Department of Agriculture Archives - Page 8 of 17

Parrots, Pigeons Threaten Argentine Sunflowers

By Maximilian Heath February 24, 2011

Flocks of hungry parrots and pigeons are plaguing sunflower farmers in some parts of Argentina, eating their crops and thinning their wallets. As swelling numbers of birds feed on fields, growers try to scare them away using balloons with “menacing eyes” painted on them. Farmers in the South American country, a leading global food exporter,

Crops

U.S. Farmland Surge Worries Key Lender

By Charles Abbott February 24, 2011

Agricultural bankers should be careful about lending to farmers who may be tempted to overextend themselves to invest in farmland as values skyrocket, the president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank warned on Feb. 17. Bank chief Tom Hoenig said his bank was watching the land market for signs of a speculative bubble. A

Livestock

Obama Would End Subsidies To Wealthiest U.S. Farmers

By Charles Abbott February 17, 2011

President Barack Obama called in his 2012 budget plan for the elimination of farm subsidies to the wealthiest U.S. growers Feb. 14, arguing that the payments distort the farm sector and some farmers can be paid even if no crops are grown. Lawmakers rejected an identical proposal a year ago, ahead of the 2010 mid-term

Beef cattle, Country Crossroads

New Diet Guidelines Say Eat More Fruit, Less Salt

By Emily Stephenson February 10, 2011

Americans need to cut salt and fat and eat more fruits and vegetables, the Obama administration said in its latest set of dietary guidelines released Jan. 31. The new dietary guidelines also advise cutting out sugary drinks and drinking water instead, and eating less overall. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack released the guidelines, saying Americans

Cereals, Livestock, Oilseeds

Record Canola Plantings Predicted

By Rod Nickel February 3, 2011

Canola and all wheat will closely contest Canada’s spr ing acreage battle as farmers look to cash in on the highest prices in more than 2.5 years, Agriculture Canada’s first planting forecast of 2011 shows. Canola has consistently provided high returns to farmers, and Canada’s Agriculture Department sees them planting a record-large area after flooding

Forages, Livestock

Vilsack Seeks Biotech Compromise

By Charles Abbott January 20, 2011

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the largest U.S. farm group on Jan. 10 that farmers could see less government interference if they find a way for traditional and genetically modified crops to coexist. Farm groups and the biotechnology industry are skeptical of Vilsack’s “coexistence” proposal. He launched it last month at the same time the

Beef cattle, Hogs, News

GIPSA Rules Could Shrink U.S. Meat Industry

By Bob Burgdorfer November 18, 2010

The U.S. livestock and meat industry could face more than $1 billion in annual losses, and a drop in production if proposed rules for the industry are implemented, according to a study funded by big livestock producers released Nov. 10. Earlier this year, the Agriculture Department’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administrat ion proposed rules

News

U.S. Election Means A Pinch On Farm Funds

By Charles Abbott November 11, 2010

U.S. lawmakers will face increasing pressure to constrain spending on farm subsidy programs, possibly as part of government-wide austerity, in the wake of large Republican gains in the midterm elections. At its most extreme, the budget cutting could push millions of acres back into production by slashing long-term reserves that idle 10 per cent of

News

U. S. Election To Take Toll On Farm Funding

By Charles Abbott November 4, 2010

U. S. lawmakers will face increasing pressure to constrain spending on farm subsidy programs after mid-term elections on Nov. 2, possibly as part of government- wide belt tightening. At its most extreme, the budget cutting could push millions of acres back into production by slashing long-term reserves that idle 10 per cent of U. S.

Opinion

Expensive CAP Unlikely To Be Capped

By Charlie Dunmore October 28, 2010

With a wave of post-crisis austerity sweeping Europe, deep cuts to public spending are the order of the day, and for some, the EU’s much-criticized common agricultural policy (CAP) is a prime target for cost savings. But given the current debate on the future of the European Union’s farm policy, those wanting a radical reform

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: ‘Relentless’ fund selling knocks down CME cattle futures

U.S. grains: Soy futures slide as traders worry China may miss US buying target

Pulse Weekly: Steady prices, high production for chickpeas

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