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U.S. and China: What’s Next for ‘Phase One’?

Read the latest news on the U.S.-China trade relationship and what that means for American farmers. In a conversation forum with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Monday, October 4, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine T

Five Ways the Infrastructure Bill Could Impact U.S. Agriculture

Although the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is light on direct farm aid, it aims to revitalize rural communities across the nation. The $1.2 trillion infrastructure package was approved in the Senate on August 10th, 2021, in a

Elaine Trevino: Meet the New Chief Ag Trade Negotiator Nominee

Ag groups are expressing unanimous support for the newest Chief Ag Trade Negotiator. Here’s a few reasons why. On September 13, 2021, President Biden announced several intended nominations for key economic and trade representatives. One candida

Key Trends Impacting Farm Income in 2021

The September 2021 USDA Farm Income Forecast yields an overall positive outlook for American farmers and ranchers. Despite continued challenges ranging from pandemic-induced supply chain bottlenecks, Western drought, and widespread labor sh

Florida Agriculture Sounds the Alarm on Mexican Import Trade

A new report exposes the $4 billion impact of Mexican imports on the Florida economy. On August 30, 2021, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried released a report prepared by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDAC

Redefining WOTUS: What Farmers Should Know

On June 9th, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the Navigable Waters Protection Rule was significantly reducing clean water safeguards. As a result, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion that requested a remand

Third Quarter Update: 2021-2022 Trade Outlook for U.S. Agriculture

The third quarter USDA ERS Trade Forecast Report was filled with record-breaking forecasts and (mostly) good news for U.S. ag export trade. The third quarter USDA trade outlook compounded on good news from the second quarter trade report by forec

EPA Chlorpyrifos Ban: The Good and Bad

What does the 'zero tolerance’ ruling for chlorpyrifos insecticide residual mean for food crop production? On August 18, 2021, the EPA evoked all tolerances of chlorpyrifos pesticide on food crops after a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals order di

The Fight Against the Cattle Market Monopoly

Monopolies in the meatpacking industry is nothing new for American cattle ranchers. Over the last several years, the price of live cattle has plummeted while the price of boxed beef has significantly increased. Last year, the USDA launched

The 2022 Agricultural Appropriations Bill Explained

The Senate subcommittee is prioritizing disaster relief, ag research, climate-smart agriculture, and rural broadband in 2022 farm budget. On Wednesday, August 4th, 2021, the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee advanced the fiscal 2022

Leveraging Land Equity

Learn how to make your land work for you. The stability of U.S. farmland in the face of the economic calamity in 2020 has made it an even more attractive investment to hedge risk than in decades past. Tenant farmers are reliant on affordable cas

U.S. and Russia: Phosphate Import Duties

Agricultural groups speak out against proposed phosphate tariffs. In a letter sent to the U.S. International Trade Commission on February 17, 2021, the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, and National Cotton Council

U.S. and Mexico: U.S. Potato Trade Ruling

The Historical Trends of U.S.-Mexico Potato Trade Twenty years ago, the U.S. agreed to open trade to Mexican avocados in exchange for U.S. potatoes. While Mexican avocado imports increased, U.S. potatoes were still unable to make their way acros

Executive Order Aims to Boost Competition for U.S. Ag Sector

Read the major initiatives behind President Biden’s recent executive order and what industry leaders think about it. On July 9th, President Biden signed an executive order aiming to address corporate consolidation trends and increase competitio

Timber Industry Bottlenecks: Where Is the Money Going?

While lumber prices have increased dramatically over the past year, America’s forest landowners are not seeing those profits. Lumber prices have increased significantly from pre-pandemic prices. While many producers predicted a decreas

Three Ways Supply Chain Bottlenecks are Impacting U.S. Ag Trade

The trickle effects of COVID-related shutdowns in 2020 are creating lingering consequences for U.S. ag export trade. As consumers across the nation are returning to what resembles a more ‘pre-pandemic’ lifestyle, American farmers are n

A Regional Overview of U.S. Agriculture

A closer look at regional data for American agriculture highlights the rich diversity that exists within it. From a sunny citrus grove in Florida to a colorful Washington apple orchard, the U.S. is home to a wide variety of farm operations.�

Second Quarter Update: Trade Outlook for U.S. Agriculture in 2021

Read highlights from the USDA ERS Trade Outlook Report released May 26th, 2021. The second quarter USDA trade report released May 26th, 2021, brought more good news for American ag export trade. Up $7 billion from the previous record set in th

National Beef Month: Celebrating the Essential Role of American Cattle Ranchers

May is National Beef Month and represents a time to celebrate the hardworking cattle ranchers who feed our nation. Both the economic and cultural impacts of the American beef industry are extensive. With over 900,000 cattle and calf

2021 Outlook for U.S. Agriculture: The Road to Economic Recovery

Reflecting on the resilience of the American Farmer. The tumultuous nature of 2020 impacted American farmers in a personal way. While several dairy farmers were forced to dump their milk, row crop farmers faced an equally devasta

Stress Testing Your Farm Financials

What is financial stress testing and how can farmers use it to build operational resiliency? Stress testing involves conducting a shock to a particular value based on potential yet plausible adverse events. Financial institutions often use this p

2021 Ag & Food Policy Summit Recap: Climate Risks, Rewards, and Uncertainties

Last week, farm leaders, innovators, and policymakers came together to discuss the trending topic of sustainability in American agriculture. AgAmerica had the opportunity to listen in on the annual Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit this year

Three Ways Farmers Can Shape Ag Policy

American agriculture is impacting legislative policy in more ways than one. Who knows more about how federal, state, and local legislation can best support U.S. agriculture than the farmers who feel the impacts of these policies every day? From

Katherine Tai: Meet the New U.S. Trade Representative

Leading U.S. agricultural groups, such as the American Farm Bureau Federation and the American Soybean Association, have expressed their support of newly elected Katherine Tai, who will serve as the next trade representative with a unanimous 98-

U.S. and China: 2020 Trade Recap

The Phase One trade agreement between the U.S. and China signed in January of last year called for $36.5 billion in purchases of agricultural products by China in 2020. This goal, specified in dollars, was already ambitious given the low U.S. comm

Food Additive Regulation for Livestock Feed

In a recent Ag Committee hearing discussing agriculture’s role in the fight against climate change, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall made a point that there are ways the federal government can step in to support farmers as

Updates in Pesticide Tolerance Regulations

Pesticides often carry a negative connotation with them but can be a valuable tool for farmers when used responsibly by helping them grow more food on less land and protecting the crops they work hard to grow from pests and disease. The Environm

Feed Emergency Enhancement During Disasters Act with Cover Crops (FEEDD ACT)

Background: First introduced into Congress in 2019, the FEEDD Act was recently reintroduced by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Angie Craig (D-MN) along with Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). Legislation: Th

How Immigration Reform Affects Farm Labor

American agriculture needs nearly two million hired workers to keep up with production, according to a study by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Farmers and their employees have worked on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure our foo

Improving Farm Profitability

The characteristics of highly profitable farms are difficult to estimate, but not entirely incalculable. While there are circumstances beyond the farmer’s control—such as weather, regulations, market prices, and trade policies—the business dec

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