Agriculture News

USDA RAISES DOMESTIC GRAIN STOCKS – USDA raised ending stocks of corn and wheat and left soybean stocks unchanged from last month, at a hefty 955 million bushels, in its December world ag supply and demand estimates report. According to U of I ag economist Todd Hubbs, South American competition could pressure U.S. crop sales… read more

FARMERS PRAISE FARM BILL PROGRESS – Illinois farmers are lauding a deal on the farm bill, which moved out of committee and passed the Senate Tuesday. “This is an extremely important piece of legislation for our farmers to provide that certainty, the risk management tools that they need especially at a time that we’ve been… read more

WARMING CLIMATE, NEW CROPS – The warming climate is leading farmers in some areas to plant crops often thought unsuited for their location and climate. Farmers in Alberta, Canada, who have traditionally grown wheat, canola and barley, are now planting corn due to warmer weather and longer growing seasons. The change has lifted farmland prices,… read more

MCDONALD’S EYES ANTIBIOTICS – McDonald’s Tuesday said it plans to review antibiotics use in its top 10 beef markets, including the U.S., and set targets for reduction by the end of 2020. “I personally think this is probably the most ambitious project that McDonald’s has ever taken on,” said Bruce Feinberg, a senior director at… read more

LOOKING FOR A CHINESE REPLACEMENT – Following nearly a year of contentious trade talks, U.S. farmers are looking for a replacement for Chinese soybean exports. Industry groups and farmers are pitching the oilseed in other countries, trying new varieties for domestic use and planning to switch fields over to corn next spring. Meanwhile, the warming… read more

Illinois farmers are lauding a deal on the farm bill, which moved out of committee and passed the Senate Tuesday. “This is an extremely important piece of legislation for our farmers to provide that certainty, the risk management tools that they need especially at a time that we’ve been dealing with such uncertainty from a… read more

USDA raised ending stocks of corn and wheat and left soybean stocks unchanged from last month, at a hefty 955 million bushels, in its December world ag supply and demand estimates report. According to U of I ag economist Todd Hubbs, South American competition could pressure U.S. crop sales despite trade talks progressing between the… read more

AGENCIES: REDUCE EXCESS NUTRIENTS – The U.S. EPA and USDA last week urged states across the country to increase efforts to reduce nutrients in waterways. Federal officials noted that significant progress has been made in reducing excess nutrients, but nationally available water quality data shows “nutrient pollution continues to be widespread, particularly in the Mississippi… read more

SOCIAL MEDIA AS A NEWS SOURCE – Social media sites have surpassed print newspapers as a news source for Americans according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. One-in-five U.S. adults say they often get news via social media, slightly higher than the 16 percent who do so from print newspapers.  

TIME’S UP MARCH 1 – USTR Robert Lighthizer Sunday said there is a “hard deadline” of March 1 for the trade deal with China. Unless talks wrap up successfully, new tariffs will be imposed. “When I talk to the president of the United States, he is not talking about going beyond March,” Lighthizer said. “The… read more