quick hits

Recess delays farm bill: With the House in recess until early September, the chances of passing the new farm bill this year are increasingly slim, said Georgia Rep. David Scott, the senior Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, adding, “Farmers need results, and Republicans are failing to …

Deere cuts workforce: The world’s largest agricultural equipment maker said it is laying off workers at its factories and reducing its global salaried workforce because of declining sales and rising costs, though it did not say how many employees were affected. (WVIK-FM) PFAS in pesticides: …

Pipeline moratorium: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation creating new regulations on carbon capture and sequestration, including a two-year moratorium on construction of carbon dioxide pipelines in the state. (Springfield State Journal-Register) Biden and climate-smart agriculture: …

Fairness for farmers: Ursula von der Leyen, just re-elected president of the European Commission, said she would work for a fair income for European farmers, saying they “should not be forced” to sell their products at a loss. (Euractiv) Ag grows in Puerto Rico: The value of agricultural …

Operating loans up: The volume of new operating loans issued by ag banks during the second quarter of 2024 was up 20 percent from a year ago, rebounding with the rise in production costs, said a national survey. (Kansas City Federal Reserve) Binge drinking: While one in five U.S. farmers say …

Smallest wheat crop in 20 years: Due to dry weather and limited supplies of irrigation water, Mexico will produce 2.8 million metric tons of wheat, the smallest harvest since 2.42 million tons in 2004, said USDA analysts. (World Agricultural Production) Global fish harvest warning: The global …

Low food inflation: Prices for dairy products and fruits and vegetables fell in the past year, helping to hold the U.S. food inflation rate to a modest 2.2 percent, said the monthly Consumer Price Index. (Labor Department) Welch: ‘Step aside, Biden’: For the good of the country, President Biden …

‘Where is the farm bill?’: House Republicans are using their farm bill “as a campaign slogan, nothing more,” because they have not called a floor vote on it, said Rep. David Scott, the senior Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. Chairman Glenn Thompson responded by saying, “We’re going …

Craig: ‘Pass the torch’: Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, became the fifth House Democrat to urge President Biden to step aside as the party’s nominee for president “and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward.” …

Bird flu takes a break: Less than half a million birds in domestic flocks died of highly pathogenic avian influenza during June, an abrupt decline from 8.8 million in April and 5.9 million in May, according to a USDA running tally through last Monday. (USDA) Barriers to kelp farming: The …

EPA facing cuts: Funding for the EPA would be cut by 20 percent, or $1.8 billion, from its current level in legislation scheduled for a Friday vote before a Republican-controlled House Appropriations subcommittee. (House Appropriations) Corn Belt heat wave: Parts of the Mississippi and Ohio …

Assessing climate-smart practices: With an eye toward the sustainable aviation fuel market, the USDA is seeking suggestions on how to quantify, report, and verify the effects of climate-smart farming practices on growing crops used to make biofuels. (USDA) Cookout costs are up: Although the …

Chesapeake Bay dead zone: The EPA estimated the Chesapeake Bay dead zone will be just 4 percent larger than usual this summer, a sign of progress in controlling nutrient runoff in the bay’s watershed considering heavier-than-average spring rainfall. (Maryland Matters) Left at the …

Idaho takes the lead: The U.S. tally of dairy herds infected by the H5N1 avian flu virus jumped to 116, an increase of 14 herds in a week, with Idaho reporting 26 infected herds and Michigan 25. (USDA) Carbon capture plan: Ethanol maker Green Plains said it will begin capturing carbon dioxide …

Lawsuit challenges tailpipe rule: The oil industry, two farm groups, and six auto dealers filed suit in a U.S. appeals court against the EPA’s so-called tailpipe rule, claiming it is biased against electric vehicles and discourages the sale of new cars and pickup trucks fueled by gasoline and …

Louisiana okays raw milk: State legislators passed a bill to legalize the sale of raw milk in Louisiana as long as it is labeled “not for human consumption.” More than 30 states now allow the sale of unpasteurized milk. (nola.com) Food-waste plan: The USDA, FDA, EPA, and White House announced …

H5N1 in Wyoming herd: Wyoming is the 12th state with a dairy herd infected by the H5N1 avian flu virus, said state officials. (Wyoming Livestock Board) Aridification challenges Drought Monitor: The long-running trend toward dryness in the U.S. West raises questions about whether the weekly …

Wet spring reduces drought: Only 12 percent of the contiguous 48 states, mostly in the southern Plains and U.S. Southwest, was in drought at the start of this week, compared to nearly 33 percent at the beginning of the year. (Drought Monitor) 30 million ‘base’ acres: The farm bill approved by …