Policy Articles
Negotiations Continue Over Infrastructure and Budget Reconcilation Bills
Published October 4, 2021
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pushed back the deadline for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill until October 31. Negotiations over the infrastructure bill have been tied to the proposed budget reconciliation bill. Democrats are at odds over the price tag…Sunflower Industry Seeks Updates to Crop Insurance
Published October 1, 2021
Earlier this year, the Risk Management Agency started offering crop insurance enterprise units by crop type for wheat, peas, lentils and dry beans. National Sunflower Association Executive Director John Sandbakken would like to see this extended to sunflowers. "We have…The Next Steps for the Newly Passed Disaster Aid
Published October 1, 2021
USDA will now start its work on implementing the $10 billion in disaster aid available for farmers and ranchers. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven hopes the WHIP+ program sign-up can be rolled out quickly. "I'm also hoping payments will move…More Time Taken to Assess Drought Conditions
Published October 1, 2021
To further assess the drought, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is delaying its annual drawdown of Lake Ashtabula near Valley City, North Dakota. The Corps usually lowers the lake between October 1 and March 1 to make room for…Burgum Announces Plan for COVID Federal Funds
Published October 1, 2021
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has unveiled his ‘Accelerate North Dakota’ plan to use federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. This plan includes $207 million in income tax relief over the next two years. There’s $396 million for workforce…Additional WHIP+ Funds Coming to Farmers
Published October 1, 2021
The majority of the $10 billion disaster assistance for agriculture in the continuing resolution extends the WHIP+ program to cover losses from drought, floods and more in 2020 and 2021. That’s something the National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Chandler…Government Shutdown Avoided
Published October 1, 2021
Hours before their midnight deadline on September 30, Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 3. The Senate passed the measure on a vote of 65 to 35. The House passed the CR on a vote…Grain Markets Have Bearish Reaction to USDA Report
Published September 30, 2021
The grain trade reacted bearishly to the soybean numbers in the USDA's Quarterly Stocks report. According to Clayton Pope Commodities President Clayton Pope, that kind of a response is warranted. "To jump the soybean carryout by 81 million bushels from…South Dakota’s DANR Looking for Feedback on Buffer Initative
Published September 30, 2021
The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources is seeking public comments on the Riparian Buffer Initiative. This initiative is designed to improve water quality and conservation in South Dakota. Farmers who enroll in the initiative get a tax…