NAWG NEWS
NAWG CEO Visits PNW to Discuss the Importance of the Columbia-Snake River System
This week, NAWG CEO Chandler Goule toured the dams and rivers that transport 40 percent of all U.S. wheat to markets overseas. Approximately 15 million metric tons of wheat were transported on the Columbia Snake River system in 2020, making it the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway. Goule engaged in discussions about preserving the waters and how crucial they are to the success of wheat producers. To read more about the visit, click here, or read the full press release here. To view images from the trip, visit our Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, and Facebook.
NAWG, U.S. Wheat Associates Welcome End to Aircraft Trade Dispute
On Tuesday, NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) congratulated the Biden Administration and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai for resolving the long-running dispute with the European Union over aircraft subsidies and suspending retaliatory tariffs. Following Tuesday’s announcement, the United States and the United Kingdom came to an identical agreement on Thursday. By ending the disputes, the European Union and the United Kingdom will suspend retaliatory tariffs on non-durum U.S. wheat, which effectively blocked U.S. hard red spring and some hard red winter wheat. Read our press releases here.
NAWG Signs Letter Supporting Senators Bennet and Boozman “Agricultural Export Expansion Act of 2021
At the end of last week, NAWG, along with other organizations of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba, signed a letter supporting the Agricultural Export Expansion Act of 2021. The act would permit private financing of U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba and enables U.S. companies and organizations to develop agricultural businesses in Cuba. Each year, Cuba imports more than $2 billion in food, but less than 10% is imported from the U.S. The legislation would remove the longstanding roadblock of U.S. exports to Cuba and give U.S. agriculture opportunities to normalize trade with Cuba. Read the full letter here.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Study Confirms Devastating Impact of Inheritance Tax Code Changes on Family Farmers and Ranchers
On Tuesday, Republican leaders in the House and Senate Agriculture Committees presented Texas A&M University Agriculture and Food Policy Center’s study that confirms the negative impacts for family farmers and ranchers with the proposed changes in taxes. The study looks at the Sensible Taxation and Equity Promotion (STEP) Act, which would eliminate stepped-up basis upon the death of the owner, as well as the For the 99.5 Percent Act that decreases the estate tax exemption. According to this study, both bills would raise taxes by an average of $1.4 million on 98 percent of each of AFPC’s representative farms, which would have a lasting impact on rural America. Read more about the study here.
USDA Announces Dates for CRP General and Grasslands Signups
The USDA announced this week that a deadline has been set for July 23, 2021 for agricultural producers and landowners to apply for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup 56. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will also accept applications for CRP Grasslands from July 12 to August 20. Both of these signups provide incentives for producers and increase conservation efforts that will reduce the impacts of climate change. To learn more about the announcement, click here.
Senators Pen an Opinion Peace on re-engaging the TPP
On Sunday, Senators Carper (D-DE) and Cornyn (R-TX) published an opinion piece in the Washington Post encouraging the United States’ re-engagement with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), formerly known as the TPP. In 2017, the Trump administration withdrew from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Read the opinion piece here.
House Ag Subcommittee Hearing on Growth and Investment in Rural America
On Tuesday, the House Agriculture Commodity, Exchanges, Energy and Credit Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the critical need for and importance of investing in rural America. The hearing included discussions about infrastructure, broadband, and more. Witnesses from a wide range of backgrounds, including healthcare officials and agriculture business owners, testified to support the growth of rural America. To read more about the testimonies, click here.
House Agriculture Committee Hearing on 1890 Land Grant Institutions
On Thursday, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on the funding of 1890 Land Grant Institutions. Representatives and witnesses emphasized the importance of these 1890 institutions in serving a variety of agricultural needs in rural and socially disadvantaged communities. Chairman David Scott (D-GA) noted his desire for the USDA to better represent Black farmers and farmers of color. Read more about the hearing and the testimonies here.
Weekly U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) Update
Warmer than normal temperatures continued their hold this week on the northern tier of the Lower 48, particularly in the northern Great Plains and Upper Midwest. Across the north, widespread degradation of drought conditions occurred in areas where heavy rainfall missed. A few areas that received heavy precipitation and saw localized improvements were coastal Oregon and Washington, western Montana, and eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Widespread heavy rain occurred in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, where drought conditions improved or ceased in many locations. Scattered storms over the last few weeks in the southern Great Plains led to isolated improvements to drought conditions, and a few degradations to drought conditions in western Oklahoma where heavier storms missed. View the full drought monitor update here.
NATIONAL WHEAT FOUNDATION NEWS
National Wheat Foundation Interviews about the National Wheat Yield Contest and Gifts of Grain
On June 4th, Anne Osborne, National Wheat Foundation Project Manager, interviewed with Mick Kjar on Farm Talk Podcasts to talk about the National Wheat Yield Contest and Gifts of Grain. Gifts of Grain is a new fundraiser recently launched by the Foundation in hopes to raise money to continue wheat education and research. Listen to the full interview here or contact Anne at AOsborne@wheatworld.org to learn how you can participate in Gifts of Grain.
Registration for National Wheat Yield Contest Spring Wheat
National Yield Contest spring wheat is open. Spring Wheat entries are accepted until August 1. The wheat contest is administered entirely online, and growers can register at yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.
Positive Results in Kansas Project Plots
High yield equates to high-quality project plots, and the yields in Kansas are looking excellent. The research from these plots on how input levels affect functional quality as well as yield will be important and useful to growers. Click here to see more.
Source: NAWG