With the prospect of low cattle prices and increasing beef supplies in the immediate future, the Federation of State Beef Councils announced that its investing almost $1 million to stimulate more overseas demand for American beef. With strong encouragement from state beef council partners, the Federation will invest $940,000 from its reserves to promote beef in several overseas markets. For example, the group will spend $260,000 for promotions in Japan, with the goal of moving an additional 6.9 million pounds of U.S. beef. The organization will also spend money in other target areas like Korea and Asian island countries too. The Federation will also spend $300,000 on an Ibotta promotion that targets millennials living in cities. Ibotta is a smartphone application that shares beef information with consumers and helps them with cash rebates based on their beef purchases. Steve Hanson is a Nebraska beef producer who chairs the Federation of State Beef Councils and said they moved quickly on the investments with the idea to spark beef demand as producers are feeling a squeeze on their bottom lines.

The ruling liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan have both agreed to hold a lower House vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership this week. That means the trade deal will likely be ratified during the current session of the Japanese Parliament. The website Asia dot Nikkei (Nee-kay) dot com says the Japanese public still seems to have doubts about the pact when it comes to things like food safety, intellectual property, and other points. The lower house is expected to pass TPP on Friday due to the majority held by the ruling liberal Democratic Party, along with some support from other political parties. A constitutional provision in the country’s lawmaking process means that any decision in the lower house automatically becomes law if the upper chamber doesn’t do anything on it within 30 days. If the upper chamber wants to act on it, deliberations could begin by Monday. Opposition lawmakers raised objections to imported meat containing growth hormones, which isn’t legal in Japan. Opposition groups also called for the labeling of genetically modified fish and the products that contain them. The current Prime Minister of Japan suggested several responses to food safety concerns but hasn’t committed to any specific procedures yet.

The Humane Society of the United States is brushing off a report that says it’s having financial difficulties. The talk of challenges within the organization started Tuesday when the Center for Consumer Freedom put out a press release saying that HSUS laid off ten percent of its staff amid a budget shortfall, which the release said “was at least $20 million.” Pro Farmers’ First Thing Today says the Center is run by lobbyist Richard Berman, a longtime opponent of HSUS and other groups that believe in greater government regulation. The Humane Society says it eliminated several dozen positions as part of a restructuring effort. HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle said the numbers put out by the Center for Consumer Freedom are wrong. He did say some positions have been eliminated, but more positions were added to three different departments within the organization, including farm animals, companion animals, and international. Pacelle added that the group’s assets were down a few million in the first nine months of the year, but they do expect those numbers to rise as many Americans typically wait until the end of the year for their charitable giving.

Monsanto shareholders are set to vote next month on Bayer’s acquisition of the company. In a news release this week, Monsanto announced that shareholders will vote December 13th on the $66 billion agreement. In September, Monsanto agreed to the acquisition terms proposed by Bayer, who will purchase Monsanto at a share price of $128 per share. When announcing the deal, the companies said it would add a half billion dollars to their collective bottom lines over the next three years. The special meeting of shareowners next month will be held at Monsanto global R&D headquarters in Chesterfield, Missouri.

Around 30 farms in southeastern Alberta, Canada are under quarantine as Canada attempts to track down cattle exposed to bovine tuberculosis (TB). CBC News of Canada reports the investigation stems from a U.S. Department of Agriculture notice in September that a cow from Alberta tested positive for bovine TB at a U.S. slaughter plant. This is the 10th confirmed case of bovine TB identified in the U.S. from foreign animals this year. The Alberta Beef Producers organization says preliminary test results are still pending on the quarantined herds and more test are underway on other herds that had direct contact with the infected animal. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says bovine TB has been subject to a mandatory national eradication program in Canada since 1923. The farmer who owns the ranch the infected animal originated from told the Northern Ag Network this week his herd, along with neighboring herds, would be “destroyed.” Canada is still officially considered to be free of the disease, CFIA said, and the finding of the lone slaughter cow in the U.S. does not affect Canada’s current status.

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged following its latest policy meeting Wednesday. However, the Fed did signal a hike could be due in December as the economy gathers momentum and inflation picks up. The U.S. central bank said the economy had gained steam and job gains remained solid. Policymakers also expressed more optimism that inflation was moving toward their two percent target. Some analysts speculate a move is more likely in December because the Fed was not interested in making a change less than a week before a national election this month. However, as Reuters points out, the bar is low for a rate increase in the final policy meeting of the year as the Fed said in a statement it is choosing to “wait for some further evidence of continued progress.” One analyst said the comments mean: “You are still pointing to a December hike, they just didn’t pre-commit to it.”

President Barack Obama is forging ahead in an attempt to get Congress to vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership following the election. The Wall Street Journal writes the Obama Administration will push for the “long-shot” bid immediately after Congress returns to Washington, D.C. for the lame-duck session. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman says: “We’re doing everything we possibly can to maximize the chance of getting it done.” Froman and others have been on a campaign-like spree to promote the benefits of the 12 nation trade agreement. Both presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have voiced opposition to TPP on the campaign trail. The agreement represents a significant boost for agriculture exports and income if passed and implemented by all member countries.