FFA Members Will Attend the Summer Next Gen Conference

The National FFA Organization is hosting its summer Next Gen Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from June 25-28. The conference topic is “Food Products and Processing Systems, and high school attendees will learn through informational sessions, panels, and tours. “We’re looking forward to the students learning more about the value of food products and processing systems during the upcoming Next Gen Conference,” says Joe Martin, Program Specialist for Advocacy, Literacy, and Ag-Based Experiences with National FFA. “One of the key goals of FFA is to equip our future workforce pipeline with talent that will feed, fuel, and clothe the world.” The conference is a big educational opportunity for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors that meets this goal. Tour locations in Minneapolis during the conference include Second Harvest Heartland, Cargill, Food Building, and Ardent Mills. With FFA membership at 945,000, those interested in attending are selected through a competitive application process.

Thursday Watch List

Markets USDA's weekly export sales will be out at 7:30 a.m. CDT Thursday, the same time as reports on weekly U.S. jobless claims, the producer price index for May and an update of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The U.S. Energy Department's weekly natural gas storage report will be out at 9:30 a.m. Weather A small storm system is moving out of southern Canada and dragging a cold front through the Corn Belt where showers and thunderstorms are and will continue to develop for Thursday. Areas of heavy rain and some severe weather are expected, with the greatest risk from the Missouri-Iowa border into northern Illinois.

Boozman Unveils Senate Ag Republicans Framework

Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Ag Committee, unveiled the Senate Republican-drafted framework answering the call for a “farmer-focused” farm bill. “From the onset of this process, we have sought to draft a farm bill that reflects the needs of stakeholders,” Boozman says. “The world has changed dramatically since the 2018 bill became law, and the unprecedented challenges and economic uncertainty that farmers now face are only projected to get worse in the coming years.” He also says that’s why farmers have been calling on senators to put more farm in the farm bill. The Senate Republican Committee members say the framework modernizes the safety net, facilitating the expansion of access to overseas markets, fosters breakthroughs in agricultural research, and grows the rural communities that farmers, ranchers, and foresters call home. They also say it does all that while making historic investments in conservation and protecting nutrition programs.

Ag Stakeholders React to Republican Farm Bill Framework

Several key agricultural groups and stakeholders issued responses to the Senate Ag Committee Republicans’ farm bill framework. Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, calls it a strong framework that marks another important step in enacting a farm bill. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also reacted positively to the framework, noting that it’s a farm bill framework that cattle producers can proudly support. National Sorghum Producers Chair Craig Meeker says his group calls it a forward-thinking farm bill, and it’s put together to meet the ever-evolving needs of America’s hardworking farmers and ranchers. Democratic reaction to the Republican framework was less supportive. “By copying the approach taken by House Ag Committee Republicans, the Senate Ag minority has chosen to ignore Democratic warnings by putting forth policies, especially on nutrition, that the Democrats cannot and will not accept,” says House Ag Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA).

USDA: File Crop Acreage Reports After Planting is Complete

Agricultural producers should make an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency office to complete crop acreage reports before their application deadline after planting is complete. July 15 is a major deadline for most crops, but acreage reporting deadlines vary by county and crop. “By filing an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planting acreage, producers can avoid the loss of important safety net, disaster assistance, conservation, and crop insurance benefits,” says FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Call your local office to make an appointment to report your acres once planting is complete.” An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch, its intended use, and it’s location. Producers should contact their FSA county office for acreage reporting deadlines that are specific to their county. “While you’re there, check on any other FSA business that might need attention,” Ducheneaux adds.

Border Agents Strike Deadline is Friday

More than 9,000 Canadian border agents are set to strike on Friday. The union representing them says if a deal isn’t reached with the federal government by Thursday at midnight, the strike begins Friday at 12:01 a.m. CTV News says the Public Service Alliance of Canada moved the deadline after extending negotiations with the Treasury Board last week. Border workers were set to strike last Friday at 4 p.m. While the government notes that nine of every ten border officials are essential and can’t strike, supply chain slowdowns are still likely. The union has said it would “work to rule.” That means they won’t do anything over what’s required by their contract. Canada gets 37 percent of its fruit and 75 percent of its vegetables by refrigerated truck freight from the United States. If there’s a slowdown, that could put the perishable objects in danger if they can’t be delivered on time.

Crop Insurance Coverage Exceeds 500 Million Acres in 2023

For the first time, farmers and ranchers bought crop insurance policies on more than 500 million acres of land last year. The buying push was driven by the surging popularity of forage policies. Enrollment in crop insurance was up 85 percent between 2016 and 2023. USDA data says in 2021, insured acreage had grown to 444.5 million acres, and 40 percent of it was covered by a forage policy. Enrollment rose to 493.8 million acres in 2022 and to 539.5 million acres in 2023. To put that in perspective, there are almost 880 million acres in U.S. farms. “A decade ago, crop insurance covered around 290-295 million acres annually and field crops accounted for more than 75 percent of insured acres,” wrote economist Dylan Turner in USDA’s Amber Waves magazine. “Forage crops now make up an increasing portion of those acres.” Forage crops reached 40 percent of insured acres in 2021.