The price tag for a new package of farm aid appears to be growing. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., tells Agri-Pulse lawmakers have been talking about $7 billion in disaster assistance to go with the $15 billion or more being discussed in economic aid. The total cost of the package could range up to $22 billion, he said Thursday.
Hoeven is working with Senate Ag Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., and House Ag Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., on an aid package that could potentially be added to a supplemental spending bill for the Iran war.
“We’ve been working towards a supplemental that would include perhaps the military funding, some weather disaster, and then some ag disaster to finish out the farm bridge assistance,” Hoeven says in a separate interview for Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.
Specialty crop aid remains in flux
Thompson wants to earmark $10 billion in new economic assistance for specialty crops. But Hoeven, who chairs the Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee, says Thompson’s number may be high. “I think there’ll be substantial funding for specialty crops. I’m not ready to say it’s going to be 10,” he says.
Boozman told reporters Monday the specialty crop set-aside hadn’t been settled and that he intends to work with Thompson, Hoeven and other Senate Ag members to “arrive at a number.”
This week’s Newsmakers will be available today at Agri-Pulse.com.
Farmers, ranchers to be feted at White House today; RVOs could be on tap
The agriculture world is abuzz over a White House gathering later today of farmers and ranchers from across the country.
A guessing game of “Who will attend?” and “What news might be announced?” began two weeks ago after word got out about the event to be hosted by President Donald Trump.
Speculation continues to mount that EPA will announce its biofuel blending rule today before or during the White House event.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said at the Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit Monday that the renewable volume obligation rule would be out by the end of the month.
With the House and Senate scheduled for a two-week recess starting Monday, even as major ag priorities remain unfinished, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, tells Agri-Pulse she’d like Trump to push for a bill to allow year-round sales of higher corn ethanol fuel blends, or E15.
A House council working to come up with an E15 framework has been stuck and missed a self-imposed deadline last month. The failure to reach agreement follows Trump calling for Congress in late January to move swiftly on the ethanol legislation.
A main sticking point is division within the oil refining industry on what a bill should look like.
Lawmakers with small and mid-size refineries in their districts “need to get on board,” Ernst says. “They need to work with us on this. E15 would drop the cost of fuel immediately.”
At a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Trump said, “We'll be announcing a variety of steps taken to support American farmers. … We love the farmers. We gave them $12 billion out of tariff money.”
Some Nebraska wildfires contained, but others emerge
Authorities have fully contained the Morrill Fire that burned over 642,000 acres in Nebraska, but now must address new, smaller fires that have emerged.
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The Ashby Fire and the Minor Fire are now burning in western Nebraska’s Grant County. According to Watch Duty, the Ashby Fire has so far burned 34,641 acres and the Minor Fire 15,000.
According to InciWeb, a federal tracker, the Morrill fire is fully contained. The Cottonwood Fire, which has burned through 129,103 acres, was 98% contained as of Thursday, according to Watch Duty.
Take note: Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen on Thursday declared emergencies in counties where fires have taken place, as well as an executive order waiving hours of service restrictions and adjusting maximum load and weight limits for livestock feed haulers.
Editor in Chief Philip Brasher is celebrated at a retirement reception in Washington. Pictured with him, from left, are Sarah Gonzalez, incoming editor in chief, and Sara Wyant, founder and publisher. (Agri-Pulse photo) US-EU deal clears parliament
The U.S.-European Union trade pact has cleared another hurdle after the European Parliament agreed to it with some adjustments.
The deal, reached last summer, will only be enacted if the U.S. keeps to its commitments to cap EU tariffs for most goods at 15%. The EU can also hike duties again if imports for a specific good surge. In addition, the deal will sunset in 2028 unless extended.
The European Council still must approve the deal, but the chair of the parliamentary committee on international trade, Bernd Lange, is optimistic it will be ratified with the amendments.
Just how many farmers have pre-paid for fertilizer?
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says that around 80% of farmers have pre-paid for fertilizer, insulating them from recent price shocks. Analysts and growers say that figure tracks with what they’re seeing.
“I have roughly 20% of my operation that I normally don't fertilize until April, and I've not purchased that,” former National Corn Growers Association President Dee Vaughn said during an Agri-Pulse webinar Thursday. “I know a lot of neighbors are in the same situation, if not more.”
Similarly, South Dakota Corn Executive Director DaNita Murray said she has concerns that around one in four corn acres could be affected by a fertilizer shortfall.
North Dakota State University shared early findings with Agri-Pulse from a survey researchers carried out among growers in the state. Economist Shawn Arita said more than 60% of respondents had already secured around 75% of their nitrogen fertilizer needs before March 1. Meanwhile, 22% had bought less than 25% of their fertilizer needs.
Overall, around half of respondents said they had some spring fertilizer purchases to make.
North Dakota is likely one of the more affected states as well, Arita noted.
“A lot of the southern guys, they're already planting stuff, and so they would have bought their [fertilizer] earlier,” he said.
Final Word
“I would love for the president to come out at the Great American Agricultural celebration tomorrow and say, ‘Hey, all of you senators and House members need to get that E15 bill to my desk. Now.’” – Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, commenting on what she’d like President Donald Trump to say at the event at the White House today.
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