One week into his term, President Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which had been intended to help the U.S. and allies rein in China’s push for economic dominance. The U.S. withdrawal amounted to a unilateral gift to China. Now, 15 months later, in the midst of a bilateral trade face-off with China, President Trump announced during a meeting with farm-state agricultural interests that the U.S. may “rejoin” TPP and asked his advisers to prepare options.U.S. markets surged in response to the good news that the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

The farm bill was the missing topic during a 45-minute session recently with farmers in southwestern Missouri, recalls Sen. Roy Blunt. “The farm bill never came up.” Instead, growers talked about threats to farm exports, over-regulation and the need for rural broadband. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says low commodity prices, the slump in farm income, attacks on corn ethanol and, most of all, anxiety about a possible trade war are the top concerns in farm country. There is no additional money for major changes in grain and soybean subsidies in the farm bill. [node:read-more:link]

Each year, farmers in the US purchase tens of millions of pounds of antibiotics approved for use in cows, pigs, fowl and other livestock. When the animals' manure is repurposed as fertilizer or bedding, traces of the medicines leach into the environment, raising concerns about how agriculture contributes to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. New research holds troublesome insights with regard to the scope of this problem. [node:read-more:link]

Included in the draft farm bill presented by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) last week were several provisions that would reverse decades of precedent, and usher American agriculture into a new era of unlimited farm subsidies for the nation’s largest mega-farms. [node:read-more:link]

Telecom giant T-Mobile received a sharp reminder on Monday from federal regulators: Its system still needs some work, and it can't just pretend otherwise. [node:read-more:link]

The time has come that our friends in Oklahoma are in need of assistance. Ag Community Relief will have a semi and an enclosed trailer leaving Wednesday, April 18th to deliver goods. If anyone has even just a couple round bales to help fill the semi or fencing and feed materials to fill the enclosed trailer please contact Eddie Fahley (810) 304-4651 or Matt Schaller (810) 614-0968. [node:read-more:link]

T-Mobile will pay the US Treasury $40 million to settle a dispute with the FCC over failed calls and faked ringtones for rural areas. The FCC annouced the fine, following a years-long investigation into actions that took place starting in 2016. The complaint broadly concerns how T-Mobile treats rural calls, specifically problems T-Mobile has with connecting calls to rural areas and the length of time taken to establish a call. [node:read-more:link]

Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board has safeguarded 27 farms throughout the state, State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced. Three of the 27 farms are in Lancaster County while two others reside in Lebanon and York counties. [node:read-more:link]

The ASPCA and Animal Welfare Institute have joined the Organic Trade Association in its lawsuit against USDA for not implementing new organic livestock standards. The original lawsuit, filed in federal court last September, was aimed at USDA’s repeated delays in implementing the standards that were finalized in the waning days of the Obama administration. [node:read-more:link]

Those who use pet groomers expect to pick up a fluffy, clean animal at the end of their visit, not a box with their pet's remains. But that's not what some New Jersey families have experienced.Following news reports that three dogs have died after pet-salon visits in the state in the past five months, State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-Dist. 16)  announced Tuesday he is introducing legislation requiring pet groomers to be trained and licensed.“It is sadly far too common for us to read of dog grooming deaths in the news,” Bateman said. [node:read-more:link]