Trump faceoff with China exposes GOP weakness in rural U.S.

Matt Aultman, a grain salesman and feed nutritionist with Keller Grain & Feed, Inc., speaks beside grain and soybean silos during an interview at their facilities in Greenville, Ohio. Matt Aultman, a grain salesman and feed nutritionist with Keller Grain & Feed, Inc., speaks beside grain and soybean silos during an interview at their facilities in Greenville, Ohio.

Farmers tense and Republicans torn over trade war

As President Donald Trump moves to fulfill one of the central promises of his campaign - to get tough on an ascendant China - he faces a potential rebellion from a core constituency: farmers and other agricultural producers who could suffer devastating losses in a trade war. Trump's threat to impose tariffs on Chinese goods came with a presidential declaration that trade wars are good and easily won.

Nat’l Cotton Council: Tariffs Would Undermine U.S. Trade With China

NAT'L COTTON COUNCIL: TARIFFS WOULD UNDERMINE U.S. TRADE WITH CHINA Apr. 5, 2018 Source: Nat'l Cotton Council news release The National Cotton Council is concerned that China's announcement of significantly higher proposed tariffs on U.S. raw cotton shipped to that country would significantly harm the economic health of the U.S. cotton industry. For the current 2017 crop year, China stands as the second largest export market with purchases of approximately 2.5 million bales of U.S. cotton.

NPPC Study Shows Loss Of Foreign Workers Would Hurt Agriculture

NPPC STUDY SHOWS LOSS OF FOREIGN WORKERS WOULD HURT AGRICULTURE Apr. 5, 2018 Source: National pork Producers Council news release Given a tight labor market, particularly in rural areas, the loss of foreign-born workers would lead to a drop in agricultural jobs, according to a study commissioned by the National Pork Producers Council. Economists with Iowa State University , using a study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, determined that a reduction in the foreign-born workforce - prompted by a change in immigration policy - would not be offset by native-born workers and permanent residents.

U.S. floats talks after China strikes back in trade fight

President Donald Trump's administration said on Wednesday talks with Beijing could resolve an escalating U.S.-China trade fight after China retaliated against U.S. proposals to slap tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods by targeting key American imports with similar duties. Just 11 hours after the Trump administration proposed 25 percent tariffs on some 1,300 Chinese industrial, technology, transport and medical products, China responded with a list of similar duties on key American imports including soybeans, planes, cars, beef and chemicals.

American Farm Groups Plead With Trump to Back Off China Trade Conflict

Farm groups pleaded with the Trump administration to back away from a trade conflict with China that will hit hard in states that are key components of the president's political base and where there are pivotal elections in November. Donald Trump 's plan to slap tariffs on 1,333 of the country's products -- from semiconductors to lithium batteries -- by announcing duties on on a variety of agriculture products including soybeans, the second-most-valuable U.S. crop.

China Announces 25% Tariff On U.S. Soybeans, Other Ag Products

BREAKING: CHINA ANNOUNCES 25% TARIFF ON U.S. SOYBEANS, OTHER AG PRODUCTS Apr. 4, 2018 Oklahoma Farm Radio Network reports: Most U.S. Ag products that are exported to China may soon have a twenty five percent levy added to their imported prices- as farmers and ranchers are now sitting right in the middle- fully exposed- between two economic heavyweights as they are charging full speed towards a very nasty trade war. On Tuesday- as part of the U.S. response to China's unfair trade practices related to the forced transfer of U.S. technology and intellectual property, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative published a proposed list of products imported from China that could be subject to additional tariffs- $50 Billion worth.

Dairy program features improvements

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency is encouraging dairy producers to consider enrolling in the new and improved Margin Protection Program for Dairy. In a statement released earlier this week, the FSA said the program will provide better protections for dairy producers from shifting milk and feed prices.

Urban gardens need to be given more consideration

With a greater frequency of extreme weather events occurring around the world, Secure Your Food program director Derek Melting Tallow says it is time for cities like Lethbridge to begin thinking about emergency management in a different way. "Extreme weather events are occurring at such a frequency and intensity that it is affecting food production worldwide," he says.

Perdue: On the road again, to visit Mastronardi in Michigan

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, , visits with Lef Farms President Henry Huntington at the greenhouse company in Loudon, N.H., in early September during a "Back to Our Roots" RV tour. Perdue and USDA staff are again traveling in an RV this week, with plans to visit Mastronardi Produce in Coldwater, Mich.

Companies Very Positive About USDA Deregulating Plant Development Technology

COMPANIES VERY POSITIVE ABOUT USDA DEREGULATING PLANT DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY Apr. 2, 2018 Wired.com reports: FOR YEARS NOW, the US Department of Agriculture has been flirting with the latest and greatest DNA manipulation technologies. Since 2016, it has given free passes to at least a dozen gene-edited crops, ruling that they fall outside its regulatory purview.

USDA recalls thousands of pounds of ‘high-risk’ beef

PFP Enterprises is recalling approximately 7,146 pounds of raw beef products that were produced and packaged without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Saturday. The frozen and fresh beef items were produced on March 23-24, 2018.

Soybean acres to exceed corn for the first time in 35 years

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Sam’s Club Chicken Recalled After Plastic Pieces Found in Meat

If you're a frequent Sam's Club shopper, you might want to check your pantry in light of a massive recall just announced by the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service . Nearly 100,000 pounds of canned chicken breast have been contaminated with large pieces of plastic, and the company who makes the product for Sam's Club is issuing a warning after customers found the nasty surprise in their meals.