The House passed the agricultural appropriations bill for FY 2015 yesterday, and its biggest controversy revolves around USDA efforts to make school lunches more nutritious. FY 2015 Appropriations Bill The House passed the agricultural appropriations bill for FY 2015 yesterday. In total, the bill provides $142.5 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding, $1.5 billion less than the president requested and $3 billion below the FY 2014 enacted level. Discretionary funding alone is $20.9 billion, the same as the FY 2014 enacted level. Highlights for livestock-related programs include:
Animal and Plant Health: The legislation includes $870.7 million for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), $45.8 million above th...
Key Takeaways: Milk alone has not covered the full economic cost in any year since 2021: milk revenue fell short by $4.50, $2.15, $6.50, $1.27 and $2.34 per hundredweight in 2021 through 2025. Calf and cattle prices decided whether dairies cleared cost: cattle and other income lifted total rev...
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets are mixed with Capesize rates seeing solid gains while Panamax values slipped on a growing tonnage list. Supramax and Handysize vessels were stronger, though all sectors remain vulnerable to the seasonal dip in rates through Q4 and into Q1. Falling water l...
What You Need to Know Today: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.75 to 4.0 percent Wednesday, with two officials dissenting in favor of a 25-basis-point increase. The Fed upgraded its assessment of economic growth from "solid" to "strong" but adopted a more patient approa...
