Ag News: Bill Gates Loves Fertilizer
**Fertilizer is a big deal. Globally, it’s three times larger in sales than crop protection OR seed. And while its role in production ag is well recognized, developing countries and ag economies still have gains to make.
In fact, according to agweb.com, Microsoft founder Bill Gates says the highlight of his trip to Tanzania was visiting a Yara fertilizer warehouse with the capacity for 350,000 metric tons of fertilizer.
He says it’s exciting to think about farmers who would use the fertilizer and the positive impact it would have on their next harvests and their country’s future.
**In the latest monthly sales report from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, year-to-date sales of all categories included in the report are up compared to 2017.
However, some month to month comparisons, looking at October 2018 compared with October 2017, showed declines.
Agweb.com reports, total unit sales are above the five-year average, but beginning inventories of all categories are up from the same time last year.
**While some analysts expressed skepticism about passage of the farm bill, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are calling the bill must-do legislation in the brief congressional postelection session.
According to agriculture.com, House and Senate negotiators have differences across the farm bill, highlighted by House Republican demands for stricter SNAP work requirements.
Trump continues to call for inclusion of work requirements in the farm bill.