a couple of months.