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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan is the world’s fastest-growing maker of methamphetamine, a report from the United Nations drug agency said Sunday. The report called Afghanistan’s meth manufacturing a growing threat to national and regional health and security because it could disrupt the synthetic drug market and fuel addiction. It said seizures of meth suspected to have come from Afghanistan have been reported from the European Union and east Africa. Afghanistan also has the ephedra plant, which is not found in the biggest meth-producing countries: Myanmar and Mexico. But you need a lot of it.”Me said it was too early to assess what impact the Taliban’s drug crackdown has had on meth supplies.

Persons: Angela Me, ”, Abdul Mateen Qani, “ Organizations: United, Taliban, United Nations ’ Office, Drugs, European Union, Associated Press, Interior Ministry, AP, Farmers Locations: ISLAMABAD, Afghanistan, United Nations, Africa, Myanmar, Mexico, Afghan

☆ Big Farms and Flawless Fries Are Gulping Water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Dionne Searcey | Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

UNCHARTED WATERS Big Farms and Flawless Fries Are Gulping Water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes When Minnesota farmers cranked up their wells in a drought, they blew through state limits. The location of the White Earth Reservation is also shown, in the upper left portion of the map. Cloud St. Paul Minneapolis Rochester Sandy Soils WHITE EARTH RESERVATION Duluth Irrigation Wells St. Cloud St. Paul Minneapolis Rochester Sandy Soils WHITE EARTH RESERVATION Duluth Irrigation Wells St. “There’s a lot of water in this area.”His farm is awaiting approval for two new state permits for irrigation wells.

Persons: Warren, Mike Tauber, they’ve, ”, Trevor Milbrett, Warren Warmbold, “, Mr, Warmbold, Offutt, Ellen Considine, don’t, Carlos Gonzalez, It’s, farming’s, Robert Glennon, John Nieber, Paul Minneapolis, Nieber, White, Jamie Konopacky, Allan Armstrong, Armstrong, Armstrong’s, Austin Tersteeg, Erskine, Tersteeg Organizations: R.D, Offutt, Minnesota Department of Natural, New York Times, Irrigation, Farmers, state’s Department of Natural Resources, United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Star Tribune, Getty, Park Rapids ., University of Minnesota, Twin, Paul Minneapolis Rochester Sandy, Paul Minneapolis, White, Department of Natural Locations: Lakes, Minnesota, R.D, Warren, Minn, Backus, Eagle Bend, United States, Midwest, Park Rapids, In Minnesota, North Dakota, America, Offutt, Twin Cities, Sandy, Duluth, Wells St, Cloud, Paul, Paul Minneapolis Rochester, Austin, Red Lake County

CEDAR KEY, Fla. — As cleanup begins in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, the storm has served as a stark reminder that Florida's insurance industry remains in flux. But many of those homeowners face uncertainty amid the upheaval that has emerged in Florida's insurance industry in recent years. A thinning insurance market that is beset by more regular hurricanes has caused insurance policy costs to skyrocket. The state's insurance industry is preparing to lose four insurers since last year — Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Centauri Insurance and Lexington Insurance. Aggravating the problem, 82% of Floridians do not have flood insurance, which is typically operated by the National Flood Insurance Program, a federal program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Persons: Idalia, Chris Draghi, That's, Gregory Buck, Buck, Aimee Firestine, Firestine, Amy Bach, United, Bach, Mark Friedlander, Friedlander, Gabe Gutierrez, Phil McCausland, Melissa Chan Organizations: Insurance Information Institute, U.S, — Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Centauri Insurance, Lexington Insurance . Farmers Insurance, National, Experts Insurance, Homeowners, Insurance, Property Insurance Corp, National Flood Insurance, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Congress, First Street Foundation, FEMA, Cedar Key Locations: Fla, Florida's Big Bend, Florida, Georgia, Florida , Georgia, South Carolina, Cedar, America, Taylor County, Bend, New York City

That price difference in 2016 arguably led to the overproduction of U.S. soybeans in the following two years, moderating soybean futures. The bean-corn ratio was also elevated in late 2013, a year which has been frequently compared with 2023, particularly for corn futures. Corn futures were declining at a faster rate than soybeans as U.S. corn supplies recovered significantly from the 2012 drought. 2024 ON HORIZONNext year’s December corn and November soybean futures already indicate heavier U.S. soybean acres for 2024 after declining 4.5% in 2023, hitting a three-year low. Prices were low by early 2015, causing both U.S. corn and soybean acres to contract that year.

Persons: Karen Braun Organizations: U.S ., Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, U.S, China, Brazil, United States

☆ Is China really buying up U.S. farmland? Here’s what we found
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Laura Strickler | Nicole Moeder | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In fact, the total amount of U.S. agricultural land owned by Chinese interests is less than three-hundredths of 1%. NBC News was able to review filings on foreign purchases and leases of agricultural land, meaning both farm and forestry land, from 35 states since Jan. 1, 2022. The vast majority of the transactions were European wind power companies leasing land from U.S. farmers to build wind turbines. One Italian wind company disclosed 40 new leases of farmland in just one rural Illinois county. "Ownership of U.S. agricultural land is not one of them."

Persons: Jim Monroe, Syngenta, Saswato Das Organizations: NBC, U.S . Department of Agriculture, NBC News, Smithfield Foods, U.S, Syngenta Locations: U.S, Italian, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, China, Iowa, Florida, California, Swiss

☆ Brazil clears bottlenecks to oust US as top corn exporter
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Ana Mano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

"We celebrated a lot... when (corn export) volumes via northern ports equaled Santos," said Sergio Mendes, head of Brazilian grain exporter group Anec. "By using northern ports... you are saving 20 reais ($4.12) per ton (of corn)." Treemap with data from Cargonave show the percentage share of corn exports of Brazil ports in north and south part of the country. CHEAPER ROUTE TO CHINAThe new export capacity has helped grains shipped from Brazil's northern ports to compete on logistics costs with U.S. farmers. "The greater share of shipments through northern ports reflects cheaper freight costs compared to routes to the ports in the south and southeast," said Thome Guth, a Conab official.

Persons: Adriano Machado, Sergio Mendes, Louis Dreyfus, Brazil's, Thiago Pera, Santos, ", Thome Guth, Ana Mano, Brad Haynes, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, SAO PAULO, China, U.S, Cargill, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, TCU, Shipping, U.S . Department of Agriculture, COFCO, Santos, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Santos, Ukraine, China, U.S, Northern, Madeira, Santarem, Barcarena, Itaqui, Canada, Argentina, Mato Grosso, CHINA, Iowa, Shanghai, Itacoatiara, Chicago, Para, Norte Sul, Tocantins, Goias, Minas Gerais, Mato

☆ The looming crisis that's going to crush homeowners from coast to coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Taylor Dorrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

To maintain profitability, insurance companies have to take in more in monthly premium payments from customers than they pay out in damage claims. This has prompted insurance companies to back out of certain markets or pressure states to raise caps on premiums. Without robust rate caps such as those in California, insurance costs have risen by over 200% while DeSantis has been in office. He also signed legislation in December that protects insurance companies from liability claims and disincentivizes homeowners from filing claims to begin with. Despite these policies, insurance prices have continued to go up and insurers have continued to flee the market.

Persons: Cinda Larimer, Larimer's, Larimer, Anthony Roach, Larimer's who's, I've, Roach, Chubb, Justin Sullivan, Benjamin Keys, Anita Waters, Waters, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Desantis, Hurricane Ian, Dale, Deb Weideling, they've, Keys, Philip Mulder, Jeffrey Greenberg, Jeff Goodell, Xavier Cortada, I'm, Cortada, we're, Betsy, Cinda Larimer wasn't, , haven't, Taylor Dorrell Organizations: Navy, Insurance, Rush, Allstate, American International Group, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, US Army Corps of Engineers, . Farmers Insurance, AAA, Washington Post, National Bureau of Economic Research, US Treasury, Universal, Getty, Miami, Dakotas, Nationwide, Penn, National Flood Insurance, FAIR, Bay Area Locations: Paradise , California, Paradise, Sacramento, California, , California, . State, Florida, South Carolina, South Florida, Fort Myers Beach, Hurricane, In Miami, States, Louisiana , Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Coast, Minnesota, Midwest, Bay, Columbus , Ohio

☆ Trump holds big lead in new Iowa poll, but DeSantis and Scott see paths to victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Charlie Neibergall, Meg Kinnard | APFormer President Donald Trump holds a double-digit lead over his closest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a major new poll of likely Republican caucusgoers in Iowa released Monday. Trump garnered the support of 42% of respondents, while DeSantis came in second with 19%. In an overture to Iowa voters, Trump also asserted without evidence that he "saved" ethanol and popular entitlement programs. While Trump and DeSantis share a similar overall approval in the state — 63% for Trump and 61% for DeSantis — the Florida governor's support appears to be much shakier than the former president's.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Charlie Neibergall, Meg Kinnard, caucusgoers, DeSantis, George W, Bush, Trump, Scott, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ramaswamy, Haley —, J, Ann Selzer, GOP caucusgoers Organizations: Florida Gov, South, Trump, South Carolina Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, Des Moines Register, NBC, DeSantis, Iowa, GOP Locations: Florida, South Carolina, Iowa, DeSantis, New Jersey, China, U.S

☆ What science got wrong about Ötzi the murdered iceman
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Ötzi the Iceman, whose frozen remains were found in a gully high in the Tyrolean Alps by hikers in 1991, is perhaps the world’s most closely studied corpse. Each year, thousands visit his mummy contained in a special cold cell at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy. South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Dario FrassonThe genome also appeared to rule out a previously proposed genetic affinity between Ötzi and present-day Sardinians. An expert humidifies Ötzi's mummy at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology . South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Marion LafoglerIt’s not the first time a chapter in Ötzi’s fascinating story has gotten a rewrite, Pilø said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Albert Zink, Zink, “, Marco Samadelli, Gregor Staschitz Zink’s, Johannes Krause, Max Planck, ” Krause, Ötzi, it’s, Lars Holger Pilø, ” Pilø, Pilø, ” Zink, Dario Frasson, Turkey —, Marion Lafogler It’s Organizations: CNN, South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Genomics, Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Max, Max Planck Institute Locations: Tyrolean, Bolzano, Italy, “, Farmers, Tyrol, archaeogenetics, Leipzig, Germany, Europe, Norway, Italian, Turkey, Ötzi, South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology .

☆ Fact Check-John Kerry did not say US farmers should ‘go extinct’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry did not say that farms, farmers or farming should be abolished during remarks at a climate summit in May, as suggested in social media posts that recirculated a misleading article headline claiming Kerry said U.S. farmers should become extinct. On May 10, the final day of the summit, Kerry said that cutting greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture was necessary to combat climate change, Reuters reported at the time (here). However, there is no record of Kerry having made a statement suggesting farmers should be eliminated and a State Department spokesperson said the claim is false. He does not say farmers should “go extinct”. John Kerry did not say, “it’s time for U.S. farmers to go extinct” at a climate summit in May.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Joe Biden, Kerry’s, “ John Kerry, ‘, Read Organizations: Reuters, Republican, State Department, Agriculture Innovation, Climate Summit, U.S . Farmers, People’s Locations: Washington

☆ Fast, cheap and deadly
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +18 min

Fast, cheap and deadly How fentanyl replaced heroin and hooked AmericaLeer en EspañolReuters obtained and analyzed ten year’s worth of data on drugs seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at ports of entry along the southern border. It shows: Fentanyl seizures by weight more than tripled in the last quarter of 2022 compared to a year earlier. Pills were mentioned in nearly half of fentanyl border seizure incidents in 2022, up from just 6% five years earlier. A fifth of fentanyl seizures take place on pedestrians, the Reuters analysis shows. Over the same period, heroin seizures fell more than 80% from over 2,000 kg, according to the Reuters analysis.

Persons: Bryce Pardo, Troy Miller, Joe Biden, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, ”, Chris Urben, Urben, Joaquin ‘ El Chapo ’ Guzman, “, CBP’s Miller, Jonathan Caulkins, James Mandryck, Oxycontin, Lopez Obrador, narcotrafficking, Lopez, Rosa Rodriguez, Cecilia Farfan, Mendez, Freed, Pardo, Romain Le Cour, Cour, Carlos Perez, Perez Organizations: Reuters, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, United Nations Office, Drugs, DEA, CBP, U.S, Nardello, Carnegie Mellon University, U.S . Postal Service, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mexico's, North, Forensic Laboratory, University of California, Global, Transnational, U.S . Congress ’ Commission, New Generation, Center for Research Locations: Mexican, U.S, Mexico, Sinaloa, El Paso, Arizona’s Nogales, United States, offscreen, sierra, China, Beijing, Washington, University of California San Diego ., ”, New, New Generation Jalisco, Mexico City

☆ How 30,000 metric tons of coconuts are processed a year in Sri Lanka
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Korey Isbell | Dorian Barranco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Western wellness influencers once dubbed coconuts the new "it" superfood. Even though nutritionists couldn't agree if they deserved the hype, people kept gobbling them up. Well, harvesting coconuts is dangerous work. Farmers risk their lives climbing 80-foot palm trees to get the fruit. We visit Sri Lanka to see how coconut farmers bear the burden of the West's superfood obsessions.

Persons: nutritionists couldn't Organizations: Farmers Locations: Sri Lanka

☆ Opinion | Barbara Kingsolver Thinks Urban Liberals Have It All Wrong on Appalachia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +58 min

It’s like there’s no point in asking who started this because it’s a really, really old antagonism. I think that’s probably what’s most critical right now is that all of our entertainment, our news media, it’s all made in cities. And he’s really pretty horrible, and he doesn’t feed them enough, and that’s really sad. You’re going to have a flat tire, and the guy that pulls up to help you is going to tell your dad within minutes. It’s not like most books you’re going to see.

Persons: Ezra Klein, ezra klein, —, Hernan Diaz, Barbara Kingsolver, “ David Copperfield ”, Dickens, It’s, barbara kingsolver, you’ve, ezra klein We’re, Nobody, I’d, I’ve, Bobby Ann Mason’s, “, — Wendell Berry, Robert Penn Warren, James Still, Harriette, Taylor Greer, you’re, George Washington, ” he’s, — he’s, he’s, I’ll, They’re, George W, Bush, they’re, barbara kingsolver You’re, we’ve, That’s, that’s, I’m, ” barbara kingsolver, barbara kingsolver Oh, barbara kingsolver ezra klein barbara kingsolver, ezra klein Yes, we’re, Charles Dickens, “ David Copperfield, ”, Tommy, ” It’s, ezra klein There’s, barbara kingsolver There’s, Tommy Traddles, Tommy Waddles, who’s, He’s, We’re, Tommy’s, she’s, it’s, Beth Macy, overdosed, ” ezra klein, There’s, grandkids, they’ve, Dori, doesn’t, Peggot, Frances Goldin, Arwen Donahue, She’s, Beth Macy’s, Lazarus, Laline Paull, ezra klein Barbara Kingsolver Organizations: New York, Fiction, Trump, Nicholas County High School, DePauw University, Walmart, The New York Times, . Times, New York Times, Farmers, “, Knoxville —, Purdue Pharma, Purdue, aha, Scots Locations: Appalachia, It’s, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, U.S, exploitations, Congo, Caribbean, Indiana, Nicholas, Arizona, Europe, Tucson , Arizona, Tucson, Paris, Athens, France, “ Shiloh, MAGA, America, Brazil, Eastern Europe, There’s, California, New York, “, Tommy, Pennington, Knoxville, there’s, nove, Lee County, that’s Lee County, that’s, United States of America, who’s, New York City

The weather story lingered again on Wednesday, but harsher threats from Russia thrust the grain deal into the spotlight. Most-active CBOT wheat futures surged 8.5% on Wednesday, wheat’s largest single-day percentage rise since Feb. 28, 2022, just days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Money managers held a modest net short of 63,052 corn futures and options contracts by that date. Prior to that, grain deal uncertainty failed to spark bullish interest as Ukrainian export volumes far exceeded original expectations. Had the Jan. 3 high stood, it would have been November beans’ first annual high set in January since 1999.

Persons: reconnection, Karen Braun, Matthw Lewis Organizations: Funds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Ukraine, Chicago, Russia, India, U.S, Moscow, Western

The government said it was imposing the ban after retail rice prices climbed 3% in a month as late monsoon rains damaged crops. While a late monsoon caused a major shortfall of rain up to mid-June, heavy rains since have caused significant damage. India accounts for more than 40% of world rice exports but low inventories mean any cut in shipments will fuel food prices driven up by Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year and erratic weather. His administration has extended a ban on wheat exports after curbing rice shipments in September 2022. "India would disrupt the global rice market with far greater velocity than Ukraine did in the wheat market with Russia's invasion," B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the Rice Exporters Association told Reuters.

Persons: Rice, Narendra Modi, Krishna Rao, Rao, El, Michael Hogan, Jan Harvey, David Evans, Conor Humphries Organizations: Rice, Association, Reuters, El, Farmers, El Nino, Thomson Locations: India, Ukraine, DELHI, Asia, Thailand, Vietnam, New Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rice, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, China, Philippines, Hamburg

☆ Why Indian farmers worry despite 'average' monsoon rains
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Rajendra Jadhav | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

While average monsoon rains are ordinarily good for Indian farmers, uneven distribution this year has created new worries. ERRATIC DISTRIBUTIONSome northern and north-western states have received excessive rains, while southern and eastern regions have been unusually dry. Only a third of the country has received average rainfall so far this season, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. Meanwhile, about 34% of India has received deficient rains and 32% excessive rainfall, the data shows. Heavy rainfall has damaged newly planted rice crops in northern states such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and many farmers may have to replant.

Persons: El, Rajendra Jadhav, Tony Munroe, Tom Hogue Organizations: India Meteorological Department, Reuters, Farmers, El Nino, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, India, El Nino, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, New Delhi, rapeseed

Those factors caused a historic 21% plunge in CBOT December corn in the final seven trading days of June, though price steadied immediately after. But money managers in that week expanded their net short in CBOT corn futures and options to 63,052 contracts from 18,209 in the prior week, against expectations for mild net buying. Managed money net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsUSDA lowered U.S. corn yield on July 12 due to dry June weather, but it would still be a new record. U.S. soybean plantings came in far below market predictions on June 30, but money managers have been net sellers of CBOT soybean futures and options in the last two weeks. That was on a 0.5% rise in November soybean futures for the week, and beans rose another 0.8% in the last three sessions.

Persons: steadied, Wheat, Karen Braun, Diane Craft Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, soyoil, U.S ., Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, U.S

☆ Farmers Insurance pulls out of Florida, affecting 100,000 policyholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Farmers Insurance will stop offering its policies in Florida, including home, auto and umbrella policies, in a change that will force thousands of people to change their insurance provider. Farmers serves 100,000 customers in Florida but said there will be no impact to customers who use Farmers’ owned subsidiaries like Foremost Signature and Bristol West. “Such policies will continue to be available to serve the insurance needs of Floridians,” Farmers Insurance spokesperson Trevor Chapman said in a statement. Florida requires affected policyholders to receive a 120-day notice that their policies aren’t being renewed. Earlier this week, Farmers limited new homeowners insurance policies in California because of high costs and wildfire risks.

Persons: Trevor Chapman, don’t, aren’t, ” Mark Friedlander, ” Friedlander, hasn’t, ”, Friedlander, It’s, Hurricane Ian, Harvey Organizations: New, New York CNN — Farmers Insurance, Farmers, Bristol West, ” Farmers Insurance, ”, Insurance Information Institute, CNN, Insurance, Institute, Atlantic, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Farm, Allstate Locations: New York, Florida, California

☆ Analysis: Decades of US corn export dominance fade as Brazil seizes top supplier crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Karl Plume | Thomson Reuters | Chicago-Based Senior Commodities Correspondent Covering Agricultural Markets | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Brazilian corn exports are expected to flood the global marketplace beginning in July and into the U.S. autumn harvest. China's overall corn imports are down about 10% this year, according to customs data, as buyers there await ample supplies of cheap Brazilian corn in the coming months. Total U.S. corn export sales in April and May were the lowest in at least 22 years, according to weekly USDA export sales data. The period included three weeks in which more purchases were canceled than booked, and the two worst weeks of U.S. corn exports on record. Rapid growth in Brazilian corn production offset loss of much of the corn exports from Ukraine since Russia’s invasion.

Persons: Yahir, Stephen Nicholson, Richard Guebert, They're, Nicholson, Matthew Roberts, Brazil's, We're, Karl Plume, Caroline Stauffer, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rabobank, . Department of Agriculture, Gulf, Total U.S, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico, China, Illinois, U.S, Ukraine, United States, BRAZIL, Gulf Coast, Chicago

Summary Canadian minister Ng notes progress with Mexico over energyUSTR Tai urges Mexico to monitor steel and aluminum exports to U.S.MEXICO CITY, July 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. sees some progress made on an energy dispute with Mexico, although "deep-seated" concerns persist, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Thursday shortly before talks in Mexico with top Mexican and Canadian trade officials. The U.S. and Canada demanded dispute settlement talks over energy with Mexico in July 2022, arguing that Mexico's nationalist energy policies, which have tightened state control over the energy market, were discriminatory to U.S. companies. Canada's Ng separately noted progress with Mexico over energy issues, saying concerns from Canadian companies had been addressed. In addition to the energy spat, the U.S. and Mexico are engaged in a dispute over Mexico's decree to limit the use of genetically modified (GM) corn. Before the meeting, Tai said trade dispute settlement consultations over GM corn, which the U.S. requested in June, began with Mexico last week.

Persons: Ng, Tai, Katherine Tai, Raquel Buenrostro, of International Trade Mary Ng, Canada's Ng, Daina Beth Solomon, Cassandra Garrison, Costas Pitas, Brendan O'Boyle, Marguerita Choy, Diane Craft Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Trade, USMCA Free Trade Commission, Mexican, of International Trade, Thomson Locations: Mexico, U.S, MEXICO, Canada, American, Mexican, Cancun

Chicago corn, wheat, soybean and soybean meal futures began rallying sharply in mid-June as expanding U.S. drought and disappointing rain events hammered crop conditions. Trade sources had pegged the week’s net corn selling to be about four times heavier. Trade sources peg funds’ net selling in CBOT corn futures at 55,500 contracts over the last three sessions, and CBOT wheat selling is seen at 20,500 futures contracts. Funds were seen as net buyers of 8,000 soybean futures, 9,500 soyoil futures and 3,500 soymeal futures between Wednesday and Friday. Money managers’ weekly net selling in CBOT corn futures and options has twice exceeded 100,000 contracts this calendar year.

Persons: Gross, Wheat, Karen Braun, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, corn’s, Funds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Chicago

☆ Your Fourth of July Cookout will cost you less this year, according to American Farm Bureau
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Vanessa Yurkevich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Families can expect to pay $67.73 for a party of 10, down 3% from last year’s record high, according to a survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Families are still feeling the pinch of high inflation along with other factors keeping prices high,” said Roger Cryan, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. This year’s cookout cost is the second highest on record, following last year’s record setting number — $69.68 for a party of 10. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), has been conducting the survey since 2013. Potato prices also rose because of poor growing weather, the Farm Bureau said.

Persons: —, ”, Roger Cryan, quarts, Don’t Organizations: CNN, American Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Bureau, Farmers Locations: Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - The Biden administration will spend $2.3 billion on food purchases for schools and food banks as the end of pandemic-era aid leads to rising food insecurity, the Department of Agriculture said on Friday. Supplemental food aid for low-income families and schools tied to the COVID-19 pandemic has mostly expired. Food banks and other emergency food providers have reported near-record demand as food price inflation continues to strain household budgets. The USDA will provide nearly $1.3 billion to states and territories for additional food purchases for school meal programs, which the agency said is needed due to the expiration of a 2022 law that temporarily increased funding to those programs. It will also distribute nearly $1 billion to organizations like food banks and community kitchens for commodity purchases from U.S. farmers.

Persons: Biden, Tom Vilsack, Vilsack, Leah Douglas, Frances Kerry Organizations: Department of Agriculture, USDA, U.S . Census Bureau, USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Ukraine

☆ Tunisians struggle to buy sheep for Eid as economic crisis bites
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Jihed Abidellaoui | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A Tunisian sheep breeder waits for customers at a livestock market in Borj El Amri, ahead of the Eid al-Adha, Tunisia June 17, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui/File PhotoSummary Tunisians traditionally buy sheep for Eid al-Adha festivalDrought and expensive fodder increase sheep pricesTunisians already struggling with inflation and economyTUNIS, June 20 (Reuters) - Tunisians hoping to buy a sheep to slaughter for Islam's Eid al-Adha festival next week are facing much higher prices because of a drought, adding to public anxiety at an economic crisis that looks set to worsen. "We can't afford these prices," he said. He has already decided to sell 200 of his 350 sheep because he cannot afford to feed them. Farmers Union official Khaled Ayari said Tunisia had produced 1.2 million sheep for Eid in 2022 but only about 850,000 this year.

Persons: Jihed, Eid, Ridha Bouzid, Khaled Frekhi, El, Nabil Rhimi, Rhimi, Khaled Ayari, Haithem, Jihed Abidellaoui, Angus McDowall, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Farmers Union, Thomson Locations: Borj El, Adha, Tunisia, TUNIS

☆ Opinion | America Has a Chance to Make Farming More Climate Friendly
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Robert B. Semple Jr. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

Why, when we think of climate change, do we think of big oil, not big ag; Exxon and not Tyson? It’s time you met the big ag lobby, one of the most powerful influences on policy in America. But when we started digging into the big ag lobby, we discovered it’s basically — “The most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. So the big ag lobby has one key aim — block environmental regulation. I absolutely envy how good these lobbyists are at their job.” It’s outrageous what the big ag lobby has gotten away with.

Persons: “, Peter Lehner, He’s, I’m, It’s, Tyson, Jennifer Jacquet, She’s, Peter, she’s, ”, Zippy Duvall, “ —, John Boehner, —, You’ve, Waxman, Markey, Obama, American Farm Bureau Federation didn’t, ” —, JBS, don’t, they’re, Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, I’ve, they’ve Organizations: Agriculture, ExxonMobil, Shell, Exxon, Washington , D.C, American Farm Bureau Federation, Capitol, U.S . Farmers, Tyson, New York Times, Republican, Senate’s Agriculture, pharma Locations: America, United States, Lake Erie, U.S, China, Washington ,, Kyoto, Senate’s

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