Agri-Pulse staff

Cotton industry leaders reported to federal government officials this week that export contracts worth nearly $1 billion, covering sales of more than 4 million bales, are either in default or are at risk of default with little sign of resolution.

In its Grain Stocks summary today, USDA reported corn, soybean and wheat stocks lower than a year ago. Corn stocks are down 12 percent from September 2011, while soybean stocks declined 21 percent and all wheat stocks declined 2 percent.

A new coalition called Fuels America, made up of advanced fuel stakeholders and some farm groups, announced their campaign to defend the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney outlined reasons why farmers and ranchers should support their respective goals for the next presidential term in American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) questionnaire.

Vilsack has announced the appointment of 16 members to the United Soybean Board.

Republican Mitt Romney holds a 14 percentage-point lead over President Barack Obama among rural voters in nine swing states, according to the National Rural Assembly Poll released today.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced over $9 million in grants from the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) awards to organizations boosting “healthy food access.”

Food prices are on the rise, fueled by the U.S. drought and water scarcities in South America and Russia, while increasing commodity prices are likely to put pressure on the livestock industry, according to Rabobank.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) will begin issuing several major USDA statistical reports at 12:00 p.m. EDT beginning in January 2013

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2012— The National Organic Program published a final rule that extends the allowance for synthetic methionine in organic poultry production at reduced