NAWG Press Release: USDA Aid Package Fails to Consider All Commodities
On August 27, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released details of the $12 billion package of aid to farmers hurt by retaliation resulting from the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. Wheat will receive 14¢/bushel. In its release, NAWG stated that while “it appreciates the Administration’s steps to hold China accountable for unfair trade practices but tariffs and the subsequent self-inflicted need to provide aid aren’t the answer. Farmers across the country want ‘trade, not aid’, especially wheat growers.” U.S. Wheat Associates issued a similar statement which also comments on how the federal aid package invests in market development programs. Read NAWG’s release here, which includes a link to the U.S. Wheat Associates’ statement.
NWF Blog “Capital Press: The Great Crop Insurance Debate”
Last week, Capital Press published a piece on the debate around crop insurance which included input from NAWG Secretary and Paterson, WA wheat farmer Nicole Berg as well as NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. The Foundation released a blog highlighting the article which also considers viewpoints from crop insurance critics Environmental Working Group and the Heritage Foundation. Read the blog here.
NCIS To Launch State-By-State Crop Insurance Website in September
National Crop Insurance Services has established a new website providing information on the role of crop insurance in each state, just as the House and Senate conference on the farm bill is scheduled to begin in September.
USDA Sees Another Big Drop in Farm Income
According to AgriPulse, USDA today forecast net farm income for this year at $65.7 billion, up from a February projection but down $9.8 billion, or 13 percent, from 2017, when the broad measure of farmland profits increased nearly 23 percent.The department’s Economic Research Service said that in inflation-adjusted 2018 dollars, net farm income is expected to drop $11.4 billion for the year, after increasing $13 billion (20.3 percent) in 2017. If realized, inflation-adjusted net farm income for 2018 would be just slightly above 2016, which was its lowest level since 2002. Read more here.
KSU Receives $21.9 Million for Efforts to Help End Hunger, Poverty
On August 23, 2018, Officials from the U.S. Agency for International Development announced that they have awarded $21.9 million to Kansas State University to continue funding three research labs that work to end global hunger and poverty…In 2013, USAID awarded three “innovation labs” to K-State through the Feed the Future initiative, which is the U.S. government’s effort to end global hunger. K-State won the awards through a competitive process against programs across the United States. The three labs are: The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Sorghum and Millet, known as SMIL; The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for the Reduction of Post-Harvest Loss, known as PHL; and The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Applied Wheat Genomics. Read the press release in its entirety here.
NWF Seeking for WILOT Applicants
The National Wheat Foundation’s Wheat Industry Leaders of Tomorrow (WILOT) program will be taking place in St. Louis, MO, from November 11-16th, 2018 and seeks applicants to participate. This week-long training program that is sponsored by Monsanto is geared towards current leaders and those who soon could take on leadership positions at the state and national levels for wheat organizations. The program will focus on personal leadership, communicating to earn the public’s trust, agricultural policy, advocacy skills, and media and messaging training. Thanks to Monsanto, this program will not cost state associations or farmers any money to participate. Please contact Craig Berning, if you are interested or would like to nominate someone to participate by Monday, September 3rd.
Housing Opens for the 2019 NAWG/USW Fall Conference
NAWG and U.S. Wheat will be holding their 2019 Fall Conference at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in Tampa Bay, Florida from October 30th to November 2nd. NAWG’s schedule of events and information on housing can be found here. Registration for the conference will open in September.
Source: National Association of Wheat Growers