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“In the last 2,500 years, every Chinese government that has fallen, has fallen over food,” says Kuehl, Armada chief economist. “They need those import markets—be it from the U.S, Canada, Brazil or Australia."

John Phipps already talked about the numerous plans to build semiconductor factories. The key word is “plans”. This enthusiasm to spend billions, much of it government money, may not generate the results we imagine.

SINGAPORE, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Russia's weekend backtrack from a U.N.-brokered deal to export Black Sea grains is likely to hit shipments to import-dependent countries.

Friday brought mixed news for the economy. So, is the U.S. officially in a recession? K-State economists say it's more important to watch changes in behaviors versus debating the definition of recession.

Rep. Khanna's Gasoline Export Ban Act of 2022 would grant the president authority to stop exports of gas when prices are high. Other government officials are instead looking at biofuels to mitigate rising gas prices.

Mexico says it is on track to halve its U.S. imports of yellow corn and will look to make direct deals with farmers in the U.S., Argentina and Brazil who produce non-GMO corn to secure the remaining supplies.

U.S. officials are bracing for another potential oil price surge in December, if a European embargo on Russian oil goes into effect and the Saudis refuse to increase production to make up for the drop in oil supply.

Agriculture isn't out of the woods regarding rail transportation issues as new demands are being made by at least one union.  

News is circulating that it may be the last time McDonald's has the McRib on its menu. While a farewell tour may be underway, the University of Nebraska's Meat Sciences Department created the technology behind the McRib.

Global diesel and distillate fuel stocks have fallen to dangerous levels and the U.S. has been exporting a lot of diesel to Europe and Latin America, but now things are changing.

Data from Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food shows the country shipped 6.9 million metric tons of grain, vegetables and edible oils last month, nearly matching the 7.1 million tons exported in Sept. 2021. 

Dairy producers could soon serve up a climate solution that creates significant economic incentives for their farm. Jeff Simmons thinks dairy farmers are just years from making more money off carbon than milk products.

"The low water disruption will be felt not only by our U.S. producers of food, farm, and fiber but also by U.S. and international consumers as well," says Friedmann of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition.

USDA seeks input on how to identify those who experienced discrimination and what kind of evidence should be submitted to back up the claims.

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released its general new farm bill recommendations on Thursday. First on the AFBF’s list: “protect farm bill program spending.”

Terry Wolters was one of a handful of pork producers who watched Supreme Court justices grill attorneys with questions during oral arguments on Oct. 11 in NPPC v. Ross challenging the constitutionality of Prop 12.

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 U.S. is projected to have record ag exports for the marketing year but is still posting a trade deficit.  Plus, headwinds such as slow water levels on the Mississippi River are adding to trade concerns.

A labor strike along U.S. railroads is still a possibility after the third-largest railroad union rejected a tentative labor agreement this week. The agreement had the support of the White House.

“If California were to win this Supreme Court case, there’s nothing stopping the state from saying, for example, you can only sell corn in California if it’s harvested with an electric combine,” says Dillard.

Testimony heard by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) through “tens of thousands” of comments, as well as a roundtable on Thursday, led the DOL to adopt the proposed H-2A changes proposed in 2019. 

OPEC+’s decision to slash oil production has the White House considering measures aimed at breaking the cartel’s hold on markets or limiting U.S. oil exports should shortages emerge.

House Republicans asked the General Accountability Office to conduct a study on U.S. lands owned by foreign entities. The letter was signed by scores of other House Republicans.

Would repealing the Jones Act have an economic effect on agriculture? John Phipps explains why repealing the act would be minimally beneficial for some industries, but have a major impact on others in the U.S.

The WOTUS case, Sackett v. EPA, centers on a long-running dispute involving an Idaho couple named Chantell and Michael Sackett. The Sacketts have won at the Supreme Court before.

Harvest progress is up, but river levels are down. South of St. Louis, parts of the Mississippi River are so low from weeks of drought that barge traffic is being limited.

USDA just announced “major actions” to “spur competition, protect producers, and reduce costs." Such an announcement might be more intimidating to the free market than helpful.

A pandemic-era program that provided free breakfast and lunch to all schoolchildren expired this year. Republicans voted against efforts to include free school meals this week. Biden's plan reinstates the program.

The White House announced several steps to increase access of fruits and vegetables as a food source, but some say animal protein is also an answer to the need for healthy and nutritious food for all Americans.  

USDA unveiled additional plans to help boost domestic fertilizer production including $500 million in grants and reduce the risk of a series of black swans that have flown into the fertilizer market the past two years.

In preparation for farm bill 2023, the House Ag Committee met on Tuesday to grasp the highs and lows of the current farm bill and fill any gaps in 2023.

After the Skipper family welcomed conservation efforts on its private land for a 70-year span, the U.S. government responded with a federal boomerang.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss and President Biden agree a U.S./U.K. trade deal is a low priority. However, the U.K. might lean on the U.S. more in coming weeks as many countries prepare to ban Russian oil.

Lawmakers had all year to work out a budget/funding level for fiscal year (FY) 2023, which starts Oct. 1. Of course, they didn’t make it and now, again, there’s a need for a stopgap spending bill.

Once again, state government officials have admitted to surveilling private citizens with a no-warrant trail camera. How many no-warrant government cameras are active on private land?

Have the Pacific Coast port bottleneck issues been resolved, or moved somewhere else? The East Coast may now be carrying the burden.

There's a stick, a big stick, with potentially big consequences for those involved in the value chain—all the way down to the farm gate.

An executive order on biotech and biomanufacturing was signed into law by President Biden on Tuesday. The order tasks Secy. Vilsack with reporting how the initiative can best benefit ag, but some funds are spoken for.

Rail shipments are already starting to shut down ahead of a possible strike which could begin as early as this Friday and it couldn't come at a worse time for agriculture. 

A rail strike is looming despite the majority of unions reaching tentative agreement with the rail companies, but the unions not on board are essential to the operation of the nation’s rail system. 

According to Secretary Vilsack, these efforts will “increase the competitive advantage of U.S. agriculture both domestically and internationally,” while building wealth in rural America.

Grain shipments on some railroads could stop as early as Wednesday, two days ahead of a possible rail strike. A rail stoppage is growing more likely as the country’s main rail unions remain at odds with rail companies.

Widespread railroad disruptions could choke supplies of food and fuel, spawn transportation chaos, stoke inflation and cause $2 billion per day in lost economic output.

Corn and soybeans are pushing higher after some surprises in the September USDA Supply and Demand Report.  Wheat mostly lower. Livestock mixed.  Michelle Rook gets analysis with Matt Bennett of AgMarket.Net.  

Farmers everywhere have a huge stake in global trade. We count on public officials who both appreciate the connection between agriculture and prosperity and are willing to take risks on their behalf.

Farm-state lawmakers will eventually add billions to the aid package, but Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) agrees it could take until a later omnibus spending measure to be approved.

On the same day NPPC and AFBF filed a reply brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Proposition 12, the California Department of Food and Agriculture announced it has finally completed the Prop 12 implementation rules.

Empty dinner plates can quickly translate to lack of world peace. Just ask Sen. Ernst, who gave a political rundown of food security as national security at Iowa State University last week.

Putin said he now wants to renegotiate the U.N.-brokered Ukraine grain export deal, raising concerns the pact may not be able to last. Meanwhile, G7 countries mull over a $44 price cap on Russian oil.

“Friend shoring means that, rather than just bringing everything [manufacturing] back to the U.S., which is feasible, let’s make sure our supply chains are with countries that are friendly to us,” Heidelberg says.