New California Ag Laws and Holiday Food Sales
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Several new state laws go into effect this week impacting California agriculture.
The cost of ag labor will rise as the minimum wage jumps from $16.50 to $16.90 an hour.
Another law affects the way counties address abandoned orchards and vineyards.
A pair of new laws give California farmers and ranchers more options for disposal of organic waste.
And finally, more opportunities for agritourism with reduced regulatory barriers for overnight campers on working lands.
##USDA data shows how much row crop farmers will receive this year from a $12 billion aid program.
Reuters says while the aid is expected to help farmers get ready for next season, those payments will only cover a fraction of farm losses.
The one-time payments will go to growers of 19 covered commodity crops.
The highest per-acre payments will go to rice farmers, who could get $132.89 an acre, and Cotton farmers could get $117.35 an acre.
**USDA data shows exports of corn and wheat remain well ahead of year-earlier levels, while soybeans lag behind last year’s pace through the week of December 18.
Corn exports from September 1 through mid-December stood at 24.61 million metric tons, up 67% year-over-year.
Wheat shipments totaled 14.561 million metric tons, up 24%.
Soybean exports reported 14.237 million metric tons, down 46%.
Total commitments by overseas buyers tell the same story.
**U.S. food sales generally increase annually over time, even when adjusted for inflation, but distinct seasonal
patterns emerge within each year.
Food sales typically spike in December’s holiday season.
This trend is evident in both food-at-home and food-away-from-home, but in January, there’s a noticeable downturn in food sales.
Average daily food at home sales in January 2022, 23, and 24 decreased more than 13% from the previous month.
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