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Export tariffs on aluminum and aluminum alloys will be raised. The current import tariff will stay on seven types of coal until March 31, with tariffs adopted for most favored nations from April 1.

The House on Friday averted a government shutdown by voting 225 to 201 in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023—the omnibus spending bill. Here's what's in it for ag.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Alexis Taylor for Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. According to Taylor, her priorities include addressing export markets and food insecurity.

Government officials asked U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai to capitalize on the success of the USMCA and expand relations in the Western Hemisphere. 

Text of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package was released early Tuesday morning. The Senate will vote first and intends to pass the measure before Thursday, leaving the House no time to demand changes.

The Fertilizer Institute applauded the passage of the legislation, which it dubbed an “integral” component of the fertilizer distribution system.

Fufeng USA is purchasing 370 acres in Grand Forks to build a $700 million project. A government review didn't raise enough red flags to block the proposal, which has refueled the debate about foreign land ownership.

Members of the bloc agreed on how to create a tool that will force foreign companies to pay for the cost of their carbon emissions.

On the low end, expect to invest at least $50 an acre in the Midwest and $85 in the South for products. Some corn and soybean farmers are evaluating adjuvants and management practices that could help trim expenses.

Shippers urged the U.S. railroad regulator to create more competition in the industry during hearings in which Union Pacific was called to explain a spike in service restrictions.

After a year of price volatility for agricultural inputs, 2023 is set to be a “normal” year for fertilizer and pesticide costs. . .

Urea can be used to replace part of your spring N needs, but there are risks to be aware of and evaluate before you decide to go with it. The same is true for a mono-crop, especially if you choose continuous corn.

In the Agri-food Executive Briefing for the week, seven items are highlighted on the watchlist.

“We rely on the support of farm bill funding and programs to ensure continued U.S. leadership as the provider of the best seed to the world," said Katy Rainey, Purdue associate professor, at the Senate Ag hearing.

Grains mixed after WASDE. The only change USDA made to U.S. ending stocks was in corn by lowering exports. Brian Splitt of AgMarket.Net has analysis.  

Mexican Secretary of Economy Raquel Buenrostro told reporters in Mexico Wednesday the decree to bar imports of GMO crops into Mexico will be pushed back to 2025.

Iowa State Extension agronomists say there are at least two strategies farmers can consider using in 2023 to address this phenomenon, especially if they expect to be hit by hot, dry weather conditions again next summer.

In just a few years the farm financial pendulum swung from shaky to stable, according to the 2022 Agricultural Lender Survey report by the American Bankers Association and Farmer Mac.

Europeans argue that the act is a beggar-thy-neighbor scheme designed to lure investors away from Europe, just as the region's economy teeters on the verge of recession.

Known for the team's incredible caliber of customer service and integrity, Marion Ag Service empowers its grower customers to thrive.

With less than two weeks from a railroad strike deadline, President Biden plans to call on Congress to take action to avert a shutdown of the country’s freight railroads. . .

How it can turn around a company and accelerate innovation

Industry consultant Brad Oelmann, president at Farrell Growth Group, encourages ag retailers to stay true to their value propositions. 

China moved to close parks, malls and museums on Tues. as COVID-19 cases hit near-record levels. Lockdowns follow reports that, days before COP27, Xi sent policy and business advisers to New York to meet U.S. executives.

G-Mac’s AgTeam has 15 retail stores that will now be Simplot Grower Solutions locations.

Food prices will probably decline next year, even as global crop stockpiles stay very tight, especially for oilseeds, said David MacLennan, CEO of Cargill.

For the past four years, John Brubaker has led software company Smartwyre to exclusively serve Ag retail, distribution and manufacturers. He says the simple goal is to connect businesses with the information they need.

The Scoop caught up with Hawkins during a recent Syngenta Media Summit. Here is a report from our conversation with him.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative has been extended for 120 days from Nov. 18, without any changes. The deal is bearish for U.S. corn and wheat exports, which are already lagging. 

Farmers are asking, ‘Do I chisel first and then apply anhydrous? Or will I get better results doing the opposite?’ Get Ferrie’s answer and his insights on addressing hybrid weaknesses to harvest more corn in 2023.

For a sixth consecutive month, the rural economy has posted signs of weakness. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University.

Experts say the Fed is looking for signs of weakness in the economy before deciding interest rates have been raised sufficiently to curb inflation. Some signs are available now, says Vince Malanga, LaSalle Economics.

Violations included Amazon selling unregistered pesticides in California, failing to report and pay required mill assessment fees, and failing to hold a valid pesticide broker’s license.

This rate hike was the sixth increase this year, and based on Fed chairman Jerome Powell’s comments following the November meeting, this interest rate rocket ship will continue to gain altitude.

Not to sound like a broken record, but we have another record for farmland sales. In Sioux County, Iowa, 73.19 acres of high-quality farmland sold for $30,000 per acre during an auction on Nov. 11.

The top three trends impacting ag retailers are: economic uncertainty, volatility and labor challenges says Ken Zuckerberg, CoBank agribusiness analyst.

Highly productive areas with adequate soil moisture are where you can usually trim seeding populations, says Matt Duesterhaus, Crop-Tech Consulting agronomist. He offers seven additional recommendations.

The consumer no longer can absorb higher costs. Tanner Ehmke with CoBank says that lighter foot traffic is seen in some grocery stores, while discount retailers have seen a significant increase in foot traffic.

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service announces the Federal Grain and Inspection Service will publish a proposed rule seeking public comment on whether to make changes to U.S. grading standards for soybeans.

Some Iowa growers saw huge yield losses this season from a so-called edge effect. Illinois farmers also report seeing it ding yields. Agronomists are working to confirm contributing factors but haven't nailed them down.

The cotton market hit a two-year low on Monday, Oct. 31, but the market ended 1,494 points higher for the week, up 21%.   

“In the last 2,500 years, every Chinese government that has fallen, has fallen over food,” says Kuehl, Armada chief economist. “They need those import markets—be it from the U.S, Canada, Brazil or Australia."

If conditions are good in your area, you won’t have wheel tracks or ruts to deal with. However, you do need to think about a winter burndown to keep fields clean before planting next spring.

Mexico has confirmed that the country does not plan to amend its ban on imports of GMO that is set to start in 2024.  

Last year’s data showed a flat trend of the percent of farmers who buy any of their crop inputs online, but this year’s study (conducted in October) showed one of the biggest jumps yet.

Friday brought mixed news for the economy. So, is the U.S. officially in a recession? K-State economists say it's more important to watch changes in behaviors versus debating the definition of recession.

You can do a handful of things to greatly improve your odds of “getting all you can out of all you’ve got.” 

A rising tide of unique market circumstances may mask key business differentiators.

Asian copperleaf was found in an Iowa soybean field this summer. Agronomists are evaluating how much of a concern the weed poses to row crops there. It has been confirmed in only one other U.S. location: New York City.

The October Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index survey shows ag bankers are concerned about economic downturn in 2023.