A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for July 4th, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and watermelon, will cost just a few cents more this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, according to AFBF. Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $52.80, or $5.28 per person. The cost for the cookout is up just 11 cents (less than 1%) from last year. (Farm Bureau)

After suffering through the wettest 12 months since at least 1895, Midwest farmers have plans to adapt to what some forecasters say may be an increasingly soggy new normal. The plans include bigger and faster tractors to speed up planting, quick-growing seeds and more extensive use of cover crops and drainage tiles to keep flooding fields intact. But there’s problems here too, growers say: The tractors are costly, the short-season seeds have lower yields and cover crops and tiling take time and effort. Trends tracked by scientists and forecasters over decades suggest the merciless rains and wild storms that drastically

China has agreed to make unspecified new purchases of farm products from the United States, President Donald Trump said after meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Japan. While investors await details of the agreement and confirmation from China, analysts and traders say there are limits to how much more China can buy from the country that is typically one of its top suppliers of soybeans, grains and meat. (Reuters)  

China notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) this week it intends to comply with a tariff-rate quota ruling for certain ag products and needs “a reasonable period of time to do so.” The announcement comes after a WTO dispute settlement panel earlier this year found China administered its tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) for wheat, corn and rice inconsistent with its WTO commitments. The ruling stems from a 2016 complaint brought by the United States. Had China’s trade-rate quotas been fully used, USDA estimated that China would have imported as much as $3.5 billion worth of corn, wheat and rice in 2015

Farm families are under increased stress this season, challenged by weather, trade issues, the farm economy and many other factors out of their control. Increased stress is becoming chronic and has taken a toll on farmers, resulting in mental health concerns. Recent research studies have shown that the prevalence of depressive symptoms in farmers ranges from 6 percent to 35 percent. During these difficult times, social support can be helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression. Farmers and ranchers may be family members, friends, neighbors or acquaintances – consider reaching out to offer support. It could make all the difference. (Farm

Ten Democrats vying to be the next president sparred over issues like immigration and gun control in the policy-heavy first debate of the 2020 primary season, providing a glimpse at the issues that will define the race for the nomination over the months to come. In the briskly paced debate, candidates explained their differences on health care, climate change and LGBTQ issues. The debate revealed some of the key differences between the candidates – Cory Booker, Bill de Blasio, Julián Castro, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Jay Inslee, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Tim Ryan and Elizabeth Warren. (NBC News)