U.S. farm production to increase in 2023 as economy cools
The U.S. economy will slow in the new year, constrained by sharply higher interest rates, at the same time that farmers and ranchers expand production, projected the Agriculture Department on Monday. Prices for most commodities — including corn, soybeans, wheat and hogs — would decline somewhat from this year's elevated levels but remain comparatively high.
Argentina cuts ag-export taxes
The newly inaugurated president of Argentina, Maurico Macri, carried out a campaign promise by eliminating export taxes on corn, wheat and beef and cutting the soybean tax 5 percentage points.
Bad weather in U.S. and Mexico drives up vegetable prices
Scanty vegetable supplies are causing "exorbitant prices," says the chief executive of Landec Corp, which sells salad kits, vegetable trays and fresh-cut bagged produce in the food and biomedical markets.
The cows wear ‘FitBits,’ the dairy farmer reads them
David Simmons was the first dairy farmer in Newfoundland to install a robotic milking parlor for this cattle. He "is just one of many who are turning to cutting edge technology" to monitor livestock health, says the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Washington State to pinpoint largest drought losses
In an unprecedented step, the Washington State Agriculture Department will survey farmers and ranchers on losses to drought this year, says Capital Press.
Agricultural productivity stagnant as world population grows
Farmers around the world are barely improving their productivity rates and creating the risk the world will not be able in coming years to provide sustainably food, livestock feed, fiber and biofuels for a growing world population, says the a report by Global Harvest Initiative. Its annual assessment says agricultural productivity is rising by 1.72 percent worldwide, trailing the 1.75 percent per year that it estimates is needed for the demands of 9.7 billion people in 2050.
Using radio as a farmer-knowledge tool
The Canadian charity Farm Radio International says getting farmers and farm science on the air in sub-Saharan Africa can improve the adoption of new and more productive agricultural practices, reports SciDev.Net.
Oxfam urges a fine-tuning of Feed the Future
In a 40-page report, Oxfam America suggests several steps to improve Feed the Future, an Obama administration initiative that uses public-private partnerships to boost local food production in targeted countries.
Farm Bureau opposes E-Verify bill in House
The six-million-member American Farm Bureau Federation opposes the workforce regulation approved by the House Judiciary Committee. AFBF president Bob Stallman said the bill would drive away farm workers without providing a way to find replacements. Half or more of farm workers are undocumented. Stallman told reporters that a vote for the Legal Workforce Act, HR 1147, known as E-Verify, "is a vote to harm U.S. agriculture."