California Pest Management Research and U.S. Beef Exports Remain Hot
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.**The California Department of Food and Agriculture has awarded nearly $1.5 million for pest management research.
Ag Secretary Karen Ross says the funds will support farmers in California by providing “additional and lower risk tools to combat pests while maintaining food and crop production.”
Nearly $500,000 in funding will go to targeting eggs of the Arizona Spotted Lantern Fly.
If established in California, the pest could threaten grapes, fruit trees and forests.
**Coming off a record-breaking performance in 2021, U.S. beef exports remained red-hot in January, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Beef exports totaled 119,066 metric tons, up 13% from a year ago, while value soared 57% to $1.03 billion.
This was the third-highest value total on record, trailing only August and November of last year, and export value per head of fed slaughter set a new record, exceeding $500-million for the first time.
**Lawmakers are raising their concern about record increases in fertilizer prices approaching the spring planting season.
19 Senators penned a letter to President Biden urging the administration to “immediately take all necessary steps to curtail the rising costs impacting American farmers and consumers.”
Considering Russia's role as a key producer of fertilizer and necessary inputs of fertilizer, its invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed are likely to cause shortages and price increases of fertilizer.