Ag News: Crop Report Coming Soon
**The USDA’s chief economist expects the agency will release a monthly crop supply and demand report as planned on February 8th.
According to agweb.com, more information regarding other key crop reports delayed by the partial government shutdown should become available now that the USDA is back on the job.
The USDA’s reports should be welcome news for many in the ag market for providing clarity and guidance.
**The 34-day government shutdown has ended and while it’s only a three-week funding extension, USDA is laser focused on farm bill implementation and the new dairy program is a top priority.
As reported at milkbusiness.com, this is welcome news for dairy leaders urging USDA to focus on dairy when the agency gets back to full capacity.
The USDA’s Tim Murtaugh tells AgriPulse, Secretary Purdue is going to “prioritize the dairy program.”
**As outbreaks of African swine fever continue in China and Europe, U.S., Chinese and European pork industry experts gathered in Beijing for the U.S.-China Swine Industry Symposium.
Speakers shared experiences in animal disease control on the farm and at the national level with more than 150 industry representatives.
U.S. speakers included Randy Spronk, a Minnesota pork producer, who serves on the USMEF Executive Committee.
Spronk says Antonio Tavares, a pork producer from Portugal, recounted how ASF was combatted there in the 1980s and 1990s and sees great value in sharing this type of information.