Today’s quick hits, March 10, 2021

Debt relief vote: House Democratic leaders said the House would vote on Wednesday on HR 1319, the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that includes $4 billion in debt relief for minority farmers. A test vote on Tuesday indicated there was enough support to pass the bill and send it to President Biden. (FERN’s Ag Insider)

Ag exports surge: U.S. farm exports totaled $63.2 billion in the first four months of this fiscal year, up 27 percent from the same period in the previous year. Sales to China were nearly three times larger. (USDA)

China pork expansion: Pork production will expand by 14 percent this year from the record low of 2020, when the African swine fever epidemic hit, but China will import 4.5 million tonnes of pork because domestic production will remain below pre-ASF levels. (U.S. agricultural attache)

More organic corn: U.S. production of organic corn is on the rise, thanks to higher yields per acre and larger plantings; imports during the 2020/21 marketing year are likely to be the smallest in eight years. (Mercaris)

Covid recovery accelerates: Global economic growth is projected at 5.6 percent this year, more than 1 percentage point higher than expected three months ago, with a U.S. growth rate of 6.5 percent and global production reaching pre-pandemic levels by mid-2021. (OECD)

Rural rates improve: Since the winter coronavirus surge in rural America, the weekly number of new infections is down by 80 percent and the weekly death toll is down by 60 percent from eight weeks ago. (Daily Yonder)

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