Associated Press
Grocery Decline; Mexico Considers Lifting Corn Tariffs
**Grocery prices declined to a 50-year low last year.
The USDA says retail food prices dropped 1.3 percent, the first ANNUAL decline since 1967.
Increased production of many commodities, lower transportation costs and a strong dollar were some of the reasons for the declines...
Nat’l Farmers Union Policy Positions; Ag Data Storage
**Farmers and ranchers participating in the National Farmers Union Anniversary Convention endorsed several farm bill provisions designed to shore up farm income while “vehemently” opposing any spending cuts and recommending additional spending to shore up the farm safety net...
Short Term Spending Bill and Japan Approves TPP
The Senate passed a short-term fiscal 2017 spending bill to avert a government shutdown and then gave final congressional approval to a water projects bill that includes drought relief for California farmers.
The new measure, which the Senate approved 63-36 about 11 p...
30 Farms in Alberta, Canada Under Quarantine For Bovine TB
Around 30 farms in southeastern Alberta, Canada are under quarantine as Canada attempts to track down cattle exposed to bovine tuberculosis (TB). CBC News of Canada reports the investigation stems from a U.S. Department of Agriculture notice in September that a cow from Alberta tested positive for bovine TB at a U...
GIPSA Getting Support From Iowa Senator
USDA sent a letter to multiple meat and livestock organizations stating that they will be moving forward on their Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Act, GIPSA The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and The national Pork Producers along with other animal ag groups are opposed to GIPSA and any changes that would limit producers marketing options while adding layers of bureaucracy and open
NCBA Angry Over IRS Proposal
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has joined more than 3,800 other organizations to express their anger over a new proposal from the IRS that would unfairly tax small businesses and family farms by eliminating valuation discount planning and increasing the estate and gift taxes by over 30 PERCENT...
Deere & Co. Layoffs; Whitefly Found in Florida
This weekend Wall Street Journal reported that Deere & Company posted a strong earnings on the announcement that they will be cutting tractor and combine production after the fourth year of falling sales. By Monday afternoon word of the layoffs at two Iowa manufacturing plants surprised investors mere days after the reported profit .145...
Semi-Truck Overturns, Blocking Eastbound I-90
This is the latest for Washington state Department of Transportation:
I-90 travelers, major heads up! A collision involving a semi is blocking both eastbound lanes and one westbound lane at milepost 93 near Elk Heights Road, about 13 miles west of Ellensburg...
Washington Apple Crop Up 15 Percent; China Acquiring Farmland
Northwest cherry harvest is over and cherry growers shipped close to 21 million pounds of fruit this year, big sizes and excellent quality being the norm. The Washington state 2016 apple crop forecast at just under 133 million standard forty pound boxes of fresh apples...
Texas Agriculture Ag Team Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation
Texas Tribune reports ,Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced Friday he is working with GOP presidential scribed the effort, likely to be presented this week, as a “coalition” of the nominee Donald Trump’s campaign to help lead an agriculture team...
Cuban Delegation Toured U.S. Agriculture; USDA to Address Dairy Priority in TPP
An agriculture delegation from Cuba toured American agriculture. Hosted by the U.S. Grains Council, the delegation was brought to the U.S. to learn about U.S. grain production and exporting systems and see the advantages of purchasing U.S. products...
Feed the Future Program Get Closer to Law; GIPSA Rider is Not in the Farmers, Ranchers Best Interest
The Senate - by unanimous consent - passed its own version of the Global Food Security Act, moving President Barack Obama's Feed the Future program one step closer to law. The bill would authorize the $1 billion a year agricultural development initiative that the administration launched in 2010, as well as an emergency food security program that the U...