Agriculture Policy News
From federal agencies to state governments, actions taken by elected officials and policymakers have a direct impact on America’s farmers and ranchers. Stay up-to-date on all things related to policy, including cabinet leadership, the farm bill, farmer-support programs, market access, environmental regulations, labor availability and the health of the ag economy.
Watch the Latest Ag Policy Coverage from AgDay and U.S. Farm Report
Latest Agriculture Policy News
Ocean shipping transports about 80% of global trade — from coal and corn to bananas and cement. The revisions tackle major concerns from the global maritime industry that feared virtually every cargo carrier could face steep, stacking fees.
“We’re only 15 days into this. It feels like a year, right?” says Matt Clark, senior rural economy analyst. “I catch myself feeling very overwhelmed by the news flow, a lot has happened in 15 days.”
Per CEO Bill Anderson in an interview this week, Bayer will have a decision in months — not years — about whether it will remain the only domestic producer of glyphosate in the U.S.
The initial round of ECAP payments will only amount to 85% of the per-acre payment to ensure enough funding is available for all farmers who sign up for the program.
As of April 13, USDA says 13 states have started planting corn and 10 are working on soybeans. The report calculates 4% of corn and 2% of soybeans are in the ground so far.
On her list of issues to tackle, says Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, is deciding if farmers will need another round of assistance payments later this year and if USDA headquarters should be relocated.
The tit-for-tat on tariffs between the U.S. and China continues, with China announcing on Friday a new rate of 125%, which is up from the 84% announced earlier this week. That pushes the tariff on U.S. pork and pork variety meat to 172%. The new soybean tariff is more than 150%.
Major changes weren’t anticipated for USDA’s April World Agricultural Supply and Demand Report, but there were still a few surprises — mostly for corn.
“The sourcing from international markets has become mandatory. It’s more likely that things will get expensive than change,” says Jim DiLisi of Fanwood Chemical.
Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs, Clean Fuels Alliance America, says it is a historic agreement.