U.S. Department of Agriculture
The Biden administration kicked off the nearly week-long trip EU climate trip with a $1 billion announcement. And there’s more funds in the Build Back Better program, but some say details are still sparse.
On Tuesday, the United States and the United Arab Emirates used COP26 climate talks to launch efforts to channel funding into making agriculture resilient to climate change, as well as to cut its emissions.
Biden’s new Build Back Better plan could have a sweeping impact on ag. The plan provides a boost to biofuels and conservation efforts and expands USDA’s proposed minority farmer and rancher debt relief by $6 billion.
USDA said late last week it’s not approving a vaccine mandate exemption for Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees, and now there are fears the next shortage farmers will face will be with FSA local field staff.
USDA’s October Crop Production and WASDE reports caused the soybean markets to tank Tuesday. One analyst says he thinks USDA’s soybean could could continue to rise as soybean demand shows signs of trouble.
USDA’s October report shows U.S. corn and soybean crops are larger than what USDA forecast in September, but the biggest question came to soybean demand. Soybean prices were down double digits after the report.
The White House’s executive order signed in September requires all USDA employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 22, and includes county FSA offices and employees, as well as elected county committee members who are paid.
USDA is announcing a plan that involves another $100 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Chip Flory is joined by USDA Secretary Vilsack to discuss who is affected by stepped-up basis and why he thinks agricultural America should be in support of it.
As USDA continues efforts to expand CRP program to help meet climate goals, one Kansas State economist is also looking into what the expansion of CRP means for commodity prices.