Agribusiness Update for Wednesday 4/10/13

This is the Agribusiness Update...I’m Greg Martin...

Farm Bureau has sent a farm bill proposal to Capitol Hill and it offers a diverse mix of risk management and safety net tools to benefit a wide range of farms. Besides offering farmers a choice of program options it also saves 23-billion dollars compared to the cost of continuing the current program.

Washington State is looking at requiring labels on genetically engineered food. Initiative 522 will be going on the November ballot and is sure to garner a lot of comments. It is important that you do your homework and be as informed as possible on both sides of this important issue.

According to one ag industry official trade barriers and other obstacles seem to be emerging at a rather alarming rate this year. Even though the long-awaited change in beef access to Japan came through in February the value of beef exports increased five-percent to 430-million dollars despite a slight decline in volume. Pork exports slipped five-percent in volume.

That’s today’s Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.