Senate Ag Swaps Bill May Be Out in Week - CFTC
03/03/10

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - A top Commodity Futures Trading Commission official said on Wednesday the Senate Agriculture Committee will release its draft bill to increase oversight of over-the-counter derivatives within a week.

Grassley Wants Answers on International Trade
03/03/10

The Senate Finance Committee is meeting Wednesday morning to review the Administration's 2010 trade agenda. United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk will testify before the committee. Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says he has some questions for Ambassador Kirk concerning the non-science based measures being imposed by other countries.

Senate Ag Appropriations Hearing; Disaster Payments- Biodiesel Tax Credit; Climate Issues; and Trade
03/03/10

Philip Brasher reported yesterday at the Green Fields Blog (The Des Moines Register) that, "The Obama administration doesn't want to spend as much money on land conservation as the 2008 farm bill calls for, but the programs would still grow under the president's budget, says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack."

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Support to Bolster Rural Electric Infrastructure
03/02/10

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that 29 rural utilities and cooperatives in 16 states have been selected to receive loans and loan guarantees to build and repair more than 5,600 miles of distribution and transmission lines and make system improvements that will benefit more than 55,000 rural customers.

Senators Working on New Climate Change Bill
03/02/10

Reports out of Washington indicate three key senators--John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham--are actively engaged in an overhaul of climate change legislation. And while Senator Graham has been quoted as saying that cap and trade is dead, other reports indicate the new plan won't abandon that concept entirely.

USDA Launches Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers Program
03/01/10

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today launched USDA's Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers Program to help American agricultural producers adjust to the current, challenging economic environment.