Associated Press
NCBA Angry Over IRS Proposal
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has joined more than 3,800 other organizations to express their anger over a new proposal from the IRS that would unfairly tax small businesses and family farms by eliminating valuation discount planning and increasing the estate and gift taxes by over 30 PERCENT...
Deere & Co. Layoffs; Whitefly Found in Florida
This weekend Wall Street Journal reported that Deere & Company posted a strong earnings on the announcement that they will be cutting tractor and combine production after the fourth year of falling sales. By Monday afternoon word of the layoffs at two Iowa manufacturing plants surprised investors mere days after the reported profit .145...
Semi-Truck Overturns, Blocking Eastbound I-90
This is the latest for Washington state Department of Transportation:
I-90 travelers, major heads up! A collision involving a semi is blocking both eastbound lanes and one westbound lane at milepost 93 near Elk Heights Road, about 13 miles west of Ellensburg...
Washington Apple Crop Up 15 Percent; China Acquiring Farmland
Northwest cherry harvest is over and cherry growers shipped close to 21 million pounds of fruit this year, big sizes and excellent quality being the norm. The Washington state 2016 apple crop forecast at just under 133 million standard forty pound boxes of fresh apples...
MLB Approves Sale of Seattle Mariners, Stanton to Take Over
HOUSTON (AP) — Major League Baseball owners approved the sale of a controlling stake in the Seattle Mariners from Nintendo of America to a group of minority owners led by Western Wireless Corp. founder John Stanton and retired Microsoft executive Chris Larson...
Texas Agriculture Ag Team Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation
Texas Tribune reports ,Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced Friday he is working with GOP presidential scribed the effort, likely to be presented this week, as a “coalition” of the nominee Donald Trump’s campaign to help lead an agriculture team...
Cuban Delegation Toured U.S. Agriculture; USDA to Address Dairy Priority in TPP
An agriculture delegation from Cuba toured American agriculture. Hosted by the U.S. Grains Council, the delegation was brought to the U.S. to learn about U.S. grain production and exporting systems and see the advantages of purchasing U.S. products...
Feed the Future Program Get Closer to Law; GIPSA Rider is Not in the Farmers, Ranchers Best Interest
The Senate - by unanimous consent - passed its own version of the Global Food Security Act, moving President Barack Obama's Feed the Future program one step closer to law. The bill would authorize the $1 billion a year agricultural development initiative that the administration launched in 2010, as well as an emergency food security program that the U...
Individual States Considering Their Own GMO Labeling; Food Safety Issues Concerns In Syngenta Merger
As food companies are preparing to comply with the Vermont GMO labeling law, many other states are now considering their own GMO labeling laws including Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Those bills largely mirror the Vermont law...
New Opportunities for U. S. Ag in Cuba; Honey Production Down
Leaders from across the U.S. agriculture and food sectors are expressing support and optimism in new opportunities for collaboration with their Cuban counterparts. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Research and Promotion Programs and Marketing Order organizations may conduct research and information sharing with Cuba...
GMO Labeling Bill Up Hill Battle; COOL Repeal Requirements
While the Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday passed a GMO labeling bill by Chairman Pat Roberts, the bill faces an uphill battle in the full Senate. Ranking Committee Democrat, Debbie Stabenow does not support the bill, and other Democrats in the full Senate may follow Stabenow’s lead...
Disagreement In Wheat Export to Egypt; Canada’s Egg Production Heading Toward Other Methods
Egyptian officials over the weekend denied there had been any disagreement regarding what level of the fungus ergot they would permit in wheat imports. Egypt's supply and agriculture ministry’s held a joint press conference Sunday. Officials were assuring exporters that they would accept all shipments with less than 0...