AgNet News Hour Monday, 05-12-25

The Ag-Net News Hour Hosts, Lorrie Boyer and Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” discuss various agricultural and economic updates. Nick and Lorrie highlighted the Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates unchanged, with Chairman Powell monitoring unemployment and inflation. They noted ongoing trade negotiations with the UK, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, and potential US-China trade deals. Geopolitical conflicts in India, Pakistan, Ukraine, Russia, and Israel were mentioned. Disaster aid enrollment is underway, with livestock producers signing up by the end of the month and crop producers by July. Secretary Brooke Rollins is working on a plan to support small, family-owned farms.

 

The second segment, Nick and Lorrie talk about the environmental groups' petition to the Trump administration to enforce regulations on Colorado River water use, potentially reducing agricultural water allocation. The debate highlights the tension between environmental conservation and agricultural needs, with one speaker emphasizing the importance of farming for global food supply. The conversation also touches on the issue of international entities, particularly China, buying U.S. farmland, raising concerns about national security and private property rights. Suggestions for water conservation included forest management, cleaning Delta pumps, and expanding reservoirs. The hosts agreed on the complexity of the issue and the need for balanced solutions.

 

Finally, in the third part of the show, Nick and Lorrie talk about the Trump administration's potential involvement in managing the Colorado River, with environmentalists citing wasteful water use in agriculture. Speaker 2 dismissed climate change as weather, and supported the administration's stance. The segment also covers the impact of 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, with cargo traffic at the Port of Los Angeles down 35% and Seattle up 20%. The conversation brought out the financial benefits of tariffs, noting the U.S. makes nearly a billion dollars daily. Additionally, the discussion touched on the state of Central Valley crops and the challenges of urban development encroaching on agricultural land.