Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported Wednesday that “the Congressional Budget Office is sticking with a cost estimate for USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation spending authority that is far lower than congressional Republicans need to fund their farm bill proposals. CBO on Tuesday estimated that USDA’s use of its Section 5 authority under the CCC would total $12 […]
Ryan Hanrahan
Ryan Hanrahan is the Farm Policy News editor and social media director for the farmdoc project. He has previously worked in local news, primarily as an agriculture journalist in the American West. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri (B.S. Science & Agricultural Journalism). He can be reached at rrh@illinois.edu.
U.S. Farmers Holding On To Large Corn and Soybean Stocks
Reuters’ P.J. Huffstutter and Karl Plume reported Monday that “after stockpiling crops for much of this season due to low prices, many farmers in the world’s largest corn-producing nation continue to shun buyers despite few signs that prices will improve. Grain supplies are ample and early ratings of summer crops are the best in years.” […]
Ag Groups Suing Over Biden Emissions Rules
Reuters reported Tuesday that “the top U.S. oil and corn industry lobby groups said on Tuesday they were suing the administration of President Joe Biden over its plans to slash planet-warming tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks, arguing the regulations will cause economic harm.” “The American Petroleum Institute (API), which is the top U.S. oil […]
EU Adopts ‘Nature Restoration Plan’ Despite Ag Opposition
The Associated Press’ Samuel Petrequin reported that “European Union countries on Monday gave final approval to a major and long-awaited plan to better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc, a divisive issue after months of protests by farmers who argued that EU environmental and climate laws were driving them toward bankruptcy.” “After surviving a razor-thin […]
Despite Progress, Farm Bill Passage Growing More Unlikely in 2024
Despite recent progress on the 2024 Farm Bill — including passage of the House Agriculture Committee’s version of the bill and competing frameworks released in the Senate Agriculture Committee — lawmakers in recent days have been hinting that passage of a full Farm Bill in 2024 is growing more unlikely and that another extension of […]
House Subcommittee Approves Ag Funding Bill
E&E News’ Marc Heller reported earlier this week that “House appropriators Tuesday approved their annual agriculture spending bill for fiscal 2025 that would cut programs related to climate change and rural energy.” “Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) said the $25.9 billion measure would rein in wasteful spending on Biden administration priorities while maintaining […]
SNAP Participation Up, Spending Down in 2023
Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) increased 2.3% in 2023 to an average of 42.1 million people each month, while total federal spending on the program decreased 5.6% in 2023 to $112.8 billion, according to new research from the USDA’s Economic Research Service. The 42.1 million people participating in SNAP each month “was […]
Senate Ag GOP Unveils Farm Bill Framework
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill and Grace Yarrow reported Tuesday that “Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans released their farm bill proposal Tuesday, which would significantly expand farm safety net programs, setting up a major clash with Democrats.” “The legislative framework, which outlines various policy priorities but does not contain bill text, largely mirrors the GOP-led House farm […]
Crop Insurance Coverage Exceeds 500 Million Acres for First Time
FERN’s Ag Insider reported Monday that “farmers and ranchers bought crop insurance policies on more than 500 million acres of land last year, the largest amount ever, driven by the surging popularity of forage policies. Overall enrollment in crop insurance was up 85% in the seven years from 2016, according to USDA data.” “In 2021, […]
Brazil Tax Change Could Make US Soybeans More Attractive
Bloomberg’s Clarice Couto reported this past Friday that “a surprising tax change in agriculture powerhouse Brazil has the potential to make soy grown in the world’s largest bean exporter less competitive with supplies from the US, according to a report from risk management firm Amius Ltd. The provisional measure, signed Tuesday by President Luiz Inacio […]
US Dairy Cows Dying and Being Culled Due to Avian Flu
Reuters’ Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek reported Thursday that “dairy cows infected with avian flu in five U.S. states have died or been slaughtered by farmers because they did not recover, state officials and academics told Reuters.” “Reports of the deaths suggest the bird flu outbreak in cows could take a greater economic toll in […]
Farm Finances Remain a Concern, Fed Reports
Pro Farmer reported at the end of May that “the Fed’s Beige Book noted 10 of 12 districts reported slight or modest economic growth (in May), while the other two had no change in activity. The Fed noted, “Agricultural reports were mixed, as drought conditions eased in some districts, but farm finances/incomes remained a concern. […]
Flood Related Soybean Losses Estimated at 2.71 MMT in Brazil
Reuters’ Andre Romani and Leticia Fucuchima reported Tuesday that “soybean losses related to recent floods in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul were estimated at 2.71 million metric tons, crop agency Emater said on Tuesday, in line with private forecasts ranging from 2.8 million to 3 million tons.” “Emater said in a statement […]
Corn Condition Off to Best Start Since 2021
Progressive Farmer’s Anthony Greder reported Monday that “the condition of the U.S. corn crop is starting off significantly better this year than it did last year, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress on Monday.” “In its first condition rating of the season for corn, NASS estimated that 75% of the crop was in […]
Deere & Co. Layoffs, Cargill Workers Strike in Canada
Bloomberg’s Michael Hirtzer reported this past Friday that “Deere & Co., the world’s top seller of farm machinery, will cut an undisclosed number of employees in its global production and salaried workforce, according to a letter sent to employees Friday that was seen by Bloomberg.” “The company is facing rising operational costs and declining demand, […]
Active Severe Weather Spring Causes Planting Season Challenges
Fox Weather’s Andrew Wulfeck reported Thursday that “a spring severe weather season under a diminishing El Niño helped propel the fifth month of the year to become the second-most-active May for tornadoes, hail and damaging winds, only to be outdone by 2011.” “Through the first 28 days of May, the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction […]
US Ag Trade Deficit Widens to $32 Billion
The United States agricultural trade deficit is projected to increase once again to $32 billion in fiscal year 2024, an increase of $1.5 billion from the February projection, according to the USDA Economic Research Service’s May 2024 Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade report, which is released quarterly. “U.S. agricultural exports in fiscal year (FY) 2024 […]
Biden Admin Unveils Carbon Offset Guidelines
Bloomberg’s Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Natasha White reported Tuesday that “the Biden administration unveiled a framework for using carbon offsets to drive climate progress, with principles it says are meant to help ensure the trading regimes deliver real emissions reductions — not a green mirage.” “The documents released Tuesday by top cabinet officials, including Treasury […]
US, Europe Considering Bird Flu Vaccines for Poultry and Dairy Workers
Reuters’ Julie Steenhuysen and Jennifer Rigby reported that “the United States and Europe are taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines that could be used to protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians and lab technicians, government officials said, moves influenza experts say could curb the threat of a pandemic.” “U.S officials […]
House Ag Committee Advances Contentious Farm Bill
Agri-Pulse’s Noah Wicks, Rebekah Alvey, and Philip Brasher reported that “Republicans pushed their $1.5 trillion farm bill through the House Agriculture Committee early Friday with the help of four critical Democratic votes, giving the massive legislation some momentum as it heads to an uncertain future in the full House.” “The four Democrats who supported the […]