Last week, a number of different agricultural organizations, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), applauded President Donald Trump and his administration for their decision to dismiss a petition related to the crop protection tool chlorpyrifos. The petition, from the Natural Resource and Defense Council and Pesticide Action Network North America, prompted the Obama administration’s proposal to revoke the pesticide’s use in 2015.

“We need to provide regulatory certainty to the thousands of American farms that rely on chlorpyrifos, while still protecting human health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Pruitt. “By reversing the previous Administration’s steps to ban one of the most widely used pesticides in the world, we are returning to using sound science in decision-making – rather than predetermined results.”

NCGA's Statement

U.S. grain farmers are voicing their support and appreciation for trade with Mexico, a message U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Chairman and Maryland farmer Chip Councell carried with him when he traveled to meet with Mexican buyers in March. 

“If you look at the logistics of Mexico, no other country can replace it as a customer for U.S. grain,” Councell said this week to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting about the mission. “The logistics by rail, truck and boat give the United States such a huge advantage.”

Mexico is now the largest market for U.S. corn, with 523.6 million bushels of imports in 2015/2016, as well as the top buyer of U.S. barley in 2015/2016 with 5.33 million bushels of malted barley imports. Mexico is also the second largest customer for U.S. DDGS and U.S. sorghum.

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Politico reported this week that Donald Trump’s nominee for Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue still may have to wait another month before he is confirmed. Although Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts plans on asking for unanimous consent to move the vote for Perdue sometimes this week, there is worry that this may not happen given the Senate Democrats’ effort to block the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. The senate recesses on Friday for two weeks, meaning it could be May before an Agriculture secretary is in place. 

Maryland farmer Eric Spates is currently representing the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board on the USW Latin America Team Trip to Mexico, Haiti, Ecuador, and Chile.  Other members of the team include Rachael Vonderhaar, a wheat farmer from Camden, OH, and a member on the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Group (Ohio Corn & Wheat); and Ken Tremain, a wheat farmer from LaGrange, WY, and a member of the Wyoming Wheat Marketing Commission.

The team will first met at the USW Headquarters in Arlington, VA, for briefings, then visited USDA/FAS and the Federal Grain Inspection Service offices in Washington, DC. The team then headed to Mexico and Haiti for five days, which will be followed by six days in South America with stops in Ecuador and Chile. During the trip, the team will tour multiple mills and international food manufacturing plants, as well as an industrial equipment supplier, and they will meet with groups such as Seaboard and ASEMOL, the Ecuadorian Millers Association and Caribbean Milling. Throughout the course of the trip, the team will connect with staff from the USW Mexico City, Mexico, and Santiago, Chile, regional offices.

Follow Eric's Journey

The USDA has announced that they will offer renewal options for expiring Conservation Stewardship Porgram (CSP) contracts. Participants with existing CSP contracts that will expire on Dec. 31 can access the benefits of the recent program changes through an option to renew their contracts for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional activities to achieve higher levels of conservation on their lands. Applications to renew expiring contracts are due by May 5.

More Information

The Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation (MAEF) will be offering six $1,000 scholarships this year to college students who are studying agriculture. Preference will be given to Maryland residents with an FFA background enrolled in the Institute of Applied Agriculture. Other eligible applicants are those attending a community college or four year institution leading to a degree in agriculture education. The deadline for the scholarship has been extended to April 15, 2017. Applications may be obtained by contacting alarrimore@maefonline.com.

Scholarship Guidelines