Curtailment of Colorado River Water and U.S. Sweet Potato Exports

**Federal officials may curtail flows into the Colorado River from Hoover Dam in Nevada and Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona if California and six other states can’t agree on a water-sharing plan to help the depleted reservoirs.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland says officials are “committed to taking prompt and decisive action to protect the Colorado River system.”

Imperial Valley farmers, who rely exclusively on Colorado River water, have already reduced water use significantly.

**The U.S. is not the only country enjoying U.S. sweet potatoes.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the U.S. was the top global exporter, by volume, of sweet potatoes in 2020.

U.S. sweet potato exports on a fresh-weight basis increased 1,157% from 2001 to 2021, and the annual value of exports grew from $14 million to $187 million in the same period.

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**The top concern facing ag lenders in 2023 is interest rate volatility, according to the 2022 Agricultural Lender Survey report produced by the American Bankers Association and Farmer Mac.

Nearly half ranked interest rate volatility among their top two concerns, up 35.5% from last year.

While rising rates have helped bolster bank net interest margins, a combination of higher funding costs, fears of weakening loan demand and strong competition is expected to cut into rising yields.