All Ag News

“U.S. And Chinese Funds Work Toward Clean Energy” U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced the availability of 37.5-million dollars in U.S. funding over the next five years to support the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center. China will contribute an additional 75-million in funds. Research will focus on advancing technologies for building energy efficiency, clean [...]

“USDA Contracts to Update FSA System” USDA has taken the first step to improve services available through the Farm Service Agency by awarding a Blanket Purchase Agreement designed to support the implementation and development of the Modernize and Innovate the Delivery of Agricultural Systems Project.  USDA says the FSA MIDAS Project is a priority effort [...]

“For Senators Kerry, Graham and Lieberman, No More Cap and Trade” At least for the Senate architects of compromise climate legislation – the cap and trade label is falling by the wayside. Congressional Quarterly reports Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry is now referring to the plan for addressing greenhouse gas emissions as reduction and refund. This [...]

“Bipartisan Bill to Extend Ethanol Tax Credits Long-Term Introduced” Legislation introduced Thursday by Congressmen Earl Pomeroy and John Shimkus would extend the current Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, the Small Ethanol Producers Tax Credit, the tariff on imported ethanol and the Cellulosic Ethanol Production Tax Credit through 2015. North Dakota Democrat Earl Pomeroy said we [...]

“Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Gets Unanimous Support in Committee” Despite some concerns – and discussion – about the budget offsets proposed to pay for the bill – the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Wednesday. The bipartisan legislation to reauthorize childhood nutrition programs would invest 4.5-billion dollars in new [...]

“Health Care Reform Bill Signed Into Law” President Obama has signed the health insurance reform bill – approved by the Senate in December and the House Sunday – into law. Vice President Joe Biden declared it a historic day – and credited the President with turning the right of every American to have access to [...]

“Global Ethanol Production Forecast” The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance has released the global ethanol production forecast for 2010. According to data assembled by F.O. Licht – total ethanol production in 2009 was 19.5-billion gallons. GRFA predicts global production will reach 22.7-billion gallons in 2010 – a 16.2-percent increase from last year. That would displace the [...]

“NPPC: Lifting of China’s H1N1-Related Ban on Pork Great for Producers” The National Pork Producers Council says an agreement reached Thursday to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. pork imports should help struggling pork producers. China closed its market to U.S. pork late last April in the wake of the H1N1 outbreak. Trade will resume [...]

“House Approves Health Care Bill” Congress approved health care legislation late Sunday evening by a vote of 219 to 212. The measure will reportedly provide medical coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans. Democrats hailed the vote as historic – comparing it to the establishment of Medicare and Social Security. They say the measure [...]

“Pork Trade with China to Resume” U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced Thursday that the U.S. and China have reached an agreement to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. pork and pork products. Vilsack says discussions during an October trip to China laid the groundwork for reopening the market [...]