Over 1,250 Producers Qualify Under Prop 12

The California Department of Food and Agriculture says there are more than 1,250 agricultural producers and distributors in compliance with Proposition 12. After multiple delays brought on by court challenges and the need for a Supreme Court ruling, Prop 12 is now in effect. The CDFA says the more than 1,250 producers are prepared the meet the state’s demand for cage-free eggs and crate-free pork after the measure took full effect on January 1. California voters initially approved Prop 12 in November 2018, with the provisions originally intended to be in place by January 2022. “Final implementation of Prop 12 not only provides the prospect of dramatically better living conditions for pigs in U.S. agriculture, but it also all provides a critical market for thousands of pig farmers who don’t rely on immobilizing crates as a routine animal-housing practice,” says Wayne Pacelle, a Prop 12 architect and president of Animal Wellness Action.

Missouri Bans Foreign Ownership of Some Farmland

Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced a ban on agricultural land purchases by citizens and businesses from six nations if the property is within ten miles of critical military facilities. Parson says he had countries like “China and other adversarial nations” in mind when issuing an executive order on the topic. The order puts the state Ag Department in charge of reviewing all proposed purchases of farmland by foreigners The Ag Department is to deny all proposed purchases within ten miles of military facilities by entities from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela. Missouri is the latest state to restrict foreign ownership of U.S. farmland amid rising international tensions. Arkansas recently ordered Syngenta, owned by ChemChina, to sell a 160-acre research farm. Foreign investors own 43.4 million acres, or 3.4 percent of privately-held agricultural land, which includes 474,000 acres in Missouri. The executive order doesn’t affect existing farmland ownership.

Weather Mixed in Winter Wheat Country

A USDA report says December weather was a mixed bag for winter wheat producers. Timely precipitation in major wheat-growing states like Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Arkansas boosted the crop. In Kansas, the top-producing state, about 43 percent of the hard-red crop was in good or excellent condition in December. Thirty-six percent was in fair condition, with the rest poor to very poor. An average of 2.7 inches of rain fell in Oklahoma last month, with more than three inches in west central counties. While no condition report was available, 22 percent of the state was suffering from drought, down from 47 percent three months earlier and 90 percent a year ago. In Colorado, 61 percent of the winter wheat crop was in good or excellent condition, up from 50 percent last year. In Arkansas, where soft-red winter wheat is grown, topsoil moisture was 69 percent surplus and 26 percent was adequate.

USDA Investments in Risk-Management Training

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency announced that $3 million is available for cooperative growth agreements to educate underserved, small-scale, and organic producers on risk management. The educational opportunities can also include climate-smart practices. RMA’s Risk Management Education Partnerships provide funding for organizations like non-profits and land grant universities to develop training and resources for producers about risk management options like crop insurance. “This funding is integral to our outreach efforts in communities that historically have not had access to training about risk management options,” says RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “As a farmer, I know first-hand that agriculture is a risky business.” Bunger also says they want to work directly with growers and livestock producers to provide them with training and resources about risk management options and applying them to the farming business. A broad range of risk management activities are eligible for funding consideration, including training on crop insurance options and others. 

Registration is Open for the Animal Agriculture Alliance Summit

Registration is now open for the 2024 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. The event features dozens of speakers, hundreds of perspectives, and countless ideas. That’s just the starting line of the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Summit. The group says, “It’s going to take a team to drive our future forward. It takes everyone running alongside their fellow stakeholders from across the food chain who know that putting in the work is the only way to transform today’s challenges into tomorrow’s solutions.” The annual Stakeholders Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a very diverse group. Stakeholders in attendance include representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies, and media members. The AAA is also excited to announce that Amanda Lucey, CEO of The Partnership, a marketing and brand communications agency, will serve as this year’s moderator for the event. For information, go to animalagalliance.org.

Women in Ag Tech Meeting This Month

Women in Ag Tech announced its second in-person meeting on January 21-22 will take place during The VISION Conference at the Glendale Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. Women in Ag Tech (WAT) continues to champion opportunities for women in agricultural technology and foster a vibrant community through mentorship, idea exchanges, and collaboration. The event promises an enriching experience for attendees, featuring a keynote address, panel discussions, and interactive sessions led by industry professionals. Lara Sowinski of CropLife Media Group will lead the meeting. An FBI Special Agent will deliver the keynote called “Cultivating Resistance: A Women in Ag Tech’s Insights on Food Safety, Cybersecurity, and Leadership in STEM.” The Women in Ag Tech meetings aren’t about only sitting and listening. “Here, we come together as women to actively learn, engage, and support one another,” Sowinski says. “It’s a fresh and dynamic approach, setting it apart from the usual conference experience.”  

Friday Watch List

Markets

USDA's weekly export sales report will be out at 7:30 a.m. CST Friday, the same time as the Labor Department's nonfarm payrolls and unemployment rate for December. A report on U.S. factory orders for November follows at 9 a.m. Traders will remain attentive to South American weather and tensions in the Middle East.

Weather

A storm system that developed in the Central and Southern Plains on Thursday has brought areas of rain and snow into early Friday. That storm system will continue eastward for Friday, getting into the Southeast for Saturday. The storm may clip the southern end of the Midwest and some lighter snow will be possible farther north in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.