Reuters’ Tom Polansek reported Tuesday that “global trading house Cargill plans to permanently terminate about 475 employees in Minnesota, home to its corporate headquarters, starting on Feb. 5, according to a company letter released by the state on Tuesday. Cargill has said it plans to cut around 5% of its staff after revenue slumped in its […]
Farm Policy News
Farm Bill Extension a Priority as Congress Returns
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported Monday that “Congress returns this week facing a Dec. 20 deadline to approve a new funding resolution to keep the government operating, as well as potentially pass a disaster package and a farm-bill extension before wrapping up the year.” “Lawmakers will be negotiating the funding and provisions of a disaster […]
Trump Picks ‘China Hawk’ Jamieson Greer as Trade Rep
Politico’s Doug Palmer, Betsy Woodruff Swan and Ari Hawkins reported that “President-elect Donald Trump picked Jamieson Greer to be U.S. trade representative, elevating a figure little known outside of Washington to what is expected to be one of the most important posts in the incoming administration.” “Greer, a former Air Force lawyer turned trade litigator, […]
Mexico Suggests Retaliatory Tariffs After Trump Threat
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that “President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested Tuesday that Mexico could retaliate with tariffs of its own, after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% import duties on Mexican goods if the country doesn’t stop the flow of drugs and migrants across the border.” “Sheinbaum said she was willing to engage […]
Trump Promises 25% Tariff on Canada and Mexico
Reuters reported Monday evening that “U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.” “‘On January 20th, […]
Trump Picks Brooke Rollins for Ag Secretary
Reuters reported Sunday that “U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, to be agriculture secretary.” “‘As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American Farmers, who are truly the backbone of our Country,’ Trump said in a statement,” Reuters reported. “If confirmed […]
Market Relief Needed to Supplement Farm Bill Extension, Senators Say
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported Wednesday that “as Congress looks to craft a disaster package, Republican senators are making the case that disaster aid for farmers should be broader than just those producers hit by hurricanes this fall and include ‘market-related disasters.’” “The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing Wednesday with officials from multiple […]
Trump Commerce Pick Increases Concerns of China Trade War
AgWeb’s Jim Wiesemeyer reported Wednesday that “President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, as Commerce Secretary highlights plans to leverage tariffs in trade negotiations, with Lutnick emphasizing their use as both a revenue source and bargaining tool.” “Lutnick has called the tariffs a negotiating tool that could be used to […]
Farm Bill Extension Likely as GOP Rejects Stabenow’s Bill
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill and Olivia Beavers reported Tuesday that “House Republicans confirmed during their closed-door conference meeting Tuesday morning that GOP lawmakers are rejecting Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow’s last minute farm bill push and will instead plan to pass a one-year extension of the massive bill by Dec. 31.” “During the Tuesday meeting, House […]
Stabenow Releases Lame-Duck Farm Bill Text
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported Monday morning that “Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., released the text of her draft farm bill on Monday with just weeks remaining in this Congress and more than five months after releasing a detailed summary of the proposal.” “The 1,397-page bill would limit President-elect Donald Trump’s use of the […]
Ag Industry Groups Concerned Over Deportation Plans
Bloomberg’s Kim Chipman, Joe Mathieu, and Tarso Veloso reported Tuesday that “President-Elect Donald Trump’s threat of mass deportations risks hurting the domestic agriculture sector already struggling with labor shortages.” “That’s according to Matt Carstens, chief executive officer of Iowa’s biggest farm cooperative, who said Trump’s plan should be approached carefully. Farming would be one of […]
Ag Committee Member John Thune Elected Senate Majority Leader
Agri-Pulse’s Rebekah Alvey reported Wednesday that “Senate Republicans on Wednesday elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who has a deep background in agriculture and trade policy, as the chamber’s next majority leader.” “Thune is a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Finance Committee, which handles tax and trade policy, and currently holds […]
Zeldin Picked to Lead EPA, Lighthizer Not Asked to Tackle Trade
NPR’s Elena Moore reported Monday that “President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to run the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The nomination for EPA administrator will need confirmation from the Senate, where Republicans are poised to hold a majority of seats next term.” “‘[Zeldin] will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions […]
Ag Producers Bracing for Potential China Trade War
Reuters’ Casey Hall, Brenda Goh and Mei Mei Chu reported last week that “U.S. agriculture producers are bracing for the prospect of a fresh trade war under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump again hitting exports of farm goods to China, but they said while any new tariffs would hurt, they felt better prepared.” “China is the […]
Two Ag Committee Incumbents Lose, Many Races Remain Undecided
The House and Senate Agriculture Committees will see changes to membership this upcoming legislative session after at least two incumbent committee members, New York Representative Marcus Molinaro and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, were not re-elected. As of 8 a.m. EST Thursday, those races are the only current losses for incumbents on either the House or […]
House & Senate Ag Committee Shakeups Likely in Today’s Election
As Americans head to the polls today for election day, “one-fourth of the members of the House Agriculture Committee are in tight re-election races, according to political handicappers, a factor in the likely upheaval of the committee roster in 2025,” Successful Farming’s Chuck Abbott reports. “Turnover is a fact of life on the committee — […]
Lame Duck Farm Bill Passage Won’t Be Easy, Analysts Say
Successful Farming’s Chuck Abbott reported recently that “the lame-duck session of Congress offers a last chance to enact the new farm bill this year, but it would require compromise on a number of nettlesome policy disputes and an agreement among House and Senate leaders on how much to spend, said farm policy experts. The bill […]
Industry Sees Brazil as Global Hub for Clean Jet Fuel
Bloomberg’s Dayanne Sousa and Clarice Couto reported Thursday that “a global push to decarbonize air travel has groups from Big Oil to sovereign wealth funds betting on Brazil to become a top global center for green jet fuel.” “Brazil is becoming a magnet for investment as countries race to grab a share of what promises […]
US Detects First Bird Flu Case in Swine
Reuters’ Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek reported Wednesday that “H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon, the first detection of the virus in swine in the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.” “Pigs represent a particular concern for the spread of bird flu because they […]
Lack of 45Z Guidance Could Cause Biofuel Production Shutdowns
Bloomberg’s Tarso Veloso and Kim Chipman reported Monday that “agriculture giants including Cargill Inc. and Bunge Global SA are slowing their buying of soybeans due to uncertainty over US biofuels policy.” “The lack of guidance for a new clean-fuel tax credit is causing biofuels producers to put off some purchases of soyoil for early next […]