AgClips
Recent AgClips
NAFTA talks spark deep divide in American agriculture
CNN | Posted onSeptember 13, 2017 in Agriculture, Federal NewsA group of mostly southeastern U.S. farmers want a major change to NAFTA, which they say has hurt them. But a separate coalition of farmers and industry leaders are vehemently opposed to the agriculture overhaul, saying it's bad for business. The thorny debate illustrates how NAFTA's winners and losers have been defined along fine lines, from one farm to another. The key issue for some U.S. farmers is proving whether Mexican or Canadian growers are selling tomatoes, blueberries, avocados and other products at a price well below the average price tag. A group of mostly southeastern U.S.
Estate tax debated to death
DTN | Posted onSeptember 13, 2017 in Agriculture, Federal NewsWhile the political focus of the estate tax is on farmers and ranchers, few producers pay the estate tax. USDA's Economic Research Service studied the issue earlier this year and concluded 1.7% of farm estates in 2016 had to file an estate-tax return. Of that group, 0.42% are estimated to owe any taxes. ERS estimated farm estates paid $344 million in taxes for 2016. "It impacts hardly any farmer, and in fact it impacts hardly any people across the U.S., far less than 1%," said Roger Johnson, president of NFU. "They are the wealthiest among us.
EPA grants pollution waiver to Florida utilities after Irma
AP | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Federal, Rural NewsState and federal environmental regulators issued a blanket waiver on Monday for Florida electricity companies to violate clean air and water standards without penalty for the next two weeks.
Is There Really Too Much Milk?
edairynews | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Agriculture, Food NewsMilk futures have taken a beating over the past month with prices experiencing very few days of higher closes. Technically, futures should be about ready to rebound in price retracing some of the losses experienced during that period of time.The bottom line is that there is just too much milk and product out there to warrant much higher prices. Yes, prices could increase to some extent and hopefully we will experience Class III futures back to $17.00 again before the end of the year, but there is significant lost ground to regain.
Study outlines economic impact of H-2A workers
Capital Press | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in NewsForeign seasonal farmworkers hired by Washington growers through the farm labor association WAFLA harvested $424.3 million in tree fruit value in 2015, a report says. WAFLA says it shows the economic value of foreign farmworkers in the state.
Craft beer sales slow, and industry changes may be on the way
Capital Press | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Food, Rural NewsA bubble in Oregon’s revered craft beer industry? Sales have slowed and some breweries have closed, but the state Office of Economic Analysis isn’t going on a bender about it. Senior Economist Josh Lehner, who has written extensively about the economic impact of the state’s “alcohol cluster,” said it’s likely the industry is maturing.
Texas and Florida Farmers: Time to Face Crop Loss
OFW Law | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Agriculture NewsIt will take months to calculate the damage Hurricanes Harvey and Irma unleashed this summer on the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida: dozens of lost lives, hundreds of thousands of destroyed homes, tens of billions in property damage and untold suffering and disruption. Some losses will take years to mend, some can never be mended at all. For farmers, once conditions clear enough to inspect fields, a first order will be to assess losses to their crops.
With ‘Ag-Gag’ Struck Down In Utah, Animal Rights Groups Set Sights On The Midwest
Harvest Public Media | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsExpect challenges in the Midwest to so-called “ag-gag” laws, laws that criminalize certain forms of data collection and recording on farms and ranches, after a series of challenges have left Utah’s law permanently struck down and Wyoming’s on shaky ground.
Monsanto Challenges Arkansas Ban, Praises Indiana's RUP Move
DTN | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Agriculture NewsMonsanto showed what it will tolerate, and what it won't tolerate, when it comes to states' reactions to the 2017 season's unprecedented dicamba drift damage complaints. The St. Louis-based company on Thursday said it has filed an aggressive petition to the Arkansas State Plant Board, demanding it reject the state's proposed in-season ban on dicamba herbicides within 30 days or risk legal action.That response contrasts with the company's newly announced take on actions in Indiana.
USDA to fold GIPSA into AMS
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onSeptember 12, 2017 in Federal NewsSecretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the realignment of a number of USDA offices to improve efficiency, including merging the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration into the Agricultural Marketing Service