USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney addressed the 2020 Agricultural Retailers Association Conference & Expo Wednesday to update attendees on the U.S. trade situation at the end of 2020. In a quick spin around the world, McKinney touched on trade and COVID19 in different countries, including Mexico and Canada with USMCA, China and the Phase …
USDA Lowers Forecast for Corn and Soybeans
The November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from USDA show lower forecasts for domestic production of both corn and soybeans. This month’s 2020/21 U.S. corn outlook is for lower production, reduced feed and residual use, larger exports, and smaller ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 14.507 billion bushels, down 215 million with a reduction in yield to 175.8 …
Agri-Pulse Hosts National Pork Board Webinar on Trade
Agri-Pulse president Sara Wyant moderated a discussion last week with USDA Trade Undersecretary Ted McKinney, North Carolina hog farmer Jan Archer, and Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes on how exports add value for pork producers and support U.S. jobs. The event was sponsored by the National Pork Board. Watch the webinar here. Listen to the audio here: (1 hour)
USDA and USTR Release Report on China Trade
An interim report from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlights the progress made so far in implementing the agricultural provisions in the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement. To date, China has implemented at least 50 of the 57 technical commitments under the Phase One Agreement. These structural changes will benefit American …
USDA Lowers Corn, Soybean and Cotton Estimates
USDA is now forecasting smaller corn and soybean crops for this year, compared to last month’s estimate, but still higher than last year. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) October Crop Production report, acreage updates were made in several states based on a thorough review of all available data. Corn production for grain is forecast at 14.7 billion …
Secretary Perdue Tours Hurricane Sally Damage
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue took a tour of crop damage from Hurricane Sally in Alabama and Florida on Monday. He visited the Jenkins Farm in Jay, Florida and heard from farmers in the panhandle of the state who suffered damage to cotton and peanut crops. “What I’ve seen is crops that have probably been cut in half,” said …
USDA Grant Program for Producers to Use Propane
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is encouraging farmers to apply soon for a limited-time offer from USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grant to receive a 25 percent grant for replacing a diesel irrigation engine with a propane-powered engine. The USDA REAP recently announced Nov. 2 as its fall deadline for the Renewable Energy systems and Energy …
USDA Undersecretary Censky to Return to ASA
USDA Undersecretary Steve Censky gave one of his last addresses in his current role to the American Coalition for Ethanol virtual annual conference this week. It was announced this morning that Censky will be returning to his former job as CEO of the American Soybean Association in November as after serving with USDA since October 2017. In his prerecorded remarks …
USDA Lowers Corn and Soybean Forecasts
The August derecho that charged across the Midwest has taken its toll on the latest crop estimates in USDA’s September World Agricultural Supply and Demand report. Despite the decline, the numbers would still be records or near records for both crops this year. The 2020 corn crop would still be nine percent higher than last year and the second highest …
NASDA Honors Secretary Perdue
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) kicked off its virtual annual meeting Monday with comments from USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, and a virtual presentation of the NASDA Ambassadors Circle Award to him. NASDA President and North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goehring hosted the conversation with Secretary Perdue, who discussed how USDA has responded to COVID-19 impacts …