Bill Tomson

USDA trimmed its forecast for South American soybean production Wednesday, supporting traders’ expectations and a bump in futures prices.

A New York Times video opinion piece attacking U.S. agriculture has caught the attention of top USDA officials as well as farmers. The video’s title, which pretty well describes the tone and thrust of the piece, is “Meet the People Getting Paid to Kill our Planet.”

The ag sector and lawmakers aren’t letting up pressure for another trade deal with China, especially since China’s purchase agreement ended Dec. 31, but the Biden administration still has its focus squarely on the “phase one” deal that was struck during the Trump administration.

The U.S. exported $177 billion worth of agricultural commodities in 2021, firmly besting the record in 2014 by about 15% and overshadowing 2020 totals by 18%, according to new data released by the Commerce Department.

Lawmakers are still far from an agreement on spending for fiscal 2022 more than four months into the budget year. So, the House is going to take up yet another stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded through March 11. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is in Jefferson City, Mo., today to announce that USDA is ready to start taking applications for demonstration projects to help the department develop “climate-smart” products.

The House of Representatives Friday narrowly approved the America COMPETES Act, pushing the legislation that is supposed to make the U.S. more competitive with China closer to enactment. While similar to the Senate version passed last summer, the House bill – passed with a 222-210 vote – includes significant differences such as the inclusion of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act as well as reauthorizes and alters the Trade Adjustment Assistance and Generalized System of Preferences programs.

The House is wrapping up debate today on a sweeping, Democratic bill aimed at increasing U.S. competitiveness with China and other developing countries.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a bill aimed at ending port bottlenecks for ag exports, was introduced in the Senate Thursday even as sponsors of a tougher House-passed version sought to ramp up pressure for its enactment.

Today’s the deadline for Canada to present the U.S. a plan for correcting 14 tariff rate quotas for American dairy products.