Department of Agriculture research shows climate change may increase the insect population that poses a threat to the specialty crops industry. Led by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the University of California, the research shows populations of three major insect pests. The codling moth, peach twig borer and oriental fruit moth are…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
Lawmakers Call For Farm Bill Reforms
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Representative Chip Roy of Texas are calling on Senate and House leadership to address several important topics in writing a new farm bill.They’re asking leaders to address the impacts of inflation, waste in farm and nutrition programs, and foreign influence in U.S. agriculture.In a letter to leaders in both…… MORE
California’s Largest Farmer Organization has a New Leader
Shannon Douglass, who farms up in Glenn County is the new president of the California Farm Bureau for the next two years. She’s also the first woman president in the organization’s one hundred year plus history. Douglass says producers face abundant challenges in farming and ranching today. But California remains a great place to grow…… MORE
Farmer Outlook Improves As Producers Credit Stronger Financial Conditions
For the second month, farmer sentiment improved as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed five points. November’s 12-point rise in the Current Conditions Index to a reading of 113 was primarily responsible for this month’s sentiment improvement as the Index of Future Expectations only improved by two points. The Future Expectations Index was…… MORE
USDA Trade Mission Planned to Korea
USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor will lead an agribusiness trade mission to Seoul, South Korea, March 25-26, 2024. Taylor says the agency is inviting U.S. exporters who wish to participate in this trade mission to submit their applications. “North Asian markets are a source of stability for America’s exports and…… MORE
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
