Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Tom Vilsack to head the Department of Agriculture, returning the former Iowa governor to the job he held under ex-President Barack Obama. The 100-member Senate approved Vilsack 92-7. He needed a simple majority in the Democratic-controlled chamber to be confirmed. As secretary of the sprawling department, Vilsack […] Read more
U.S. Senate confirms Vilsack as Biden’s ag secretary
Pandemic leaves USDA 'a lot of work to do'
Vilsack expected to return as USDA secretary
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington/Chicago | Reuters — U.S. President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack for agriculture secretary, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Biden transition office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Vilsack, who led the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under […] Read more
U.S. farmers slam Trump’s Cuba clampdown
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farm groups criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to retreat from his predecessor’s opening toward Cuba, saying it could derail huge increases in farm exports that totaled US$221 million last year. A trade delegation from Minnesota, one of the largest U.S. agriculture states, vowed to carry on with its planned visit […] Read more
NAFTA negotiators see gains for Canada if pact reopened
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Canada, fearful of talk by the U.S. presidential candidates to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement, could use the opportunity to push for a better deal on worker mobility, dispute resolutions and other issues, Canadian negotiators of the original pact said. Republican Donald Trump calls NAFTA the worst trade deal signed by […] Read more
U.S. challenges Chinese wheat, corn, rice price supports at WTO
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The United States on Tuesday launched a challenge to China’s price supports for domestic production of rice, wheat and corn at the World Trade Organization, charging that these far exceed limits that China committed to when it joined the WTO in 2001. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said China’s “market price […] Read more
Obama to offer deportation relief to 250,000 farm workers, union says
Reading Time: < 1 minute Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Barack Obama’s immigration reforms would lift the threat of deportation for at least 250,000 undocumented people who work on U.S. farms, Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers union, said Wednesday after meeting with Obama. “We were pleased to learn from the president today that at least 250,000 […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
