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The Justice Department disagrees with some of the positions expressed by a group of major frozen potato product manufacturers in a class-action lawsuit over data-sharing in the industry.

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives announced staff changes. Lisa Van Doren, vice president and chief of staff, is leaving. Justin Darisse has been promoted to vice president of strategy and external affairs. Zach Gihorski was promoted to senior director of government affairs. The International Dairy Foods Association hired Adam Tarr as vice president of legislative affairs. Syngenta and American Seed Trade Association Chairman Dave Treinen, head of GreenLeaf Genetics at Syngenta, are leaving the organization.

The House Agriculture Committee takes up a new farm bill today, spurring fresh debate on pesticide safety, tariffs and other key ag issues.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Monday that a Senate farm bill will likely align closely with the recently introduced House version, but could also feature language to authorize year-round sales of E15.

“We’ve been Midwest nice for too long.” That was the E15 rallying cry of Ohio corn farmer Jed Bower at last week’s Commodity Classic. It also was one of the biggest applause lines — if not the biggest – during the ag gathering of more than 12,000 attendees in San Antonio.  The message is a salvo to lawmakers in Washington stuck on how to tackle legislation that would allow year-round, nationwide sales of higher ethanol blends, known as E15.  

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative published its annual look ahead at the administration’s trade priorities Monday – previewing continued tariffs, dealmaking and strengthening domestic mineral production as it promised to “double down” on the president’s trade agenda.

The Department of Health and Human Services is putting $200 million into studying the impact of "cumulative chemical exposures" and reducing reliance on "chemical crop protection tools."

The House Agriculture Committee this week launches what is likely to be a highly partisan battle over a GOP farm bill, even as much of Washington’s attention will be focused on the ripple effects of the U.S. attack on Iran.

Luke Lindberg, USDA’s undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, is a leading contender to become executive director of the UN World Food Program, the world’s largest aid organization, sources tell Agri-Pulse.

The International Trade Commission is mounting a mandatory five-year review of countervailing duties applied to Moroccan and Russian phosphate fertilizers, against a backdrop of sky-high prices and trade threats.