California Ag Today

The USDA introduces an online application for Direct Loan customers, aiming to enhance convenience for U.S. producers, according to USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small.

Experts say Prop 12 violates USMCA, will the impending animal confinement legislation impact international trade? Executive Director of the Canadian Pork Council Stephen Heckbert says the language of the new legislation isn’t clear, and producers, legislators, and the federal government seem to be confused on how enacting Prop 12 will even be possible.

The ag economy faced challenges in 2023. What lies ahead in 2024? Dave Widmar from Agricultural Economic Insights discusses key factors they'll monitor in the coming year.

Significant drought is impacting water levels in the Panama Canal, forcing bulk grain shippers to take alternative trade routes to avoid delays. Vessels coming from the U.S. Golf Coast to Asia are opting for longer routes and increased fright expenses to steer clear of congestions and record-breaking transit fees in the Panama Canal.

The outlook for the agricultural economy in 2024 is slightly less optimistic compared to the outlook for 2023. According to Chad Hart, a professor at Iowa State University, the prospects for the upcoming year are not entirely bleak. He suggests that it could be a situation of things reverting to a more typical or normal state.

The ethanol sector is expanding and evolving, presenting new prospects. According to Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, sustainable aviation fuel is identified as a major emerging opportunity for the bioeconomy within the ethanol industry.

The USDA announced a new online application for Direct Loan customers. USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small says the agency is trying to make things more convenient for U.S. producers.

In recent years, significant funding has been allocated by federal, state, and local authorities to bridge the digital divide. Rick Cimerman, VP of State Affairs at NCTA, warns that new FCC regulations will hinder broadband expansion in rural areas.

Welcome back to our miniseries on California’s upcoming Prop 12 implementation. Folks in nearly all 50 states work to prepare to meet the new animal confinement regulations, but confusing language and unprecedented obstacles for foreign trade partners muddy the water.

With California’s Prop 12 implementation just weeks away, producers on both sides of the northern border brace for impact. Although the strict law mandating rigid animal confinement regulations is for in-state product sales, the implications extend beyond U.S. borders.