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TOP HEADLINES
Democrats boycott Pruitt EPA confirmation vote:
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency was delayed Wednesday after Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee failed to show up for a committee vote [OKAgPolicy].
Vilsack backs Perdue for Agriculture Secretary:
Tom Vilsack is backing Sonny Perdue to run the Department of Agriculture, the job Vilsack held for eight years under President Barack Obama, according to a press release from the Trump transition team. The release notes that Perdue is only one of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees to secure the support of his predecessor [Agri-Pulse].
Confirm Judge Gorsuch, American Farm Bureau president says:
Any Senator voting against a legal scholar like Gorsuch will have to produce a serious justification for a no vote. America’s farmers and ranchers will be watching closely [AFBF].
CONGRESS
Bill could extend visas:
A new bill announced in early January would allow foreign workers with appropriate visas to do farming work in the United States for spans of three years [Northwest Missourian].
What’s in store for the next farm bill?:
The farm bill is up for renewal in October 2018, and with new leaders in roles that influence agriculture, experts are beginning to home in on the biggest issues that will be up for debate in the coming year [Tri-State Neighbor].
TRADE
Trade is key for agriculture:
Perhaps no sector of the American economy is more dependent on trade than agriculture. Our economy is so large, however, that the importance of agriculture is frequently overlooked. Americans take agriculture for granted because, as consumers, we spend less than 10% of our disposable income on food, the lowest in global history [Agri-Pulse].
Mexico expects NAFTA renegotiation from May after industry consultations:
Mexico expects to begin formal talks from around the beginning of May on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) following a 90-day consultation with the private sector, the government said on Wednesday [Reuters].
U.S. and Mexico appear to take first steps toward renegotiating NAFTA, document suggests:
If the White House is indeed proceeding under fast-track authority, that suggests Trump could intend to scrap NAFTA altogether and forge bilateral trade deals with Mexico and Canada instead [Washington Post].
How a 20% border tax could set off an international food fight:
A border tax on imports could be tough on the U.S. agriculture industry [Los Angeles Times].
MISCELLANEOUS
Rare national fire advisory issued for drought-hit Oklahoma:
Oklahoma has been placed under a national fire advisory as much of the state struggles with unrelenting drought and tinder-dry vegetation capable of igniting and quickly spreading out of control, state forestry officials said Wednesday [AP].
