Congress

Trade officials from the U.S. and Taiwan met Monday for the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.  U.S. Deputy Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi said, "This initiative will unlock market opportunities, promote innovation and create inclusive economic growth for our workers and businesses." The trade...

Last week, the House and Senate each passed the Keep Kids Fed Act, but the bill had to return to the House because the Senate version was slightly different.  The Hagstrom Report said the House passed the Senate’s version of the bill that requires the re-establishment of the reduced price category that Rand Paul of Kentucky insisted on including in the Senate version. The agreeme...

Sheryl Meshke, CEO of Associated Milk Producers Incorporated, recently told a Senate subcommittee that the government must pursue expanded trade opportunities. The U.S. dairy industry is asking Congress to pursue additional market access opportunities and address export supply-chain delays so that the U ...

The ongoing struggles of farmers took center stage in D.C. this week, as Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed the many challenges growers are facing on and off the farm with Congress. One of the themes of 2022 has been record fuel and fertilizer costs, but will that trend continue into 2023 ...

According to the head of USDA’s AMS, a pilot cattle contract library could be up and running by the first of next year. The $1 million pilot Congress funded in current year spending, is aimed at improving price transparency in cattle markets, thereby helping independent producers get a fairer price. USD ...

On Tuesday, a Bipartisan group of Senate Finance Committee Members called on the U.S. Trade Representative for improve transparency. Led by Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, of Oregon, and Ranking Member, Idaho’s, Mike Crapo, and New Jersey senator Bob Menendez, the lawmakers sent a letter to the U.S. Tr... Read More ...

"Without the transparency of a robust cash market, I'm at a severe disadvantage when marketing my cattle," said cattle producer Shelly Ziesch. "We've got to do something because if we continue to do nothing we'll keep getting the same result," noted cattle producer Richy Ruffin ...

President Biden’s infrastructure adviser expects the FCC to make significant progress this year on critical broadband mapping to pinpoint rural areas of greatest need. Mitch Landrieu acknowledged the FCC hit roadblocks early, but is now making headway on service maps needed to best target $65 Billion Congress approved for rural broadband. ...

The Biden Administration and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai have come under fire from lawmakers of both parties in Congress for not pursuing free trade agreements. Washington’s Maria Cantwell, member of the Senate Finance Committee, told Ambassador Tai that farmers in the Evergreen state want free trade deals. “ ...

As congress prepares to craft the next Farm Bill, "the can provide a lot of technical assistance and provide feedback on ideas and thoughts.” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said last week his department is currently in that process regarding the 2023 Farm Bill. “ ...