Ag Policy
From record-high gas and diesel prices on the road to a major spike in the price Americans paid for their Memorial Day weekend barbecue essentials, shoppers are seeing price spikes everywhere they go.
Transforming the U.S. food system by improving supply chains and addressing issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic was detailed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during a speech at Georgetown University.
Shanghai offered some tax rebates for companies and allowed all manufacturers to resume operations from June as authorities rolled out policies to revitalize an economy impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns.
USDA is making $200 million available to create a new meat processing capacity expansion program, providing $25 million for workforce training under the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP).
USDA raised its estimated range of 6.5%-7.5% y/y increase from a range of 5%-6%, according to the May Food Price Outlook report, the highest forecast for all food prices and restaurant prices since 1981.
The White House is considering waiving U.S. gasoline environmental rules aimed at reducing summertime smog, hoping the waiver will combat rising pump prices, Reuters reported.
The U.S.-China trade war began in July 2018 when the Trump administration imposed tariffs on $550 billion worth of Chinese goods. Nearly four years later, the debate remains as to which country actually won.
Some farmers are concerned about the possibility of losing farmland to energy projects like wind and solar. John Phipps points out some major misconceptions about the placement of solar projects.
Is putting up a new swine barn in southwest Wisconsin national news? When the Associated Press released a story about AV Roth’s plans to construct a new hog building, he admits he was a little surprised.
The North American Meat Institute says a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis’ report distorts the truth about the meat and poultry industry’s work to protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biden says Ukraine has 20 million tons of stored grain awaiting export to various countries. He says lack of port movement coupled with halted planting in Ukraine will ignite a global food crisis unless action is taken.
The National Pork Producers Council is submitting comments on the EPA’s toxicological review of formaldehyde, which is used to prevent Salmonella infections in pigs and as a disinfectant, among other things.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is reviewing Section 301 tariffs, which is required every four years by law, on more than $370 billion of Chinese goods. Here’s why it matters to you.
DOE will call for bids on 60 million barrels of oil come Fall 2022. However, the department anticipates deliveries will not be fulfilled until fiscal year 2023—when future oil prices and demand will be lower.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan hints at a major uptick in renewable fuel blending obligations to be announced on June 3rd, as ethanol production is stunted by railway inefficiencies.
USDA’s 2022 food price inflation forecasts are already at a 14-year high with forecasts for consumer food price inflation increased again this month. All food prices now seen rising 5% to 6% vs 4.5% to 5.5% in March.
A fourth pork packing plant has been approved to run faster line speeds under the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) one-year trial program.
John Phipps says positive or negative, any trade balance has dubious value, and only limited prediction power. Other than bragging rights, they mean little with no economic advantage for having a positive trade balance.
The labor bottleneck isn’t improving for the U.S. pork industry. As pork prices continue to rise, Nick Giordano, NPPC vice president and counsel for global government affairs, said the solution is simple.
“We need action now,” National Pork Producers Council president and Minnesota pig farmer Terry Wolters urges legislative leaders during NPPC’s Legislative Action Conference in Washington DC.
USDA says the launch of the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) will address increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021. Phase 1 of the payments is expected to total $577 million.
The White House is considering temporarily removing restrictions on summer sales of higher-ethanol gasoline blends as a way to lower fuel costs for U.S. consumers, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
With the ongoing war in Ukraine, a recent U.S. Farm Report viewer asked about the U.S. and energy independence. John Phipps provides a reality check of the current situation when it comes to crude oil and petroleum.
President Biden’s USDA FY 2023 budget proposal focuses on climate, conservation and research with $3.8 billion discretionary spending increase for USDA with climate, conservation and clean energy the major focal points.
Lawmakers introduce a bill to send an energy rebate any month the national average gas price exceeds $4 per gallon for the remainder of 2022.
USDA now expects food price inflation in 2022 to be from 4.5% to 5.5%, compared with 2021, based on the all-food Consumer Price Index. No category shows a potential decline.
Under Secy. Moffitt says her objective is to ensure producers have access to USDA dollars: “We see there’s a need for qualified technical expertise to capture the projects for producers and MPPTA will address that.”
The U.S. and the United Kingdom agreed on March 22 to drop retaliatory tariffs on each other’s products as part of trade talks between the two countries.
Precedent-setting mandates are coming at ag from all angles, undermining freedom of farmers. These regulations aren’t based on science. They aren’t based on experience. Many argue they aren’t based on a shred of truth.
With competing interests and a finite amount of dollars, most lobbyists don’t expect more than one or two successes among the dozens of “asks” they make around the various spending bills. But not NPPC. Not now.