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USDA lowered its forecasts for the soybean and corn harvests based on the latest conditions, but the cuts weren’t enough to raise the department’s price estimates for this year’s crops. The FAO Food Price Index hit 127.4 points last month, 2% above September and 5.5% above the level a year ago. 

Kip Tom, who leads President-elect Donald Trump’s ag coalition, says he expects the transition team to move much more quickly to fill cabinet positions. Whether Tom is going to be in it, perhaps as agriculture secretary, remains to be seen. He served as U.S. ambassador to the UN agriculture and food programs during the first Trump administration.

The speculation season has begun, with several names being floated for Agriculture Secretary in a new Trump administration. Leading the pack: Kip Tom, a former Ambassador to the United Nations, Indiana farmer and a leader of Trump’s ag coalition who celebrated Trump’s victory at Mar-a-Lago last night.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending several measures to reduce the risk of farmworkers being infected with bird flu as well as testing of poultry and dairy employees who may have been exposed to the H5N1 virus, even if they do not show symptoms of illness.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Wednesday he will play a significant role in the Trump administration, floating the idea that he would be a “health czar” operating out of the White House. He also indicated he wanted to use his role to push for adoption of regenerative ag practices. 

Donald Trump is headed back to the White House and he could have a sizable Republican majority in the Senate to help him confirm nominees and move his legislative priorities, notably an extension of expiring tax cuts. Trump predicted Republicans would hold on to the House.

Animal veterinarians are pushing USDA to move quickly in testing milk nationwide to get a handle on where the H5N1 virus is located so it can be controlled.

Dry weather has helped speed Midwestern and Southern farmers through most of this fall’s corn and soybean harvest while also limiting the amount of grain they could send down the Mississippi River. As many park their combines for the year, they are hoping rain storms can replenish soils parched and waterways shrunk by months of drought.

Election results should start coming in tonight, with control of the White House, Senate and House all very much up in the air. But keep in mind it could be days before we know which party controls the White House and U.S. House, given the time it will take to count votes.  

USDA plans to sample milk in states where dairy herds have been infected with avian flu, in an effort to stamp out the virus, which was first confirmed in Texas in March before spreading to herds in 14 states.