Water storage and river levels are below normal in many areas around the world, raising much concern about the future of agriculture and the availability of water for human consumption and manufacturing. The phenomenon is not just confined to a few areas but is a global problem, impacting areas from Southeast Asia to Australia and from Africa to North and South America. Low river levels have affected the shipment of goods and services most recently in the United States and in South America. In the past two years, similar situations have occurred in Europe, Asia and even Central America

Ukrainian farmers are producing more wheat and corn than expected in a war-torn country where seeds and inputs are di cult to come by and swaths of farmland are in occupied territory, but exports are on the decline again as Russia steps up its attacks on Ukraine’s beleaguered port facilities, according to a new analysis by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Thanks to good growing weather and the perseverance of Ukrainian farmers, wheat and corn production this year is expected to eclipse last year's production even though farmers had less acreage to plant.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia will be able to hold its place as the top wheat exporter in the world because the crop is "very good." "We have a very good wheat harvest in Russia this year. The export potential will remain at the level of 60 million tons, and we will surely hold the first place in the world in terms of exports and sales on world markets of this very important commodity," Putin said at a meeting with Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana.

A stopgap government funding bill that includes a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill easily passed the GOP-controlled House Tuesday after Democrats more than made up for the desertion of hardline GOP conservatives who were unhappy the legislation includes no spending cuts. The measure would extend funding for some departments and agencies, including USDA, to Jan. 19 at fiscal 2023 levels. Most departments and agencies would be funded until Feb. 2. The House approved the measure 336-95 with 209 Democrats joining 127 Republicans in support. The measure should also pass the Senate easily.

The Regional Agriculture Promotion Program is a newly established project by the Commodity Credit Corporation aimed at providing funding for purchasing commodities for food aid and export market development. Steve Mercer, vice president of communications at US Wheat Associates explains the initiative they are taking. “They are going to put forward a billion dollars to purchase commodities for food aid in Africa. Hard red winter is one of the commodities that has been purchased and shipped to Kenya specifically in other areas in Africa, including soft white wheat, out of the Pacific Northwest.”

“Farmers around here realize they need to support FFA,” says Aaron Forsmann, a senior at Grangeville High School and president of the Grangeville FFA Chapter. “There are not a lot of young people who want to farm.” Aaron is involved in the Columbia Grain Legacy Program, new to Grangeville this year after a successful debut in neighboring Lewis County in 2022.

It may be the mother of all “sue-and-settle” cases, with a heaping helping of secrecy added. Last week, the federal government and environmental plaintiffs who sued over management of the four lower Snake River dams announced they had reached “a package of actions and commitments.” They also announced that the package was secret, and even the intervenor plaintiffs were not informed of what is included. They just told everyone to sit tight until Dec. 15, and they would tell the judge, and everyone else, what the deal is. Taxpayers — who would foot the bill that could reach tens of billions of dollars — should be insulted, as should electricity ratepayers. They will pay as well.