Ben Nuelle

Soaring prices for commodities ranging from corn to cotton have fueled a sense of optimism for some farmers this growing season, but economists and land investors warn that the highs could be short-lived and that higher cash rents and production expenses could squeeze growers sooner than they expect.

Producers who have crop insurance coverage may qualify for a premium benefit in a new USDA pandemic assistance program if they planted cover crops for the 2021 crop year.

Congress is out this week, but Biden administration officials say they’ll continue to work with Senate Republicans toward an infrastructure deal. To recap, Republicans came back with a counter-offer last week of close to $1 trillion, which is still far under Biden’s last proposal of $1.7 trillion.

Lawmakers are going to be looking into concerns that meatpackers are using their market power to drive down prices paid to producers.

Many of the nation’s top farm groups have endorsed Janie Simms Hipp to become USDA’s general counsel ahead of her Senate confirmation hearing today.

Climate and infrastructure continue to be front and center on Capitol Hill. The Senate Finance Committee will debate a package of clean energy tax incentives today, while Republicans prepare a new counter-proposal on infrastructure spending ahead of the upcoming Memorial Day break.

Conventional corn ethanol and other biofuels could qualify for a new clean fuel production tax credit being advanced by Senate Democrats, but the products will have to meet increasingly tougher standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade.

Senate Democrats are proposing to create a new tax credit for clean fuels as part of a package of tax incentives intended to address climate change.

The Kansas City Southern board of directors unanimously determined Friday the $33.6 billion offer by Canadian National Railway constitutes a “Company Superior Proposal.”

Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow says she’s continuing to work on getting increased funding for conservation programs included in an upcoming climate infrastructure package. But the committee’s top Republican, John Boozman of Arkansas, is pushing back against including the funding in a reconciliation bill without GOP input.