Jim Wiesemeyer

Jim Wiesemeyer is well known to Pro Farmer Members for his long tenure as Washington Bureau Chief for Pro Farmer. Now with agricultural consulting firm Informa Economics, formerly Sparks Companies, Inc., he is still offering his expertise and insight on farm policy, trade policy and Washington politics as a consultant to Pro Farmer. His Inside Washington Today column on AgWeb.com is a must-read item to keep up with the latest in Washington developments.

Latest Stories
Both ERP and the previously announced Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) are funded by a bill President Biden signed into law in 2021. The law provided $10 billion from taxpayers to help agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021, of which $750 million is committed to livestock producers who experienced losses to drought or wildfire in calendar year 2021.
Politics
USDA Reveals Farmers Have Received More Than $4 Billion in ERP Payouts to Date
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced agricultural producers have already received more than $4 billion through the Emergency Relief Program (formerly WHIP+), representing 67% of the $6 billion projected to be paid.
July 13, 2022 03:27 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Ukraine - Russia
Corn
Russian Forces Attack Two North-American Owned Grain Terminals in Ukraine
Russian forces targeted at least two large grain terminals Wednesday in the port of Mykolaiv. Western governments claim Russia is carrying out a campaign to degrade Ukraine’s ability to export food.
June 23, 2022 01:54 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Gas pump nozzle, Somerville, Massachusetts
Politics
Biden to Call on Congress to Suspend Gas and Diesel Tax This Summer
The move is contingent on legislative action, which would temporarily lift the 18.3 cents tax per gallon on gasoline and 24 cents tax per gallon on diesel during the summer months.
June 22, 2022 09:04 AM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Class III milk bounced back after some early selling pressure to finish the day down slightly.
Market Outlooks
U.S. Recession Probability Soars as Inflation Pains Worsen
Economists see interest-rate increases raising likelihood of recession to 44% in coming 12 months.
June 21, 2022 02:07 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
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Beef
Senate Ag Panel Expected to Vote Wednesday on Controversial Cattle and Meat Measures
The Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act and Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act are both expected to get votes ad approval from the Senate Ag Committee this week, despite expected Republican opposition.
June 20, 2022 11:56 AM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
Wheat
Ukraine’s Third Largest Exporting Terminal Destroyed By Russian Military
Tensions between Russia and the West are escalating as Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow would strike new targets if the U.S. supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine, according to Russian state media.
June 06, 2022 03:39 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
COTTON 2022
Cotton
Even with Climbing Cotton Prices, China is Back in Market for U.S. Cotton
USDA ‘s weekly Export Sales data for the week ended May 26 showed net sales of U.S. cotton for both old- and new-crop delivery with additional sales of sorghum but cancellations of old-crop soybean sales.
June 03, 2022 09:31 AM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
The over $2 billion package includes previously announced funding to expand meat and poultry processing and to finance new infrastructure such as cold storage facilities, but there $600 million in new aid to support food supply chain infrastructure outside meat processing.
Politics
Vilsack Announces $2B in Funding to Transform U.S. Food System
Transforming the U.S. food system by improving supply chains and addressing issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic was detailed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during a speech at Georgetown University.
June 01, 2022 07:38 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
China marketplace
Politics
Can China’s Economic Stats Be Trusted?
Shanghai offered some tax rebates for companies and allowed all manufacturers to resume operations from June as authorities rolled out policies to revitalize an economy impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns.
June 01, 2022 08:31 AM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
According to Bloomberg, the June spot price in Tampa, Florida, for ammonia nitrogen fertilizer settled at $1,000/metric ton, a 30% drop from May's $1,425/ton.
Crop Production
Fertilizer Prices Just Fell 30% in One Day, Farmers Saw Prices Skyrocket 133% in a Year
Fertilizer prices, led by CF Industries, fell in Thursday’s trading. Nitrogen prices reportedly plunged 30%, partly due to demand destruction.
May 27, 2022 12:16 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
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