Federal

President Donald Trump's trade tariffs already have led to increases in the price of raw materials and other "input" costs for some 68% of manufacturers in the New York area, according to a new survey. What's more, roughly half of manufacturers expect to pass the extra costs along to consumers. "In assessing the overall effect of trade policies on the bottom line, 51 percent of manufacturers perceived a negative effect in 2018, while 44 percent anticipated a negative effect in 2019," according to a summary of the results. [node:read-more:link]

Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance contract that protects against unexpected down swings in the national cattle market price could be used as a risk management tool for these producers to protect their investment.  Like most insurance products, producers should not purchase LRP hoping to collect on it. All else being equal, the preference is for good, strong market prices to prevail along with solid returns on investment. [node:read-more:link]

USDA will spend up to $50 million on fluid milk in half-gallon containers for distribution to the Emergency Food Assistance Program. [node:read-more:link]

The ongoing international trade turmoil between the U.S. and other countries has prompted import tariffs on many U.S. agricultural commodities in important export markets, which could hurt U.S. farmers.A new report released by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources' Agricultural Issues Center estimates the higher tariffs could cost major U.S. fruit and nut industries $2.64 billion per year in exports to countries imposing the higher tariffs, and as much as $3.34 billion by reducing prices in alternative markets. [node:read-more:link]

As FDA Commissioner, addressing the opioid epidemic and the misuse and abuse of these drugs remains one of my highest priorities. As we look at tackling the opioid crisis, it’s important that we take a close look at all the access points where these powerful medications can be obtained. We must also ensure that all health care professionals understand their role and responsibility in prescribing these products, and lend our support in appropriately managing them. [node:read-more:link]

A switch is coming to the Jefferson National Forest’s top leadership, a job complicated by conflict over plans to run a natural gas pipeline up and down mountainsides and under the Appalachian Trail.Forest supervisor Joby Timm has been temporarily assigned to the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested Tuesday that countries facing sanctions like Iran, Turkey and Russia may start doing business in their national currencies, suggesting that the days of the U.S. dollar as the international reserve currency may be numbered. [node:read-more:link]

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated administrative legal requirements when it delayed the start of the Obama administration's Waters of the U.S. rule by two years — a move that means the rule will now go into effect for about half the country. The judge said EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers had unlawfully declined to consider any comments addressing substantive issues related to WOTUS or an earlier 1982 version when it proposed delaying the rule to give the agencies more time to repeal and replace it.That was a fatal flaw, ruled Judge David Norton of the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

Staff members at USDA’s Economic Research Service were blindsided by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s decision to move the agency out of Washington, and agricultural economists are concerned the department's economic research arm could be weakened by the changes.The news was particularly hard on officials with families who have settled in the Washington area, despite USDA's assurances that staffers will be offered relocation assistance and the same base pay they were earning while in Washington. [node:read-more:link]

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced last week that he will move the USDA Economic Research Service out of Washington, D.C., and place the agency under the management of USDA Office of the Chief Economist. Also involved in the reorganization and relocation is the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, another research agency.  The Daily Yonder uses material from the Economic Research Service routinely. We republish ERS research reports or quote from them extensively. [node:read-more:link]