Transitioning to Trump at USDA and in Congress
Monday is the Presidential Inaugural. This week has seen several Senate confirmation hearings on cabinet appointees. Both the Republicans and Democrats, Trump transition team, and Congress are prepping for the new Administration which will show up to work on Tuesday morning. &...
Political Sillies
No Introspection: Joe Biden’s farewell address appears to have been written by a 25-year-old at the socialist leaning People’s Policy Project. He claims historic success but warns the country will become an oligarchic dystopia. He warned about a “dangerous concentration of power” amidst “very f...
Squeezing Russian Wheat; Save the Rats; Rollins Delayed
Squeezing Russia with WheatEurope is afraid that Donald Trump is ready to capitulate to Vladimir Putin next week when he becomes president. But Trump has appointed a fair number of geopolitical hawks to his team. He may see the war as senseless, but he doesn’t want to be perceived as a loser. R...
Tariff Adjustment/Musk; Cynical Biden Trade Goals; Biofuel Proposal Disappoints
Tariff Adjustment /MuskRecognizing the inflation threat of sudden and large import tariffs, Donald Trump’s economic team: Scott Bessent (Treasury), Kevin Hassett (National Economic Council), and Stephen Miran (Council of Economic Advisers) are reportedly working on a plan of more gradual 2-5 pe...
Coming Nominations Hearings
President-elect Trump’s inauguration is in one week. In the meantime, the Senate will soon start confirmation hearings on several of his cabinet nominees. Here’s a look at a few of those upcoming hearings.The Energy and Public Works Committee will consider the nomination of former Rep. Lee Zeld...
Greedflation’s Weaknesses; UPF Attack
Greedflation’s WeaknessesThe U.S. government is suing apartment owners for using RealPage software algorithms for setting rents. The grocery industry may be the next target of this assault. Critics charge RealPage of price fixing since its software optimizes what rental companies can charge. Be...
45Z Tax Credit Preliminary Guidance Released; No GREET Model Yet
As WPI reported on 6 December, the Treasury Department had promised that the compliance regulations for the 45Z Clean Fuels Production credit would be released by the end of the Biden Administration, implying no later than 19 January, the day before President-elect Trump’s inauguration. T...
Trudeau Resigns as Canadian Prime Minister
On the campaign trail in 2024, then-candidate and now President-elect Donald Trump proposed to levy tariffs of 10 to 20 percent on all imports, and 60 percent on imports from China. Then on the week of Thanksgiving, that changed to 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 p...
Congress Certifies 2024 Election
In a joint session today, Congress certified the 2024 election results. That sets up the incoming Trump Administration to pursue an ambitious First 100 Days of executive orders and other legislative activity that will likely include many of the campaign promises he made, including significant d...
Another Trump Threat; UPF Threat; AI Threat; Africa-Land of Opportunity
Another Trump ThreatThe farm community supported Donald Trump’s election despite his pledge of tariffs that will no doubt cause retaliation against U.S. exports. Then he nominated food sector critic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to oversee the safety of the industry. Trump himself had signed the Preve...
Death of Ag Bidenomics; China 2025; Import Sensitivity
Death of Ag BidenomicsMuch has been written about Bidenomics. Its fans bemoan that the data is good, but the voters failed to appreciate that specific messaging; critics ridicule the policies for waste and misdirection. Bidenomics mostly doesn’t matter in agriculture where cyclicality is the dr...
Parting Shot; Locality Pay
Parting ShotsIn an interview with DTN, outgoing USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed his long-running frustration that farm spending favors larger farms and that the number of farmers and acreage are shrinking. He says the farm bill is outmoded and needs to benefit more farmers and stop the rat...
Transitioning to Trump at USDA and in Congress
Monday is the Presidential Inaugural. This week has seen several Senate confirmation hearings on cabinet appointees. Both the Republicans and Democrats, Trump transition team, and Congress are prepping for the new Administration which will show up to work on Tuesday morning. &...
Political Sillies
No Introspection: Joe Biden’s farewell address appears to have been written by a 25-year-old at the socialist leaning People’s Policy Project. He claims historic success but warns the country will become an oligarchic dystopia. He warned about a “dangerous concentration of power” amidst “very f...
Squeezing Russian Wheat; Save the Rats; Rollins Delayed
Squeezing Russia with WheatEurope is afraid that Donald Trump is ready to capitulate to Vladimir Putin next week when he becomes president. But Trump has appointed a fair number of geopolitical hawks to his team. He may see the war as senseless, but he doesn’t want to be perceived as a loser. R...
Tariff Adjustment/Musk; Cynical Biden Trade Goals; Biofuel Proposal Disappoints
Tariff Adjustment /MuskRecognizing the inflation threat of sudden and large import tariffs, Donald Trump’s economic team: Scott Bessent (Treasury), Kevin Hassett (National Economic Council), and Stephen Miran (Council of Economic Advisers) are reportedly working on a plan of more gradual 2-5 pe...
Coming Nominations Hearings
President-elect Trump’s inauguration is in one week. In the meantime, the Senate will soon start confirmation hearings on several of his cabinet nominees. Here’s a look at a few of those upcoming hearings.The Energy and Public Works Committee will consider the nomination of former Rep. Lee Zeld...
Greedflation’s Weaknesses; UPF Attack
Greedflation’s WeaknessesThe U.S. government is suing apartment owners for using RealPage software algorithms for setting rents. The grocery industry may be the next target of this assault. Critics charge RealPage of price fixing since its software optimizes what rental companies can charge. Be...
45Z Tax Credit Preliminary Guidance Released; No GREET Model Yet
As WPI reported on 6 December, the Treasury Department had promised that the compliance regulations for the 45Z Clean Fuels Production credit would be released by the end of the Biden Administration, implying no later than 19 January, the day before President-elect Trump’s inauguration. T...
Trudeau Resigns as Canadian Prime Minister
On the campaign trail in 2024, then-candidate and now President-elect Donald Trump proposed to levy tariffs of 10 to 20 percent on all imports, and 60 percent on imports from China. Then on the week of Thanksgiving, that changed to 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 p...
Congress Certifies 2024 Election
In a joint session today, Congress certified the 2024 election results. That sets up the incoming Trump Administration to pursue an ambitious First 100 Days of executive orders and other legislative activity that will likely include many of the campaign promises he made, including significant d...
Another Trump Threat; UPF Threat; AI Threat; Africa-Land of Opportunity
Another Trump ThreatThe farm community supported Donald Trump’s election despite his pledge of tariffs that will no doubt cause retaliation against U.S. exports. Then he nominated food sector critic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to oversee the safety of the industry. Trump himself had signed the Preve...
Death of Ag Bidenomics; China 2025; Import Sensitivity
Death of Ag BidenomicsMuch has been written about Bidenomics. Its fans bemoan that the data is good, but the voters failed to appreciate that specific messaging; critics ridicule the policies for waste and misdirection. Bidenomics mostly doesn’t matter in agriculture where cyclicality is the dr...
Parting Shot; Locality Pay
Parting ShotsIn an interview with DTN, outgoing USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed his long-running frustration that farm spending favors larger farms and that the number of farmers and acreage are shrinking. He says the farm bill is outmoded and needs to benefit more farmers and stop the rat...