U.S. Department of Agriculture

House legislation would ban hauling horses across state lines in livestock trailers designed for smaller animals.

Rail service may have improved but that shouldn’t relieve the Surface Transportation Board from pursuing shipper-friendly regulatory reforms, shippers say.

A bipartisan proposal increases minimum tonnages for agricultural products exported by the U.S. government.

Government watchdogs have found that maritime regulators are unable to effectively track how shipments of military supplies and food aid are transported overseas.

Growing hemp has been legal since 2018, but transporting it across state lines remains a risky proposition for trucking.

Fertilizer shippers push for transportation reforms to help products compete amid ongoing supply chain disruption.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wants the Surface Transportation Board to move forward with proceedings that would address rail service for grain and agricultural products shippers.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week has caused uncertainty not just for the energy markets but also for global agricultural trade.

A new export container subsidy at the Port of Oakland received a tepid response from lawmakers pushing for a major overhaul of shipping regulations.

USDA is making $200 million available for timber haulers hit by the pandemic in 2020.

A new supply chain task force emerges from the Biden administration’s 100-day review.

he U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting lower export volumes for corn, wheat and soybeans for the 2021-2022 crop year. The agency also expects record overall U.S. farm exports for fiscal year 2021. Also, U.S. rail volumes on a weekly basis were flat to lower from the prior week.

Ag letter is the latest in a series of urgent pleas to stop the denial of trade and increased demurrage costs.

Changes in export volumes for certain types of wheat may be reflected in changes in freight flows, according to reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

USDA rule under review at OMB expected to help prevent unlawful arrests and cargo seizures

Drivers who begin using exemptions as a result of the clarifications could see cost savings.

More than 200 breeder hogs were flown this week from St. Louis to Sao Paulo. Midwestern airport hopes it is the beginning of more livestock exports.

Gap in current regulations leaves truck drivers vulnerable

Other factors beyond the coronavirus pandemic are weighing on U.S. rail volumes for grain.

“This agreement will help our farmers and ranchers by maintaining export markets, which will reduce the overall impact of an outbreak to our agriculture industry,” USDA said.

While USDA and FDA staff and resources become constrained by the coronavirus, the agencies continue to work with industry to protect the health of the food supply chain.

“This exception ensures that the declaration requirement fulfills the intent of the Lacey Act while reducing the regulatory burden on importers,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said most benefits of “Phase One” trade deal with China should be realized in 2020, despite commercial disruption from coronavirus.

States urged to provide special documentation for drivers.

U.S. poultry producers eye more than $1 billion market potential for China after being shut out for five years.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the ports keep watch for untreated wood packaging in cargo shipments to prevent the spread of wood-boring pests.

Ben Thrower writes about the importance of American agriculture – not just to the U.S. population, but to the country’s trade negotiations.

Rule will help law enforcement identify legally transported crops.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture agency looks forward to receiving import documentation through Customs and Border Protection’s International Trade Data System.

Pressure applied as some Democrats remain concerned about labor provisions.

Do U.S. corn producers have an opportunity to sell more to Brazil for ethanol production?

Competition from other grain-producing countries weigh on U.S. grain exports – and on U.S. rail volumes for grain.

Chinese tariffs are impacting American agriculture. But declines in exports to other countries are also hurting American agriculture.

The USDOT and USDA are seeking comments on a revision to hours-of-service and electronic logging device regulations for the agriculture and livestock industries.