Jim Wiesemeyer

Jim Wiesemeyer is well known to Pro Farmer Members for his long tenure as Washington Bureau Chief for Pro Farmer. Now with agricultural consulting firm Informa Economics, formerly Sparks Companies, Inc., he is still offering his expertise and insight on farm policy, trade policy and Washington politics as a consultant to Pro Farmer. His Inside Washington Today column on AgWeb.com is a must-read item to keep up with the latest in Washington developments.

Latest Stories
School_Lunch.jpg
Ag Policy
What You Need to Know About Biden’s Hunger Conference
A pandemic-era program that provided free breakfast and lunch to all schoolchildren expired this year. Republicans voted against efforts to include free school meals this week. Biden’s plan reinstates the program.
October 03, 2022 12:59 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
EPA sign
Ag Policy
Supreme Court to Hear WOTUS Arguments on Monday
The WOTUS case, Sackett v. EPA, centers on a long-running dispute involving an Idaho couple named Chantell and Michael Sackett. The Sacketts have won at the Supreme Court before.
October 03, 2022 07:57 AM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
White House
Ag Policy
White House to Host First Hunger, Nutrition and Health Address in More Than 50 Years
President Richard Nixon hosted the last White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health in 1969. That confab led to expansions of the food stamp program, the school lunch program and WIC.
September 26, 2022 05:46 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
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Ag Policy
Congress Likely to Extend the Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting Program
Farm-state lawmakers will eventually add billions to the aid package, but Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) agrees it could take until a later omnibus spending measure to be approved.
September 21, 2022 09:56 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Railroad-Train-By-Lindsey-Pound
White House Reaches Tentative Accord to Avert National Rail Strike
The details of the tentative agreement reached on Thursday morning have not been shared, and could still be voted down by members who need to ratify the agreement to settle the matter.
September 20, 2022 01:18 AM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) waves while walking outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, U.S. November 18, 2021.
Ag Policy
Manchin Blocks Biden’s Build Back Better Climate and Social Agenda, What Happens Now?
Lawmakers may have left town, but centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) left no doubt that he cannot support President Biden’s $1.75 trillion social and climate spending plan, imperiling the president’s agenda.
September 19, 2022 09:31 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
food lion supermarket produce department
Ag Policy
Could Food Prices Ease in 2023? USDA’s New Consumer Food Price Forecast Has a Bit of Good News
USDA raised its consumer food price forecast again, to 8.5% to 9.5% for 2022. The agency had initially predicted a 2% to 3% rise in prices. Eggs, fats and oils, and poultry prices are making the biggest gains.
July 25, 2022 02:50 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Exports by Canva
Ag Policy
Labor Contract Negotiations Continue Past Deadline at Some of America’s Most Important Ports
U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh remained optimistic about contract negotiations between workers and shipping companies for some of the country’s most important ports, even as talks extend past a previous deadline.
July 14, 2022 03:42 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Pumping Gas in Pennsylvania
Ag Policy
CPI Shows Inflation Surged to 9.1% in June — the Highest Level Since November 1981
The CPI, an inflation gauge measuring what consumers pay for goods and services, rose 1.3% from May to June. Prices were up across the economy, with gasoline far outpacing other categories, up 11.2%.
July 14, 2022 03:42 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
Both ERP and the previously announced Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) are funded by a bill President Biden signed into law in 2021. The law provided $10 billion from taxpayers to help agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021, of which $750 million is committed to livestock producers who experienced losses to drought or wildfire in calendar year 2021.
Ag Policy
USDA Reveals Farmers Have Received More Than $4 Billion in ERP Payouts to Date
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced agricultural producers have already received more than $4 billion through the Emergency Relief Program (formerly WHIP+), representing 67% of the $6 billion projected to be paid.
July 13, 2022 03:27 PM
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Jim Wiesemeyer
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