Florida votes against USMCA (The Hagstrom Report): Florida, where produce growers want more protection against Mexican imports, was the only state to vote against a resolution supporting the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement at the annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
White House wants biofuel deal this week (Reuters): Trump administration officials, urging biofuel producers to accept a 1 billion-gallon increase in the Renewable Fuel Standard, said a deal must be agreed to by Friday to resolve Farm Belt complaints that the EPA is exempting too many refineries from the ethanol mandate.
Few benefits from neonicotinoid seed treatments (Nature): Farmers and regulators should re-evaluate the widespread use of nicotinoid-coated oilseed and grain seeds because they have a minimal effect on yields, says a study by university scientists.
Ethanol is fastest-growing ag export (U.S. Grains Council): Exports of U.S. ethanol grew at an average of 18 percent a year over five years to reach a record 1.62 billion gallons in 2018, making non-beverage ethanol the highest-growth ag export, says a Grains Council analysis.
Bees deliver a pesticide (Modern Farmer): A Canadian company, Bee Vectoring Technologies, says it has won EPA approval of a fungus-based pesticide that would be delivered by bumblebees during their pollen-gathering flights among blossoming plants.