Farm state senators came out of a meeting with President Trump Thursday very optimistic about the future for agricultural trade. Republican Senators Pat Roberts of Kansas, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse of Nebraska held a press conference after the meeting and all agreed it was very productive, but the potential for re-entering the Trans Pacific …
Trump Discusses Agricultural Trade Issues
Governors and senators from agricultural states such as Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, North and South Dakota had a meeting with President Donald Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today to discuss recent trade actions and how farmers may be impacted. In a press availability prior to the start of the meeting, President Trump talked about NAFTA, China, the European Union, …
House Ag Committee Unveils Agriculture and Nutrition Act
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) today introduced the first draft of a new farm bill, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2). ““The farm bill keeps faith with our nation’s farmers and ranchers through the current agriculture recession by providing certainty and helping producers manage the enormous risks that are inherent in agriculture,” said Rep. Conaway. …
2018 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders Announced
The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has announced the recipients of the 2018 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award. This year’s program, sponsored by Alltech, honors 10 young agricultural journalists and communicators who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in reporting as well as excellent potential as leaders of the industry in the years to come. The honorees were chosen …
WEDA Acquires Friend Management Systems™
Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) announced today that it is acquiring Friend Management Systems™ (FMS), pairing two leading providers of management consulting and professional development services for equipment dealers. Friend Management is a Canadian-based management consulting firm providing leadership development and peer-to-peer learning to agricultural, consumer, and golf equipment dealerships in Canada, United States and Australia. The company is also …
Equipment Dealers Fighting Tax Policy Changes
The 2018 Oklahoma state legislature has seen several bills this session that seek to increase revenue by making tax policy changes that would impact the agriculture industry at an already difficult time, and the Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) says they expect more such challenges in the future. WEDA Vice President of Government Affairs Eric Wareham explains that the Oklahoma …
Corn and Ethanol Advocates Tweeting #RFSWorks
Today from 7-10 AM central time agriculture and ethanol advocates will be participating in a Twitter Townhall, prior to the scheduled meeting today at the White House regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The effort grows out of news last week that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, already under fire for getting a sweet condo deal from the wife of an …
Outrage Grows Over EPA RFS Waivers
Farm and biofuels groups are saying “enough is enough” as outrage grows over the Environmental Protection Agency granting numerous small refinery hardship waivers, combined with the approval of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions bankruptcy agreement absolving the oil refiner of the majority of its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and state corn growers sent a …
China Adds Tariffs on Beef and Soybeans
More U.S. agricultural products are on the second list of retaliatory tariffs from China, including both soybeans and beef, of 25 percent. Kent Bacus, Director of International Trade and Market Access for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), calls the action unsettling but not surprising. “This is a battle between two governments, and the unfortunate casualties will be America’s cattlemen …
Nebraska Water for Food at 8th World Water Forum in Brazil
The 8th World Water Forum, held in Brazil last month, drew more than 20,000 participants from 170 countries to focus on the challenges and solutions to ensuring water security around the world. The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska (DWFI) coordinated the Water for Food track of sessions with the Food and Agriculture …