Articles by Bill Tomson

U.S. certified organic food will now be automatically recognized as organic in Taiwan and vice versa as the result of a new equivalence deal signed by both countries.

USDA promised to start getting those Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments out the door to farmers within a week of signup starting, and that’s what is happening.

A bipartisan Senate bill set for release today would set the stage for agricultural carbon markets that would pay farmers to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Michigan’s Debbie Stabenow, tells Agri-Pulse she’s monitoring the farm economy and USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program to see what additional help may be needed.

The fact that Chinese importers purchased between two and three cargoes of U.S. soybeans on Monday has helped quell concerns that the two countries might be rekindling their trade war, but the uncertainty of the situation continues to plague buyers and sellers.

Peanut butter makers are churning out as much product as they can and they can’t do it fast enough to meet the unprecedented demand from families who are desperate to keep their pantries stocked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’re getting some new clarity in congressional races that are critical to agriculture policy. The Republican field in the Kansas race to succeed Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts is now set. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declined to file for the race. The deadline was noon on Monday.

China is shunning U.S. soybeans and pork – at least temporarily – in retaliation to U.S. involvement in China’s treatment of Hong Kong, but expectations are that Chinese state buyers won’t be able to shut off U.S. trade for much longer.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is on the road again today to promote USDA’s $3 billion Farmers to Families Food Box program. Today, he’s in his home state of Georgia for an event delivering food at a non-profit in Atlanta.

Ag trade experts are working to assess how President Donald Trump's call for an end to preferential trade treatment for Hong Kong will impact American ag exports there, but say there appears to be no direct impact on the "phase one" trade deal with China.