Agribusiness Update for Wednesday 02/26/14

A bipartisan group of Senators is urging U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to negotiate a comprehensive and acceptable agreement with Japan that will increase market access for all agricultural products as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks. In a letter sent Friday - the Senators expressed concern that Japan hasn't made a comprehensive offer on agricultural talks that would increase access for U.S. agricultural products in Japan. They said the lack of a comprehensive agreement would undermine the Administration's goal of significantly increasing market access for U.S. agricultural products in TPP party countries.

USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture will make six-million dollars in grants available this year - and up to 30-million dollars over the next five years - as part of a new initiative to provide solutions to agricultural water challenges. The grants - announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Monday - will be used to develop management practices, technologies and tools for farmers, ranchers, forest owners and citizens to improve water resource quantity and quality.

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