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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Groups representing producers of U.S. row crops are far from united on what Congress should do to improve commodity programs, even as the House and Senate Agriculture committees look to start writing a new farm bill in coming weeks.
Eastern European leaders have consistently supported Ukraine as it battles Russian forces, but they are struggling to maintain that united front as their farmers contend with Ukrainian grain that has flooded their domestic markets and depressed prices.
Lawmakers, farm groups and the ag industry are all eager for the Biden administration to move to a dispute process over Mexico’s restrictions on genetically modified white corn, but there’s no sign yet from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that it’s ready to do that.
The USDA slashed its forecast for Argentina’s corn and soybean production in response to widespread drought and raised its prediction for Chinese wheat imports in its April World Agricultural Supply and Demands Estimate.
U.S. and Mexican officials met behind closed doors last week to discuss Mexico’s ban on tortilla makers using genetically modified white corn, even as Mexico tries to publicly justify its action with claims that the grain is a threat to the country.
The USDA on Friday said raised its planting forecasts for corn, soybean and most wheat, but slashed its prediction for cotton planting as dryness in Texas continues.
Russia, Ukraine and Turkey have agreed to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative and allow Ukrainian wheat, corn and other farm commodities to continue flowing out of Odesa ports as the war rages on, according to a statement by the United Nations on Saturday, the last day for the deal to be extended.
Soybean and wheat growers are taking the lead in pushing for lawmakers to increase farm program reference prices in the next farm bill, even as lawmakers wrestle with how to come up with the extra money that would be required.
Russia is once again raising doubts about the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the long-term viability of the improbable wartime deal that is allowing Ukraine to supply much of the world with grain and keep food prices from skyrocketing in some of the poorest countries.
Russia has agreed to a 60-day extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative – just half of the 120-day term that was originally agreed to in last year's deal that allowed Ukraine to export wheat and corn through its Odesa ports.
