DROUGHT MONITOR:

Good morning I’m Clinton Griffiths. Drought continues to force its way across the U.S. And that has leaders in Washington thinking about contingency plans.

WTO ARGENTINA:

Elsewhere in Washington, U.S. Trade Representative Ron kirk is requesting the World Trade Organization take a look at Argentina policies. He says the country is using non-transparent import licensing requirements that are unfairly restricting U.S. goods.

RUSSIA:

With a nearly unanimous vote, the Senate has passed permanent normal trade relations status for Russia. The measure eliminates trade restrictions that have been in place since the cold war. It allows U.S. exporters to take advantage of Russia’s membership in the World Trade Organization. The House passed the bill last month. It now goes to the President for his signature.

CROP WATCH:
While it's dry in the western cornbelt, it's wet in the east. Mike Hoffman has details in cropwatch.

ASTA:
BASF is entering into the seed treatment world. The company announced last week it acquired Becker Underwood for 785 million dollars.

AGRITALK:

In agribusiness today - we have a little news of our own. Farm Journal Media is now expanding into the world of farm radio. On Thursday, we announced the completed acquisition of the AgriTalk radio network from Vance Publishing.  For those not familiar, AgriTalk is a significant player in the farm broadcasting world. The live, one-hour daily talk show airs on 70 radio stations in 14 states. The program is hosted by Mike Adams. We’re excited about AgriTalk joining our team.

ANALYSIS:

Tomorrow USDA will release its December supply - demand report. That report doesn't typically show big changes. But you might keep your eyes on South American numbers. Farm Director Al Pell explains why in this morning's analysis.

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