Agriculture Shorts

Agri-Pulse reported that the new stopgap spending compromise under consideration includes a one-year extension of farm bill programs that were left out of a budget reconciliation bill earlier in the year . . . The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer showed a modest uptick in farmer sentiment of three points in October. The index showed a big disparity between the views of crop and livestock farmers, with livestock producers much more optimistic than crop farmers . . . The Economist reported that Brazil has concluded a free-trade deal with the European Free Trade Association, is finalizing one with the United Arab Emirates, and is in talks with Canada, India, Japan, and Mexico. In addition, Mercosur, a South American trade bloc led by Brazil, is close to ratifying a pact with the European Union . . . Polymarket, a betting platform where users can bet on outcomes of real-world events, shows there is a 24% probability that the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold President Trump’s tariffs . . . Jim Sutter of the U.S. Soybean Export Council was quoted in the Wall Street Journal saying U.S. soybean export volumes in September and early October, excluding China, were up 45% from the same time last year. Importers in Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Europe increased their purchases . . . President Trump on Friday asked the Justice Department to launch an investigation into meatpacking companies, alleging they are working to drive up meat prices. The move echoed a similar move by President Biden while in office.