The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers announced a final rule establishing the definition of “Waters of the United States.” EPA says the rule reduces uncertainty from consistently changing regulatory definitions, protects people’s health, and supports economic opportunity. The final rule also according to the EPA, restores essential water protections that were…… MORE
Category Archives: Agriculture News
More Seasonal Workers
It’s well known that American agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers can fill seasonal farm jobs with temporary foreign workers through the H-2A Visa Program. The Department of Labor officially certified approximately 317,000 temporary jobs in fiscal year 2021 under the H-2A program. That number was more than six times the number…… MORE
Ag’s Share of Total Export Value Hits New High
The total value of U.S. exports has grown at an average annual rate of 6% since 2002, reaching a record high of $1.4 trillion in fiscal year 2021. Agriculture’s share of total U.S. exports has steadily increased between fiscal years 2002 and 2021. The value of America’s agricultural product exports rose by an average of…… MORE
Egg Prices Reach New Highs
Egg prices are hitting record levels. Free Republic Dot Com says the surge in price is being driven by an avian-influenza outbreak that’s killed tens of millions of chickens and turkeys in the U.S. this year. Wholesale prices of Midwest large eggs hit a record of $5.36 a dozen this month. Retail egg prices are…… MORE
New Report Calls For Dairy Reform
A new report from the American Farm Bureau Federation lays out priorities, principles, and recommendations for reforming dairy policy. A Farm Bureau Working Group explored options for strengthening the dairy industry through the 2023 Farm Bill and modernizing the current Federal Milk Marketing Order. Some of the priorities for FMMO reform include returning the Class…… MORE
National Ag Day Essay Contest Needs Entries
Ahead of National Ag Day on March 21, 2023, the Agriculture Council of America is hosting an essay contest. The theme for the year is Growing a Climate for Tomorrow: How American Agriculture Does it Every Day. The essay contest is divided into two categories, either a written essay or a video essay. Both are…… MORE
Vegetable Prices Spike
Fresh-market vegetable crops in California, Florida, and Mexico were hit with a variety of inclement weather this summer and fall. The adverse weather reduced supplies and contributed to higher shipping-point prices, according to a USDA Economic Research Service report. Shipping-point prices for fresh vegetables are expected to remain above seasonal norms until new or replanted…… MORE
Census of Agriculture Underway
The Department of Agriculture Last has mailed the 2022 Census of Agriculture paper questionnaires to all known agriculture producers across the nation and Puerto Rico. Producers in the states received their survey codes last month with an invitation to respond online. Any producer who has yet to respond online now has the option to complete…… MORE
New Farm Labor Bill Introduced
Valley congressman David Valadao joins other lawmakers for the Affordable and Secure Food Act. The bill is a last-minute effort to get H-2A reform finished before Congress adjourns. The bipartisan farm worker visa reform package calls for expanding H-2A visas to year-round jobs for the first time, modernizing the application process, creating more wage certainty,…… MORE
CoBank Releases 2023 Year Ahead Report
The U.S. economy still has considerable momentum and is not currently on the verge of recession, according to CoBank’s 2023 Year Ahead report. However, economists have never been more pessimistic, and there are legitimate reasons for concern. Over the past half-century, inflation above 5% has never been tamed without incurring a recession. Dan Kowalski, vice…… MORE
