The National Farmers Union is asking the Department of Agriculture to release Conservation Reserve Program lands in drought-stricken states for haying and grazing. NFU, along with state affiliations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana, are urging USDA to release the CRP grounds immediately. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Farmers Union emphasized the need for immediate relief for affected farmers. The letter says Farmers Union members are reporting a deteriorating feed supply, and that “while recent rainfall has helped, it has done little to significantly alter conditions in the long term.” Emergency haying and grazing of CRP land is authorized in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disaster to provide relief to livestock producers. Given the severity and duration of the drought, the group warned that “waiting until August to allow producers on to CRP land will provide little relief, as the grass will be of little nutritional value,” by that time.

On the way to Iowa this week, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told a White House press pool that broadband internet has become infrastructure of necessity in rural areas. His comments came as President Trump toured agriculture education facilities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to learn more about agriculture technology, and to pledge a focus on rural broadband in his infrastructure plan. Perdue said that the administration is developing proposals to enhance rural broadband connectivity with providers. When asked about a national plan, he said: “I don’t think you’re going to see a national plan” because each area is different. While there will not be a national footprint, Purdue said that the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development offices would look at “every area” in “working with the resources that we have” to make rural broadband as widespread as possible.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Thursday evening announced that it would halt imports of fresh Brazilian beef. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in a statement said: “Ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply is one of our critical missions, and it’s one we undertake with great seriousness,” in making the announcement. The suspension of shipments will remain in place until the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture takes corrective action which USDA finds satisfactory. Since March, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has been inspecting 100 percent of all meat products arriving in the United States from Brazil. FSIS has refused entry to 11 percent of Brazilian fresh beef products. That figure is substantially higher than the rejection rate of one percent of shipments from the rest of the world. Brazil’s meat industry has been in turmoil this year since the investigation of a corruption scheme that allowed tainted meat to pass in-country inspections.

A new study says the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership will cost the nation more than $3 billion in exports. Meanwhile, the remaining 11 members would enjoy marginal gains from the U.S.’ TPP withdrawal, with Mexico and Canada set to benefit the most. A study by a firm from Canada told the Global Trade Review this week that TPP-11 would generate an increase of 2.4 percent in exports among the 11 remaining partners, however, this is just 40 percent of the increase that would have happened under the original deal that included the United States. The study says an 11 nation TPP, however, would be better than the original agreement for Canadian agriculture and agri-food, because the sector would no longer compete with the US in TPP markets. The study says that Canadian beef would benefit from access to the Japanese market without having to share access with the U.S., and that fruit and vegetable exports, processed food products, and pork and poultry would likewise do well.

A series of public hearings next week on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement seeks comments on the efforts. The U.S. is scheduled to post its NAFTA renegotiation goals July 17th, following the meetings. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday that while the negotiations will then begin August 16th, there is no deadline to complete the negotiation process. However, the administration does want the talks to move quickly. Lighthizer says he is prepared to continue to negotiate until a “high standard agreement” is reached, unless there is a total stalemate, which case Lighthizer says he will consult with lawmakers on the next steps forward. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, urged the U.S. to take the time it needs to hammer out new trade terms. Wyden says “NAFTA could use a complete overhaul,” adding that the overhaul should include issues like labor, currency manipulation, and industry specific issues regarding dairy and wine.

President Donald Trump pledged to include rural broadband in his infrastructure plan while in Iowa Wednesday. The President visited Kirkwood University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to talk agricultural technology, and held a rally in downtown Cedar Rapids. Trump was joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross while highlighting the need to expand rural broadband to give farmers access to new tools, according to Politico. The event was also a sendoff for former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, now U.S. Ambassador to China, as he heads for Beijing following his confirmation vote by the Senate last month. Bill Northey, who is reported to be Perdue’s pick for a key Department of Agriculture undersecretary post, also attended the events. Northey currently serves as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture.