AgClips
Recent AgClips
Trump taps Pruitt to head EPA
Progressive Farmer | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Federal NewsOklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is President-elect Donald Trump's selection to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Farmers and ranchers who have been concerned for years about what they perceive as an ever-increasing weight of regulations including the waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule may be pleased with Trump's selection. On the other hand, Pruitt has been an outspoken critic of the Renewable Fuel Standard. Pruitt led a number of states in filing one of many lawsuits against EPA challenging the WOTUS rule as an unconstitutional power grab.
Hog Prices Join Corn and Wheat at Ten-Year Lows
Farm Doc Daily | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Agriculture NewsFocusing on lean hog futures prices, the low this fall was on the October 2016 contract at $40.70. The previous time lean hog futures had been this low was in October of 2002. This means lean hog futures in the fall of 2016 were the lowest lead contract price in 14 years. Lean hog futures have recovered somewhat since October, with the lead contract currently trading around $50, a level that is at the lower end of the ten-year range. Cash prices also reflect these multi-year lows.
The Adoption of Genetically Engineered Alfalfa, Canola and Sugarbeets in the United States
USDA | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Agriculture NewsGenetically engineered (GE) varieties of corn, soybeans, and cotton with herbicide-tolerant and/or insect-resistant traits were commercially introduced in the United States in 1996. Twenty years later, most corn, cotton, and soybean farmers use these varieties, and the impacts of adoption have been widely documented. By contrast, relatively little is known about the adoption of GE alfalfa, canola, and sugarbeets, crops that add substantial value to the U.S. agricultural sector. For instance, alfalfa is the fourth largest crop in the United States in terms of acreage and production value.
Farm Sector Weakness To Continue Into 2016
USDA | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Federal NewsNet cash farm income is forecast at $90.1 billion and net farm income at $66.9 billion for 2016. Both measures are forecast to decline for the third consecutive year after reaching record highs in 2013 for net farm income and 2012 for net cash income. Net cash farm income is expected to fall by 14.6 percent in 2016, while net farm income is forecast to decline by 17.2 percent. These declines follow the 19.8- and 12.7-percent reductions in net cash income and net farm income, respectively, that occurred in 2015.
Ohio legislature punts on CAUV farm tax reform
Farm and Dairy | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Agriculture NewsFarmers and landowners who called on the state legislature to improve the formula for calculating the Current Agricultural Use Value for property taxes are on track for a setback. Miller said House and caucus members discussed the bill various times, but members still need more time to review the complexities of the bill and how it would affect funding for all parties.Rep. Brian Hill, R-Zanesville, and the sponsor of the House bill, said it looks like the House will try to finish up its other bills, and revisit the CAUV issue in January.
Tyson Foods venture fund to finance alternative proteins
Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Food NewsTyson Foods announced it has launched a venture capital fund focused on investing, among other things, “commercializing delicious, safe and affordable alternative proteins.” Tyson will make available $150 million to the fund, which has been named Tyson New Ventures LLC.
Consumer views of food may have broader fallout
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Food NewsThe way Americans view how food is created, prepared and consumed has the potential to affect the nation’s social, economic and political future, according to a new Pew Research Center report.With public tastes shifting and polarizing in the last 20 years, the research center noted that how consumers view organic and genetically modified (GM) foods are demonstrated in key behaviors and attitudes on food in general.The Pew survey found that 55 percent of Americans believe that organically grown product is healthier than conventionally grown produce, with 41 percent saying that there is no di
Energy Giant Shell Inks Oil Deal With Iran
NPR | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Energy NewsRoyal Dutch Shell has signed a provisional agreement to develop oil and gas fields in Iran, a move that could signal energy companies will not be deterred from doing business with the Islamic Republic despite uncertainty whether a Trump administration will scrap a nuclear deal agreed to by world powers. A spokesman for Shell said a memorandum of agreement was signed Wednesday with the National Iranian Oil Co.
Missouri's largest peach farmer sues Monsanto over alleged damage from illegal herbicide use
St Louis Post Dispatch | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in NewsMissouri’s largest peach producer has filed a lawsuit against Monsanto Co., alleging that the biotech company bears responsibility for illegal herbicide use suspected of causing widespread crop damage in southeast Missouri and neighboring states. The suit seeks compensation for extensive damage to the farm’s peach trees suffered over the last two years — an interval which coincides with Monsanto’s release of crop varieties resistant to the herbicide dicamba.
China Is Likely To Fill the Vacuum' From U.S. TPP Exit
Asia Society | Posted onDecember 8, 2016 in Federal NewsRatifying the TPP would bring enormous economic and geostrategic benefits, not just to the U.S., but to all TPP partners. The agreement covers 12 countries, which together produce 40 percent of the world’s GDP. What makes TPP different from previous agreements is that it covers all products, even the most sensitive agricultural ones which have typically been excluded from previous agreements. Furthermore, TPP would also create rules for state-owned enterprises, digital trade, environmental protection, intellectual property, and much more.