Articles by Bill Tomson

The Gulf Coast, and the critical agricultural ports of Louisiana, are bracing for a blast from Hurricane Sally.

The U.S. will be losing one of its staunchest advocates in China for U.S. beef, ethanol and other farm goods in early October. That’s when Ambassador Terry Branstad says he is stepping down from being the top U.S. representative in Beijing.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler is set today to announce what could be another step in the administration's regulatory reform agenda. He has scheduled a webinar with the Federalist Society, the conservative legal group, to talk about a new rule on guidance procedures.

The U.S. and Brazil have agreed to revive for 90 days the expired tariff rate quota that allows some U.S. ethanol to flow to the South American country duty free, the two countries said in a joint statement Friday night.

U.S. soybean exports are moving quickly out of U.S. ports, spurred on by larger than normal Chinese purchases as the new marketing year begins.

Senate Republicans say the chances of another big coronavirus bill are all but dead after Democrats blocked movement of a pared-down GOP bill on Thursday. But a senior Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Jim Costa of California, tells Agri-Pulse that he’s still optimistic for a deal this month after participating in a call with the Democratic congressional leadership.

The battle for the top Republican slot on the House Ag Committee continues behind the scenes. Two of the lawmakers vying for the post have been soliciting feedback on what Congress needs to do to address the farm economy.

Joe Biden’s farm policy relies heavily on ramping up conservation spending as a way to support farm programs. But former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tells Agri-Pulse that he thinks the Biden administration, working with Congress, could act quickly next year to shore up farm income, possibly through a new stimulus bill.

U.S. wheat farmers continue to benefit from the ties between Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and U.S. President Donald Trump, which have only strengthened since the two first met at the White House last year.

Venture capitalists are still investing in a broad range of new and improving technology to help farmers produce their crops and consumers get the food they want and need.