Weekly Update for
September 26

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Unfortunately, suicide is an issue that is not unfamiliar in rural America. In the U.S., suicide rates among folks living in rural areas are 64 to 68 % higher than those in large urban areas. On this podcast, our CEO Chandler Goule shares his personal story about and explores ways we can combat the stigma surrounding mental health in rural America. Farm Credit Council’s CEO Todd Van Hoose gives an update on the state of the farm credit system and its impact on farmers. We also got an update from U.S. Custom Harvesters Treasurer Mychal Neumiller on how the wheat harvest went this year. If you or a loved one is dealing with depression, anxiety, substance issues, or other mental wellness concerns, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Contact the 988 lifeline by dialing 988 or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at www.afsp.org or our partner at Rural Minds at ruralminds.org.

On September 25, NAWG joined other agriculture groups in calling on President Biden to keep East and Gulf Coast ports open amid labor negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance. The current labor agreement expires on September 30. If the ports were to close, the impact on the ag supply chain will quickly reverberate throughout agriculture, slow or shutdown operations, and potentially lower farmgate prices. Read the full letter below.

On September 23, NAWG submitted public comments to EPA’s Draft Insecticide Strategy to Reduce Exposure of Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species and Designated Critical Habitats from the Use of Conventional Agricultural Insecticides. The Draft Insecticide Strategy is the latest piece released by the EPA to comply with ESA guidelines. NAWG has concerns with the current mitigation menu presented along with the implementation of the Insecticide Strategy and addressed these concerns within our comments to the EPA. You can read NAWG’s comments on the Draft Insecticide Strategy below. 

Registration is now open for the NAWG/USW 2024 Fall Meeting! This event is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12 through Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Phoenix, AZ, at The Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Hotel. We would encourage officers and staff to arrive before lunch on Tuesday, November 12, in time for the National Wheat Foundation board meeting. Regarding departures, the NAWG board of directors meeting is scheduled to end at noon on Thursday, November 14. The airport is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Please plan your travel accordingly. You will find everything you need on our Wheat Industry Fall Conference website page.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives and Senate both passed a three-month continuing resolution (H.R. 9747) that funds the federal government through December 20, 2024. The House moved first and advanced H.R. 9747 by a vote of 341 to 82. The Senate passed the bill later that afternoon by a vote of 78 to 18. While the continuing resolution did not include a farm bill extension, which is set to expire on September 30, 2024, it keeps the pressure up on lawmakers to reach a deal to get a farm bill enacted in the lame duck. With the expiration, some conservation programs will continue to receive funding through the Inflation Reduction Act, while others, such as commodity programs, will not continue to receive support. Enrollments in the Conservation Reserve Program will end but exiting contract holders will continue to receive payments.

On September 18, the World Trade Organization (WTO) met to discuss agriculture exports and sustainability. Brazil promoted more sustainable agriculture practices for increased multilateral international trade. WTO members specifically discussed more climate-smart initiatives as they relate to issues the country has faced from the European Union on rainforest deforestation. In addition, other practices discussed were precision agriculture, technology transfer, and trade-restrictive measures through environmental protections.

On September 23, USDA announced the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, creating support for producers impacted by the damaging farm economy. Using cooperative agreements, producers will be matched with personalized assistance for operation stabilization. Network partners will provide farm loan policy training to the community-based organizations so the organizations can work alongside Farm Service Agency (FSA) to help producers understand financing available through FSA, ensuring that when they visit an FSA office, the partner organization representative and FSA staff can better assist.

On September 24, USDA announced increased investment in the McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress programs, which sends U.S. commodities to developing countries. The discussion on the investment included utilizing 315,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities for international food peace and emphasized climate-smart agriculture, food security, and access to capital and trade facilitation. $24 million will be used to procure U.S. commodities for international use.

On September 24, a bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers introduced the Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act (S. 5145 / H.R. 9787), which would extend the 45Z tax credit for low-carbon biofuels for seven more years, while restricting the incentive to products derived from domestic feedstocks, such as vegetable oils and corn ethanol. The Senate bill is being led by Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who were joined by Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tina Smith (D-MN) as original cosponsors. The House companion bill is sponsored by Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS-1) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9). also cosponsored the legislation. The 45Z tax credit was established in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Department of Treasury has yet to issue regulations on the provision. NAWG is seeking the recognition of winter wheat as providing similar cover to cover crops for climate-smart/low carbon biofuel feedstock production.

Contestants, please put in all your harvest data by Tuesday, October 1. The deadline to finish the harvest entry sections of the website is coming up. If you have questions, please contact Anne Osborne (aosborne@wheatworld.org) before the deadline. Thanks for participating!