China’s commerce ministry said this month that removing tariffs imposed during the trade war is an important condition to any deal. The demand has U.S. officials wondering if higher Chinese purchases of U.S. farm goods, promises of improved access to China’s financial services industry, and pledges to protect intellectual property are enough to ask in return. (Reuters)

The Illinois Department of Agriculture and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency have announced the release of the state’s second Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy Biennial Report. The report describes the continued progress being made in the state to reduce nutrient losses from multiple sources. (Journal Courier)

Starting Monday, the Agriculture Department will start processing the second tranche of payments to farmers under the 2019 version of the Market Facilitation Program, the Trump administration’s effort to compensate producers for the impact of retaliatory tariffs. The payments will amount to 25% of the total 2019 MFP payment for which they were eligible. (Agri-Pulse)

Congress must pass a new stopgap spending bill this week to avoid a government shutdown ahead of the Thanksgiving break, while House Democrats look to nail down a deal with the White House to clear the way for approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. It is also a pivotal week for a trade deal with Japan, where lawmakers will be considering an agreement to phase down tariffs on U.S. agricultural commodities. (Agri-Pulse)

This is the time of year farmers plan for the upcoming season. With the trade impasse with China continuing, farmers are set to receive a second payment from the Trump administration this week for the 2019 season to offset market losses. It’s unclear whether aid for farmers will continue in 2020, but experts say more farmers are becoming financially dependent on the subsidies, and that’s affecting how they decide to plant crops. (Columbus Dispatch)

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue discussed a number of hot topics – including Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments, trade and ethanol – during a Fireside Chat Friday at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City. See highlights on FarmWeekNow.com.