Every Friday, Pro Farmer Washington Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer separates the news from the noise in Washington, distilling the week’s news in agriculture down to the developments that will impact your farm and your community.
May 23, 2020 | USDA Adds to CFAP Confusion
On this week’s DC Signal to Noise, a look at how USDA added to the confusion with its roll out of the Coronavirus Food Aid Program Rules and the latest on the conflicting messages coming from China.
May 15, 2020 | What is Happening With CFAP?
USDA promised details of the Coronavirus Food Aid Plan (CFAP) in a webinar on Thursday this week. That webinar ended up being painfully short and painfully short on details.
When will we get the rules for the ag aid program? Will USDA still be able to meet their target of sending the first round of direct payments in early July? Pro Farmer Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer has the latest in this week’s DC Signal to Noise Podcast.
May 8, 2020 | As We Wait for CFAP Rules
The waiting game continues for vital details of USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The proposed rules for the ag aid package were delivered to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) this week. Pro Farmer Policy Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer expects those rules to be unveiled by USDA early next week with new payment caps.
In this week’s DC Signal to Noise, Wiesemeyer, Farm Journal News Director John Herath and Milk Editor Anna-Lisa Laca share what we do and don’t know about the aid program details. The trio also look at how the coronavirus aid could evolve into a dramatic change in how farm programs are legislated.
May 1, 2020 | Was USDA too Slow to Act
In this week’s DC Signal to Noise Podcast, Pro Farmer policy analyst Jim Wiesmeyer takes USDA to task for a slow response to the coronavirus pandemic, particularly when it comes to meat-packing plants. He looks at how farmers are still waiting for details on the Coronavirus Food Aid Program and how packing plants still need supplies to protect their workers.
April 24, 2020 | Ag Aid Payment Caps Will Not Last
There is a growing drumbeat of farm organizations, legislators and ag economists calling for USDA to raise or eliminate payment caps on coronavirus aid payments. Pro Farmer Policy Analyst Jim Wiesemeyer says the current caps will not stand. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) caps pay…
April 17, 2020 | Chief Ag Negotiator Offers Detailed View of China Trade Progress
Gregg Doud, the chief ag negotiator for the office of the U.S.Trade Representative, sits alone in the fourth floor of the USTR office amid the COVID-19 quarantine. He’s using the solitude to double-down on work to enact the Phase One trade agreement with China.
April 9, 2020 | The CARES Act Answer Man
Who can apply for small business loans under the CARES Act? What do farm businesses need to wary of? Will you qualify if you have H2A workers? This week on DC Signal to Noise we called on the answer man, Paul Neiffer of Clifton Larson Allen to clear up the confusion over the COVID-19 aid package.