Category Archives: Agriculture News

USDA Forecasts Lower Ag Exports

America’s agricultural exports in fiscal year 2024 are projected at $169.5 billion, down $2.5 billion from the August forecast. The drop is primarily from reductions in grain and feed as well as livestock, poultry, and dairy exports. Wheat exports are forecast down $800 million to $6 billion on lower unit values and ongoing competition from…MORE

USDA Changes Loss Requirements for Livestock Programs

The Department of Agriculture has waived certain notice of loss requirements in 2023 for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish and the Livestock Indemnity Program. In an effort to streamline assistance to support access to critical 2023 natural disaster recovery assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency is waiving the requirement to submit Emergency…MORE

Growth Rate of Ag Output Continues Slowdown

In the last decade, the world’s agricultural output grew at an average annual rate of 1.94% per year. A USDA report says that’s slower than the 2.74% output growth rate over the previous decade and below the average annual rate of 2.3% during the last six decades. The slowdown in agricultural growth was primarily tied…MORE

USMCA Panel Limits U.S. Dairy Access in Canada

A U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement dispute panel recently allowed Canada to continue restricting dairy access that the U.S. negotiated for under the agreement. The action came after an earlier panel ruled in January 2022 that Canada had improperly restricted access to its market for American dairy products. American agriculture leaders and groups, along with others reacted negatively…MORE

Most States Saw Growth in Net Farm Income During 2022

The U.S. saw growth of almost 31% in net farm income from 2021 through 2022. NFI is a broad measure of farm sector profitability. Researchers with USDA’s Economic Research Service used data from the Farm Income and Wealth Statistics to classify states into six categories of NFI changes. The five agricultural states with the highest…MORE

Survey Reveals Importance of AM Radio

The agricultural industry has been one of the biggest supporters of the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” since its introduction. Radio Ink says the industry has spending power of more than $576 billion spread across millions of workers. MRI-Simmons, the leading study of American consumer attitudes and behaviors, explored the media choices of agricultural workers.…MORE

Rep. Valadao Introduces Crop Reporting Act

WASHINGTON – Today, Reps. David G. Valadao (CA-22), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Elissa Slotkin (MI-07) introduced the Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act (Specialty CROP Act). The bill makes key improvements to the annual U.S. Specialty Crops Trade Issues Report to identify and combat unreasonable trade barriers more effectively. Specialty crops are a cornerstone of California…MORE

Genetically Modified Seed Prices Rising Faster Than Non-GM

Prices paid for crop seed increased significantly faster than the prices farmers received for crop commodities between 1990 and 2020. During that period, the average prices farmers paid for all seed rose by 270%, while the crop commodity price index rose 56%. For crops planted predominantly with genetically modified seed, like corn and cotton, those…MORE

New Cattle Competition Initiative

The USDA released a package of rules and orders seeking to increase competition in the livestock industry. That package establishes a Chief Competition Officer at USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. This position will be hired as a career rather than a political appointment. The officer will help elevate and institutionalize competition-related concerns at USDA. “Today’s announcement…MORE

Saladino’s Foodservice Sells to US Foods

Saladino’s Foodservice Sells to US Foods

Fresno, CA (KMJ) US Foods Holding Corp announced Thursday that it is buying Saladino’s Foodservice, to further expand its reach into central California. Saladino’s is an independently owned Fresno-based independent foodservice distributor with more than $600 million in annual revenue and more than 4,000 customers across California. Dave Fansler, Mike Shirinian and Nick Marizliano, hosts…MORE