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House Democrats emerged from negotiations Wednesday with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with a newfound optimism that an agreement on the pact will soon be within reach.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi still isn’t ready to hold a vote on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but the pace of talks between Democrats and the White House is picking up speed as both sides aim for ratification before the end of the year.

The Trump administration’s trade assistance package and other government payments are keeping the farm economy afloat, while historically low interest rates are helping maintain agricultural land values, according to bankers and economists.

Leaders of the three largest seed and chemical companies say it’s technologically possible to reduce farming’s environmental footprint while feeding a growing global population, but they worry policymakers and regulators will stand in the way. 

Global demand for U.S. ethanol has grown substantially over the last decade, but ongoing trade tensions, policy enforcement, and changing markets could set up potential roadblocks for the industry in the years ahead.

Environmental groups in Iowa seeking action to tackle nutrient pollution are encountering stiff opposition from the state, which has asked the Supreme Court to throw out a court challenge in the matter.

Senate Republicans want to advance a fiscal 2020 domestic spending package as soon as this week that would include funding for departments and agencies critical to agriculture and the food industry. Meanwhile, House Democrats are closer to a deal on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement

Faced with criticism about delays in research reports and distribution of grant funding, a top USDA official defended the department’s decision to relocate the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture to the Kansas City region at a congressional hearing Thursday.

A senior Agriculture Department official rejected House Democrats’ demands that USDA pull back a proposal to reduce income eligibility limits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in many states. 

President Donald Trump’s claim that China is willing to address “agricultural structural issues” in a trade deal has the U.S. ag sector excited that real change may be coming to the U.S-China trading relationship beyond just increased commodity sales.