4 years, 10 months ago by Jim Dewey
Employees of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture joined the Economic Research Service in a vote to unionize, according to Agri-Pulse. The vote comes as the Department of Agriculture within the next few weeks is expected to announce the proposed sites for the agencies as part of its plan to relocate the two. USDA previously narrowed the list to the Kansas City Area, Raleigh, North Carolina, and multiple sites in Indiana. The controversial proposal prompted the Economic Research Service to unionize last month, and Tuesday, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture did the same. Both have formed a so-called bargaining unit with the American Federation of Government Employees. The Federation claims the proposed relocation would impact 568 out of 664 positions total between the two agencies. By establishing a union at the worksite, the USDA agencies are legally required to notify employees in advance of any proposed changes to their working conditions and to bargain with the union in good faith over those proposed changes.
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Corn Production Forecast Lower Amid Wet Spring, Prevent Plant
Farmers are making progress on planting, but the wet spring means lower production. Department of Agriculture Crop Progress numbers show roughly 15.8 million acres of corn and 33.6 million acres of soybeans remains to be planted based. The World Agriculture Supply and Demand Report, released Tuesday, predicts U.S. corn production to fall 1.45 billion bushels to 13.7 billion. However, USDA left the soybean forecast unchanged, with “several weeks remaining in the planting season.” USDA raised the expected season-average corn price to $3.80 a bushel, and the season-average soybean price to $8.25 a bushel. Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue confirmed this week that prevent plant acres could not be included in the Market Facilitation Program. However, Perdue says USDA is "exploring legal flexibilities” to provide a minimal per acre payment to farmers who filed prevent plant and chose to plant an eligible cover crop. Perdue says USDA will provide more details “in the coming weeks.” The Market Facilitation Program is currently under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget.
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NACD Encourages Producers to Implement Conservation Practices Amid Extreme Weather
The National Association of Conservation Districts is urging farmers to explore transitioning to conservation practices, including no-till and cover crops, to prevent further soil erosion in the face of extreme weather. The U.S. is currently experiencing the wettest 12 months on record, and farmers have faced a well-documented wet spring, and historically slow planting pace. In February, NACD hosted two focus groups at its annual meeting in San Antonio, for discussions on how soil health practices like cover crops and no-till have impacted farm fields in the face of extreme weather patterns. A total of 22 producers participated in the focus groups, representing 15 states. Reports compiled following the discussion are available to farmers considering what their options are, and provides an overview of the producers' testimony, examining how they and their neighbors are responding to extreme weather events. The report states, “producers said they believe soil health practices make their operations more resilient in several ways,” allowing them to “withstand the extremes.” Find the reports online at www.nacdnet.org.
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Massive Ag Coalition Urges USMCA Ratification
More than 950 agribusinesses and farm groups are urging Congress to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement quickly. Canada, Mexico and the U.S. have all taken the first steps towards ratifying the agreement that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. However, recent threats of additional tariffs, and the slow pace of politics, are concerning for farmers and ranchers. Chuck Conner, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives president and CEO, says USMCA “will provide an important source of certainty in a climate where that commodity is in short supply.” The group is urging lawmakers to “move quickly to bringing up the agreement” once it is formally submitted to Congress. Mexico is expected to ratify the agreement next week, following negotiations with the U.S. last week to stop threatened tariffs by the Trump administration over migrants crossing the border into the United States. Trump claimed the recent talks would result in "immediate" sales of U.S. ag products to Mexico. However, Mexico confirmed Monday that the talks did not include a side deal for agriculture.
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American Drivers Reach 10 Billion Miles Driven on E15
As President Trump visited an Iowa ethanol plant Tuesday, Growth Energy announced U.S. drivers have reached 10 billion miles driven on E15. The announcement follows the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent notice to allow for year-round E15 sales, likely to increase the pace of growth and miles driven on E15. Growth Energy works with retailers to grow E15 availability, including recent expansions announced by Casey’s General Stores and others, to give more drivers access to E15. Growth Energy says E15 is currently sold at more than 1,800 stations in 31 states. President Trump promoted the recent rule allowing for year-round E15 as part of his Iowa trip. The President joined Iowa Representative Cindy Axne and Governor Kim Reynolds for a tour of Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, along with EPA administer Andrew Wheeler. Trump also met with ethanol industry officials in Des Moines, including POET CEO Jeff Broin. The EPA announced the final rule to allow year-round E15 last month at a separate Iowa ethanol facility.
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USDA Helping Farmers, Businesses and Ag Producers Cut Energy Costs
The Department of Agriculture Tuesday announced 58 grants to help farmers and rural businesses to reduce energy costs. The grants, awarded in 17 states and Puerto Rico, are provided through the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP. Congress allocated $50 million for REAP grants and loan guarantees in 2019. Tuesday’s announcement includes $1 million in renewable energy projects. USDA will make additional funding announcements in the coming weeks. Joel Baxley, acting assistant to the secretary for rural development, says lowering energy costs “helps businesses improve their bottom line and create jobs” in rural America. Recipients can use REAP funding for energy audits and renewable energy systems such as biomass, geothermal, hydropower and solar. They also can be used to make energy efficiency improvements to heating, ventilation and cooling systems, including insulation, lighting and refrigeration. Grants announced Tuesday include $100,000 for the University of Oregon to help rural agritourism operations and small businesses implement renewable energy systems. More examples of funded projects are available online at www.rd.usda.gov.
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Almost one-thousand farm and food groups have written Congressional leaders to ratify the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, in a clear move to step up pressure to get the deal done.
The letter to the top leaders of the House and Senate urging USMCA approval probably has more signatories than any letter of its kind in recent memory. It is a loud and clear message of how desperately agriculture needs more trade amid depressed prices, lost income, trade wars, bad weather and increased bankruptcies.
House Livestock Subcommittee Chair Jim Costa…
“Over 900 agricultural organizations throughout the country, supporting the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade…and without objection, we will submit it for the record.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insists the USMCA deal be “reopened” to beef up enforcement, something all three nations oppose, and must be resolved before the White House sends it to the Hill.
Should USMCA fail, U.S. Trade Ambassador for Agriculture Greg Doud tells the livestock panel…
“We’ve got plans to move forward in a lot of different places in the world, and if we don’t get USMCA done, it halts the entire trade agenda of the entire administration.”
USDA Undersecretary for Trade Ted McKinney called USMCA a “template” for future agreements.
Chairman Costa and other panel Democrats criticized the president’s use of tariffs as a negotiating tool and challenged McKinney and Doud on West Wing differences on protecting ag…
“Mr. Chairman, there is no doubt, the White House has our, and the ag community’s, back. And I think we can see this with many 'tweets' …we can see this in his statements, with his actions. Now, how we’re going about it, clearly, is an issue, because we’re in choppy waters. But, if you're asking the question, 'Does the White House have our back?' the answer is 'yes,' alright.”
McKinney and Doud rebuffed criticism the president’s tariffs have also damaged talks with China, arguing China’s kept out the majority of U.S. farm commodities. McKinney said he’s not given up on a China deal, adding talks could resume when and if the two nation’s leaders meet at a G20 summit in Japan later this month.
