California Ag Today

The congestion continues at U.S. ports, making it hard for agricultural commodities to ship overseas. Ray Bowman of California is an international trade consultant and chairs the District Export Council of Southern California. He says the logjam at American ports didn’t happen overnight.

The U.S. dairy industry is pleased with legislation currently moving through Congress. Supporters of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act say the bill would ensure that carriers load products that were already contracted to travel to Asia.

The USDA’s Economic Research Service says the Consumer Price Index for all food rose one percent from January to February. Food prices in February were 7.9 percent higher than in February 2021. Scott Brown, an associate extension professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Missouri, says while food prices have gone up, farmers aren’t getting an increasing share of the food dollar.

Supply chain issues continue to plague U.S. agricultural exports. During a Farmers for Free Trade Webinar, South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson says one of the biggest problems last year is 60 percent of containers returned to Asia from the U.S. empty.

The Supreme Court decided to hear a challenge to California's Prop 12 by Farm Bureau and the National Pork Producers Council.

Thanks to a new wave of coronavirus moving through Southeast Asia, American producers are finding it more challenging to get red meat into Hong Kong and China.

In the last two farm bills, the Senate has rejected House cuts to the Nutrition Title. Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member John Boozman isn’t sure what to expect when it comes to nutrition in the new farm bill, especially given the increase in food prices.

While officials discuss the content of the upcoming farm bill, funding the legislation could be more challenging this year. Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow spoke during the recent Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit.

Weed resistance is a never-ending challenge for U.S. farmers. As more weeds become resistant to herbicides, there are a number of things farmers need to focus on when planning for weed control.

The farm bill is set to expire this year, pushing many lawmakers to narrow in on legislative priorities. The Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program has been an important and polarizing topic on previous Farm Bills.