WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The author of a U.S. Senate proposal to force banks to spin off their swaps desks said on Thursday she will fight to see the idea is part of a House-Senate compromise on financial regulatory reform.

Agriculture Committee chairman Blanche Lincoln told Reuters that “I am going to push hard for it” in negotiations to reconcile House and Senate differences.

WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) – The U.S. government will
soon propose rules to bar meatpackers from unfairly favoring
big cattle feedlots and to give poultry producers more
leverage, two small-farm groups said on Tuesday.

The proposal would modify Agriculture Department guidelines
on fair play in livestock and poultry sales. Activists say
farmers are out-muscled by big packers who dominate meat
processing. The 2008 farm law required action on the issue.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China bought more than $10 billion in U.S. farm goods in the first six months of the year to become the country’s No 1 agricultural export market, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Thursday.

In an interview with Reuters, Vilsack said farm exports during the first half of fiscal 2010 totaled $59 billion, “the best six months ag trade has had.” With the strong start, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will probably raise its forecast of sales for the year, he said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China bought more than $10 billion of U.S. farm exports in the first six months of the fiscal year to become the country’s No. 1 buyer, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Thursday.

During an interview with Reuters, Vilsack said U.S. farm exports during the first half of fiscal 2010 totaled $59 billion, “the best six months ag trade has had.” With the strong start, the Agriculture Department probably will raise its forecast of sales for the year, he added.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senator Blanche Lincoln, a key voice for financial reform, was forced on Tuesday into a Democratic runoff election in Arkansas and lost leverage for her plan to force big banks to spin off swaps desks.

She was expected to be the vote-leader in the primary and possibly win the nomination outright. Instead, Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter ran neck-and-neck with her in a race colored by anti-Washington sentiment.

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) – Congress should ban sugary
sodas from the $58 billion-a-year U.S. food stamp program as a
step to combat the obesity crisis, the House Agriculture
Committee was told on Thursday.

Wellesley College professor and food expert Rob Paarlberg
suggested the ban during a hearing to review the 2008 farm law,
which includes food stamps as well as crop subsidies. Food
stamps help low-income people buy food. One in eight Americans
receives food stamps.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Forcing most derivatives to trade on exchanges and move through clearinghouses will make U.S. markets more attractive to investors, a key senator involved in financial regulatory reform said on Tuesday.

Blanche Lincoln, the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, rejected criticism from Republicans that tough swaps reforms that are part of the Democratic bill will push trade in the $450 trillion derivatives market overseas.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Broadband, biotech and biofuels can be as important to economic development in rural America as traditional farm supports, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday.

Vilsack called for a broad approach to farm policy during remarks to the North American Agricultural Journalists. “It has to include quality jobs as well,” he said, noting that many growers need off-farm income to make ends meet.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. farm groups and lawmakers must consider whether fundamental change is needed in farm subsidies that date from the Depression, said the head of the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday after the opening work on the new farm bill, due in two years.

Chairman Collin Peterson told reporters the Average Crop Revenue Election, an option created in 2008, has “elements we need to look at for the future.” ACRE is the first program to shield farmer revenue from poor yields as well as low prices.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The long march to a new farm bill begins this week in what promises to be a contentious process that could have a big impact on what farmers grow and how they are paid.

While the language is arcane, farm bills can affect commodity trading as the legislation may set minimum prices for field crops, idle cropland and encourage planting of one crop over another.