Articles by Bill Tomson

President-elect Joe Biden continues to roll out his Cabinet picks, though there’s no word yet on key picks for agriculture, environment and trade. Today, he’ll introduce the members of his economic team, including Janet Yellen, who he intends to nominate for treasury secretary, and Neera Tanden, his pick to run the Office of Management and Budget, which has broad authority over the spending and regulatory matters.

Roughly 30,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans are set to arrive in the Paranagua port in southern Brazil Thursday, demonstrating just how much Brazil — the world’s largest soybean producing and exporting country — has over-exported its own large crop this year.

President-elect Joe Biden says he’ll announce a White House climate policy coordinator and a “policy-making structure” to go with the new office. The climate czar “will lead efforts here in the U.S. to combat the climate crisis and mobilize action to meet this existential threat,” Biden said.

President-elect Joe Biden promised on the campaign trail to reverse the Trump administration’s policy of breaking ties with Cuba, and that has U.S. farm groups once again hoping their farmers will benefit with increased trade.

Industry sources tell Agri-Pulse that top biofuel companies will be urging the incoming Biden administration to develop a federal clean fuel program to help reduce carbon emissions.

U.S. agriculture exports are going to be stronger than first expected in fiscal year 2021 and should eclipse 2020, according to a new USDA forecast that raised sales estimates for soybeans, sorghum, corn and wheat.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts has been involved in just about every consequential piece of agricultural legislation in the last four decades. But the bill he thinks may have the most lasting impact is the 1996 farm bill known as Freedom to Farm (or “Freedom to Fail” by its detractors). The bill formally ended the system of production controls and commodity subsidies first imposed during the Depression.

The Biden transition team has been soliciting input from farm groups on what they would like to see in potential nominees to key agencies. That’s the word from the CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, Jon Doggett.

Americans are cutting back on Thanksgiving plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the good news for consumers is that prices for the turkey and some of the trimmings will be lower.

The new Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance is out with its proposals for rewarding farmers for dealing with climate change. Now, the question is how much of the plan gets picked up.