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The USDA Tuesday reported a daily export sale of 1.36 million metric tons of U.S. corn for delivery to China in the 2020-21 marketing year, a strong sign that the country’s demand remains robust as it rebuilds its swine herd.

Floyd Gaibler passed away Thursday afternoon, leaving behind a rich history of passionate defense for American farmers during his career at the USDA, U.S. Grains Council, International Dairy Foods Association, the Lesher and Russell consulting firm and elsewhere.

Brazil is making it known that the Bolsonaro administration wants a strong relationship with the U.S., but the friendly words come amid rising U.S. frustration over Brazil’s ethanol tariffs.

Farmers are paying more for the phosphate fertilizer they need as foreign and domestic producers fight for public opinion on whether the U.S. government should punish imports of the valuable crop production input with duties.

Railroads that are critical to agricultural shippers have won some permanent tax relief, while biofuel producers have received extensions of tax benefits that subsidize next-generation products and installation of blender pumps.

Cuba could be buying a lot more poultry, corn, dairy and other ag commodities produced in the U.S., but first the U.S. needs to reverse course and begin strengthening ties with the island nation. That is the message from some of the largest American farm groups to the incoming Biden administration.

The new year got off to a big start for U.S. soybean trade, with sales and shipments to China totaling nearly 2 million metric tons for just the first week in January, according to the latest trade data.

Lawmakers can now turn their eyes toward next Wednesday when Joe Biden will be inaugurated as president after Donald Trump was impeached by the House for a second time. The Senate won’t take up the impeachment before Trump leaves office.

President-elect Joe Biden names former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power to run the U.S. Agency for International Development, a position Biden says will be elevated in importance under his administration.

New faces will head key departments as the Biden administration takes office Jan. 20, and their actions on regulations affecting agriculture and rural America may differ sharply from the last four years.