Latest News From Stephanie Mercier

For the first time in memory, market power by the owners of U.S. and global fertilizer production is drawing policymaker scrutiny. U.S. four-firm concentration ratios exceed 60 percent in all three markets (N,P, and K).

The 2022 Census of Agriculture continues the trend of declining number of farms and increasing average age of farmers. I also shows mixed results in terms of farmers adopting conserving agricultural practices.

Sea level rise from climate change could turn up to 65 million people living on islands into refugees over the coming decades, adding to an already enormous refugee crisis. Farmers on coastal lands may also be affected.

Major disruptions to shipping through the Panama and Suez canals, occurring for very different reasons, are contributing to the recent spike in ocean freight rates.

U.S. biofuel use has plateaued in recent years, and the industry is seeking new ways to expand use. One promising outlet is more use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the commercial aviation sector.

Evidence indicates that droughts have occurred more frequently and or lasted longer around the world due to climate change. Farmers have some options from existing technology to adapt, but more research is needed.

Over the quarter century, the global prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled, affecting both adults and children. This blog discusses some potential causes of this increase, and some policy approaches to addressing it.

Agrivoltaics combines installation of solar panels in rural areas on elevated structures so as to permit co-location of agricultural activity, such as grazing animals or production of horticultural crops underneath.

This blog describes some steps taken in local and state jurisdictions to restrain the rate of groundwater withdrawal, but most parts of the country have taken no action in this area. A more holistic approach is needed.

The rate of groundwater withdrawal from aquifers is increasing in many parts of the country, and agricultural use in irrigation is accounting for much of that change. Climate change may be accelerating this trend.

The combination of a new El Nino episode and the ongoing effects of climate change have contributed to many severe weather events this year, with detrimental effects for global agriculture.

Agricultural R&D can help developing countries address their own unique challenges and shore up local food systems to better withstand shocks. This blog summarizes a research paper on this topic.

I provide an update on the current status of the next farm bill, which looks highly unlikely to pass before the 2018 farm bill formally expires.

While most Midwest farmers utilize a corn-soybean crop rotation, it would help them from an agronomic and economic viewpoint to consider adding a small grain as a third crop in their rotations.

A new FAO report on the status of women in agri-food systems finds that women have made some progress in a few areas since 2011, but still lag behind men in key areas such as land ownership and agricultural productivity.

'Biological' products contain beneficial, naturally occurring microorganisms or microbial derivatives as active ingredients, and are used by farmers to enhance the efficiency of other inputs such as fertilizer.

Released in March, the sixth IPCC assessment report finds that the planet is likely to exceed the 1.5 degree C warming target established in the Paris Accord, which will put more stress on the global agricultural sector.

The U.S. and Mexican governments will initiate consultations under USMCA to attempt to resolve disagreements over a Mexican decree limiting imports of corn with biotech traits.

Two recent studies confirm the notion that greater use of conserving practices such as no-till and cover cropping can reduce the incidence of prevented planting under the federal crop insurance program.

Nearly one year after Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukraine's agriculture is still in severe disarray. The trade flow disruptions contributed to forcing an additional 60 million people into acute food insecurity.

This blog summarizes the 60-plus year history of the European's Common Agricultural Policy, from its launch as a system set up to protect producers in six European countries to today's 27-member EU exporting behemoth.

This blog describes advances in agricultural biotechnology in recent decades, and how gene editing techniques can be used to help farmers adjust to climate change.

The study of animal disease emerged as a systematic science in the 18th century, and USDA first engaged in such work in 1883. USDA's new National Bio- and AgroDefense Facility is on the verge of opening in Kansas.

With the passage of the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations bill, the U.S. government is funded through September. A number of other key bills, such as Electoral Count Act reform and funding to assist Ukraine, are included.

There's been recent developments in the U.S. farmland market, including policymakers' concerns about foreign ownership of such assets.

This year's COP (27th) marked a turning point in the global attitude toward agriculture's ability to help mitigate climate change. New resources are being deployed to help that effort.

Vertical farms have sprung up all around the developed world since the first one was opened in Singapore in 2012. However, most still struggle with high energy use, putting their further expansion in question.

This blog summarizes remarks given by USAID Administrator Samantha Power at last month's World Food Prize events in Des Moines, Iowa.

U.S. farmer enthusiasm for growing industrial hemp has cooled since 2019, but new markets for hemp other than for processing into CBD oil may be emerging.

The robust agricultural sector in the Western U.S. is at risk due to low water flows in the Colorado River system, which has fallen due to extended droughts resulting from climate change.

Wheat producers rely primarily on public sector research for crop breeding improvements. A new GMO wheat incorporating drought tolerance has been approved for planting in Argentina, but not yet produced for market.

This post summarizes the agricultural provisions of the Inflation Reduction Plan, aimed at encouraging greater participation in climate change mitigation efforts by farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses and residents.

In recent farm bills, Congress has established 4 programs aimed at improving the nutrition in food eaten by Americans. Their funding is equivalent to less than 1 percent of what is spent on major nutrition programs.

The higher cost of shipping U.S. agricultural inputs and products both internationally and domestically has increased costs of production for U.S. farmers, contributing to a projected decline in net farm income for 2022.

While many farmers buy new farm equipment to provide more efficient operations and higher yields, they face problems if their equipment breaks down, particularly due to company-imposed restrictions on repairs.

Research suggests that climate change is already having an impact on the availability of pollination from both commercial beehives and wild pollinator species such as butterflies and non-honeybee bee species.

Women in agriculture lag their male counterparts in accessing resources and knowhow on their farms, as well as in receiving recognition of their work. Out of 50 World Food Prize laureates, only nine have been women.

First envisioned in the 1990's after the US government relaxed restrictions on GPS signals, precision ag technology can help farmers reduce inputs such as fuel and fertilizer, saving money and helping the environment.

Efforts to feed hungry people were pursued as part of FDR's New Deal, with programs feeding people in schools and homes with surplus food. Full authority came later--School Lunch program in 1946, food stamps in 1964.

The President signed legislation on March 15 which provided funding for the federal government for fiscal year 2022. This includes the budget for USDA, which received a 4.4 percent increase year over year.

Regardless of whether you call them sustainable, regenerative, or climate-smart, adoption of conservation practices such as cover cropping and no-till help both farmers and the general public.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered price spikes and broad concerns in three important global markets that affect agriculture--oil and gas, fertilizer, and grains.

By any measure, natural disasters have increased in both frequency and severity around the world over the last several decades, in ways clearly linked to the advancing impacts of climate change.

For the upcoming crop year, corn farmers using split nitrogen application will have access to a crop insurance product (PACE) to ensure against loss if bad weather hampers their ability to apply the second tranche.

Agricultural research offers one of the highest returns out of any activity that the U.S. government funds. A 2018 study found that such spending from 1910 to 2007 generated $17 in benefits for every $1 invested.

Economic damage to U.S. agriculture from invasive species, estimated at more than $120 billion annually, is likely to worsen as climate change facilitates an expansion of the zones where such species can thrive.

Senator Bob Dole, who died last week at the age of 98, and Senator George McGovern, who died in 2012, were both strong supporters of U.S. programs to help feed hungry people, both in the U.S. and abroad.

More than 10 years after enactment, the Food Safety Modernization Act has radically changed the regulatory approach of the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees the safety of 75 percent of the U.S. food supply.

Development of renewable aviation fuels from agricultural feedstocks is key to the global aviation sector's ability to meet its goal to reach its greenhouse gas emission (GHG) targets.

The emergence of COVID-19, a zoonotic disease, which has killed more than 5 million people globally, has triggered many policy responses. One area that needs increased attention is animal disease surveillance.