A House spending bill for the Agriculture Department would provide another $1.1 billion for rural broadband in fiscal 2021, a $435-million increase more than Congress provided for this year.

Christa Lachenmayr, a senior agricultural economist at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, has been appointed the Commission’s liaison to the Department of Agriculture.

J.B. Penn has retired from John Deere after five decades in agriculture, including time at USDA. Brian Quintenz won't seek renomination to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

A divided Commodity Futures Trading Commission proposes new position limits for market speculators along with expanded exemptions that would benefit grain processors and other companies that hedge their risks in agricultural commodities.

Trade remains the top concern for American agriculture heading into 2020, with looming uncertainty about whether the Chinese will make promised increases in commodity purchases, and whether President Donald Trump will provide another round of trade assistance to U.S. producers. 

A bipartisan bill advanced by the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday would give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission authority to keep pace with new technology as well as pursue market fraud and manipulation that takes place outside the United States.