Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says negotiations on the next Farm Bill have "taken a turn" in the wrong direction. Ernst is the only Iowan on the committee of House and Senate members assigned to come up with a new five-year Farm Bill by the end of the month. "I don't think we're close and, … [Read more...]
U.S.D.A. undersecretary says Trump’s aim is right-sizing trade deals
Two of the Trump Administration's top trade officials attended this week's Midwest U.S. - Japan Association Conference in Omaha. Gregg Doud, the chief ag negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, said trade talks with Canada will hopefully wrap up soon, but it's important to get the … [Read more...]
Reynolds touts Iowa’s ‘special bond’ with Japan
Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowa's "valued relationship" with Japan involves a diverse set of industries. Reynolds addressed the 50th annual meeting of the Midwest U.S.--Japan Association this morning in Omaha. "With a population of a little more than three million people, Iowa may be small in … [Read more...]
Six Midwest governors, Japan’s ambassador to US at conference next week
The Midwest U.S.-Japan Association is scheduled to meet in Omaha early next week and Iowa's governor will be among six governors from the region to attend. Naoki Ito, the Consul-General of Japan in Chicago, will deliver opening remarks at the conference Monday morning. "I'm really hoping that … [Read more...]
USDA says Iowa producers shouldn’t worry about mad cow case in Florida
Officials with the U.S.D.A. say cattle producers in Iowa should not be concerned about the recent discovery of a cow in the southeastern U.S. with BSE or mad cow disease. The agency's chief veterinarian Dr. Jack Shere says there's no risk of a spread. Dr. Shere says, "The Veterinary Services … [Read more...]
Ernst the only Iowan on Farm Bill conference committee
Senator Joni Ernst is among the 56 members of the U.S. House and Senate who met this morning to open negotiations aimed at producing a final version of the 2018 Farm Bill. "With the livelihood of farmers and ranchers largely dependent on factors out of their control, completion of this Farm Bill … [Read more...]
U.S. Ag Secretary says momentum building for trade deals with Canada, Japan
U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is in Iowa, holding events with Republican office-holders and assuring the state's farm community that international trade disputes "will work out fine." "I'm really proud of our agricultural community," Perdue said late this afternoon. "They've stood with the … [Read more...]
New U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement announced, NAFTA to be terminated
President Trump has announced a break-through in trade negotiations with Mexico. "Our farmers are going to be so happy," Trump said late this morning. "You know, my farmers, the farmers have stuck with me when I said we were going to do this and Mexico's promised to start purchasing as much farm … [Read more...]
State Ag Secretary candidates differ on volume of tax money needed for soil and water quality initiatives
The two major party candidates for state ag secretary say preserving Iowa's soil and cleaning up the state's lakes and streams are an important mission for the State of Iowa, but they differ on a proposal that's been around nearly eight years to raise more money for that mission. Tim Gannon, the … [Read more...]
Ag Secretary candidates discuss E-Verify for all businesses, including farm operations
The two major party candidates for state ag secretary say it may be time to discuss requiring that businesses use the federal E-Verify system to check if prospective workers are citizens or legal residents. The man accused of murdering Mollie Tibbetts was working at a dairy farm near Brooklyn under … [Read more...]