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Crop Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal
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WASHINGTON, DC -- Tomorrow, Congress is expected to take up a two-year budget bill in an effort to avert a government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. The deal would increase federal spending by $80 billion over two years and raise the federal borrowing limit through 2017. However, $3 billion in cuts to the federal crop insurance program were included as an offset.
The crop insurance provision would require a renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement, the contract between insurance companies and the government. Federal crop insurance has been continually targeted for cuts since the 2008 Farm Bill against the recommendations of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.
USA Rice Vice President Ben Mosely shared his disappointment, saying, "As an important component of the farm safety net, crop insurance is a precarious area to find savings. Further cuts could jeopardize the private sector delivery of crop insurance."
Mosely added, "I encourage rice farmers to voice their opposition to the crop insurance provisions within the budget deal to their representatives in Washington. Additional cuts to crop insurance delivery negates much of the hard work Congress put into passing a five-year Farm Bill last February."
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Mississippi Rice Farmer Named White House 'Champion of Change'
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Buddy Allen with wife, Allison,
and daughter, Yates
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WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, Buddy Allen, a rice farmer from Tunica, Mississippi, was lauded as a 'Champion of Change in Sustainable Agriculture' at a ceremony at the White House. Allen was one of twelve champions across all of agriculture recognized for taking steps to improve the sustainability of their operations, and educating others to do the same. To see an excerpt of the event, go here.
Allen believes in "practicing what you preach" when it comes to the sustainability arena and spends a lot of time and capital implementing soil and water conservation practices on his rice farm. In reference to the critical importance of water to farming, Allen said, "Rice is a significant water-using crop which gives us a lot of opportunity to make an impact in conservation and stewardship. Collectively, we've learned how to raise rice in the Deep South with about half the water we used to. We've worked very diligently, and we're really proud of the partnerships we have with our commodity groups like the [USA] Rice Federation. "
Allen has installed a tailwater recovery system to recycle irrigation water; instituted laser land-leveling to further reduce water use and soil runoff; experimented with using a large number of irrigation practices based on geographic conditions, and installed moisture sensors to help with irrigation efficiency.
USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward said, "Buddy serves as a role model for our industry by leading efforts to implement agricultural practices that benefit soil, air, and water quality. He is a Rice Leadership alumni, a member of the USA Rice Conservation Committee, and known for being a great steward of the land. We congratulate him on receiving this acknowledgement from the Obama administration."
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| CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures | CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for October 27
| November 2015 | $11.600 |
- $0.055
| | January 2016 | $11.885 |
- $0.060
| | March 2016 | $12.160 |
- $0.060
| | May 2016 | $12.435 |
- $0.060
| | July 2016 | $12.685
|
- $0.055
| September 2016
| $12.350
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+ $0.015
| November 2016
| $12.350
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+ $0.015
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In the News
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Around Washington
Any disbursements to participants in ARC-County or PLC for long and medium grain rice (except for temperate Japonica rice) will occur in November, for remaining oilseeds and also chickpeas in December, and temperate Japonica rice in early February 2016.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack delivered the keynote address at the White House awards ceremony, saying he hopes the awardees - all "Champions of Change for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture" - would "help unify people over food and agriculture."
Around the Country
"I'm still thinking 155 to 160 [bushels per acre] is where we belong," said Jarrod Hardke, extension agronomist for the UA System Division of Agriculture. Last year's yield, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was 168 bushels per acre.
Wildlife refuges can't make up for all the wetland that's been lost. So to fill the gap, since 2014, even privately owned land (mostly rice fields) has been converted to suitable habitat for birds during migration.
Around the World
Photo essay: Does comfort food really comfort? Well, the jury's out on that, too. But hey, if you think a plate of rice and beans can perk you up when you're feeling low, isn't that all that matters?
Science and Technology
Here, nearly half a dozen companies are working on ways to change how food is grown and distributed. It's a tech cluster that's growing in Boston and has potential to solve food security problems around the world.
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Sciences (CSRS) have discovered the enzyme needed for synthesis of tenuazonic acid (TeA), a well-known toxin that is produced by multiple types of fungus and affects fruits, vegetables, rice, and other crops.
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| Mission Statement | | USA Rice is the global advocate for all segments of the U.S. rice industry with a mission to promote and protect the interests of producers, millers, merchants and allied businesses. |
| About Us | Editor: Michael Klein
(703) 236-1458
mklein@usarice.com
Fax (703) 236-2301
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 610
Arlington, VA 22201
This report is time-sensitive, based on information available at press time. Content is derived from facts and sources believed to be reliable. Reprinting and/or distribution may be done with permission of the USA Rice.
Copyright © 2015. Please direct comments or questions to the editor or contact name listed for each story. |
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