Missed some news this week? Here's seven ag news stories to catch you up.
1. President Trump told reporters in London that he's not in any rush to resolve the trade war with China, saying a trade deal could "wait until after the election." On Dec. 5, China said trade negotiations remained on track. – Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal
2. The Ag Economy Barometer rose in November for the second month in a row, climbing 17 points to 153. This month’s rise in the ag economy sentiment index left the barometer tied with July for the highest barometer reading of 2019. – Farm Futures
3. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing to keep a legal shield for tech companies out of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Language in the proposed trade agreement echoes that of a hotly debated portion of law that protects online platforms from liability for their users' content. – CNBC
4. USDA announces rule to move recipients of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program into employment and off the program. The rule change is expected to impact about 700,000 people. – Farm Futures
5. Depression is a common illness. Statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicate that more than 7% of U.S. adults had a major episode of depression in 2017. Most people who seek treatment will recover. There are unique challenges and positives for those who struggle with mental illness in rural parts of the country. – Nebraska Farmer
6. The agriculture sector accounts for 9% of Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Colorado Carbon Fund, a local nonprofit, estimates that regenerative agriculture could remove 23.15 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2050. – The Colorado Sun
7. A Maine agriculture official says the federal hemp farming rules could hurt the growth of the state's hemp industry. E. Ann Gibbs, director of the state division of animal and plant health, said the rules "will be challenging for states with existing hemp programs." USDA is accepting comments on its proposed hemp rules through Dec. 30. – WABI TV
And your bonus.
To mark World Soil Day on Dec. 5, the governments of Canada and Ontario launched a $5.75 million, multi-year project to help the province's farmers strengthen environmental stewardship, enhance water quality, improve soil health and better protect the environment. – Canada Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
