Ag in the News

05/02/2008

National

Cargill will not rebuild plant in Booneville, Ark.
Cargill Value Added Meats announced it will not rebuild its plant in Booneville, Ark., that was severely damaged by a fire in March. MORE!

Tyson appeal denied in antibiotic case
A federal appeals court has refused to block a preliminary injunction that bars Tyson Foods Inc. from marketing some of its chicken products as raised without antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans. MORE!

Container shortage could slow meat exports
A lack of available containers to ship U.S. meat and other export products is starting to result in lost export sales and has agricultural industry groups concerned enough to ask government agencies to investigate the problem, industry officials told Meatingplace.com. MORE!

Congress holds first hearing on soaring food prices
USDA Chief Economist Joseph Glauber told lawmakers on Thursday that increased biofuels production has caused much of the dramatic increase in farm prices for corn and soybeans. MORE!

Congress seeks two-week farm bill extension
Both houses of Congress voted Thursday to extend current farm legislation for two more weeks to May 16 as agriculture committee conferees continue to try to hammer out new legislation that must pass Administration objections to become law. MORE!

Wrap Up

Farm bill movement. House-Senate farm bill conferees forged ahead late into the night Thursday to come up with a farm bill plan to send to President Bush. Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) expressed a hope the package is one that President Bush can sign. But USDA Deputy Sec. Chuck Conner issued a statement last night that if a bill arrives on the president's desk without the reforms he has requested, Bush would veto the bill. Read more via Jim Wiesemeyer's Washington Insight column, with additional analysis in his Inside Washington Today dispatches on the Pro Farmer page.

Bush requests more food aid. President Bush has requested Congress approve $770 million in new food aid as part of a supplemental spending bill for fiscal year 2009. This would be in addition to the $200 million in food aid the administration has already pledged via the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

South Korea battling on beef. South Korea's president has directed his government agencies to develop plans to publicize the "truth" about the safety of U.S. beef in the wake of criticism by opposition parties of the plan to allow in U.S. beef. He charged the latest efforts were meant to scare consumers.

Argentine strike situation. The four major farm group leaders in Argentina are saying slightly different things, but the gist of their message is that farmer protests will partially restart Saturday, although no blocking of roads is anticipated. Most of the farmer efforts are expected to be picketing along highways. A formal, unified statement from the farmer group leaders is expected sometime today.