Latest Agribusiness Headlines

All the headlines from our Agribusiness Topic Page, ordered by recency.

12 Arizona Counties Re-Designated Natural Disaster Areas

Mar 19 2018 // The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the re-designation of 12 Arizona counties as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by recent drought. The Mohave Valley Daily News reported farmers in...

Wildfires in Southeast Australia Destroy More Than 70 Homes, Kill Livestock

Mar 19 2018 // More than 70 homes were destroyed as bushfires swept through the seaside town of Tathra in southeastern Australia at the weekend. Soaring temperatures and wind gusts fanned the fires about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south...

Climate Change Worsens Effects of Natural Disasters, Costing Farmers Billions of Dollars

Mar 19 2018 // Natural disasters from droughts to floods are costing farmers in poorer countries billions of dollars a year in lost crops and livestock, and it’s getting worse thanks to climate change.Agricultural losses from...

Lloyd’s Broker Endeavour Taps Bloodstock Specialist Stonehatch as Appointed Rep

Mar 16 2018 // Delegated authority specialist and Lloyd’s broker Endeavour Insurance Services announced that niche broker Stonehatch Risk Solutions has become an appointed representative of the company.Based in London, Stonehatch...

Fatal Copter Tour Flew Under Looser Rules of Crop-Dusters

Mar 15 2018 // The open-door helicopter tour in which five people died in a crash landing in the East River off Manhattan on Sunday was operating under safety restrictions reserved for photography flights that are looser than those for...

$1.5B Settlement in Syngenta Modified Corn Seed Lawsuit

Mar 14 2018 // A $1.5 billion settlement was reached in a class-action lawsuit covering tens of thousands of farmers, grain-handling facilities and ethanol plants that sued Swiss agribusiness giant Syngenta over its introduction of a...

Judge to Decide on Evidence to Allow in Monsanto Product Liability Litigation

Mar 14 2018 // Picture Iowa farmers bathing in Roundup weed killer.That was a federal judge’s takeaway after seeing slides that “sort of seared into my brain” that the main chemical in Monsanto Co.’s Roundup is...

China to Merge Banking, Insurance Regulators in Big Government Shake-Up

Mar 13 2018 // China is merging its banking and insurance regulators, giving new powers to policymaking bodies such as the central bank and creating new ministries in the biggest government shake-up in years.The revamp is a cornerstone...

Hard Brexit Would Cost UK, EU Firms $80B with UK Financial Services Worst Hit: Report

Mar 12 2018 // Companies in Britain and the European Union face an extra 58 billion pounds ($80 billion) in annual costs if there is a no-deal Brexit, with Britain’s vast financial sector set to be the worst-hit industry, according...

Monsanto’s Suit over Arkansas’ Dicamba Ban Dismissed

Mar 5 2018 // An Arkansas judge has dismissed a Monsanto Co. lawsuit aiming to stop the state from blocking the use of a controversial farm chemical the company makes, dealing a blow to its attempts to increase sales of genetically...

Farmer Criticism Leads to Wisconsin Dairy Insurance Program Adjustment

Mar 5 2018 // Wisconsin lawmakers tweaked a federal price insurance program following criticism from dairy farmers.The Margin Protection Program for Dairy allows farmers to buy insurance that pays out when the cost to produce milk...

Bees Endangered by Neonicotinoid Pesticides: EU Food Safety Regulator

Feb 28 2018 // Wild bees and honeybees are put at risk by three pesticides from a group known as neonicotinoids, Europe’s food safety watchdog said on Wednesday, confirming previous concerns that prompted an EU-wide ban on use of...

Alabama Agency Employee Arrested in $116K Crop Insurance Scam

Feb 27 2018 // An Alabama woman who works for Dothan’s Farm Service Agency has been arrested on multiple fraud charges. Federal authorities say 36-year-old Anna Marie Knowles, of Headland, was arrested Thursday and faces charges of...

Outlooks Revised to Positive for Louisiana Farm Bureau Mutual

Feb 26 2018 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” of Louisiana Farm Bureau Mutual...

Wisconsin Tweaks Pricing for Dairy Insurance Program

Feb 21 2018 // Wisconsin lawmakers have tweaked a federal price insurance program following criticism from dairy farmers.The Margin Protection Program for Dairy allows farmers to buy insurance that pays out when the cost to produce milk...

California Marijuana Growers Lagging in Getting Licenses, New Report Shows

Feb 21 2018 // Nearly two months after recreational marijuana became legal in California, less than 1 percent of the state’s known growers have been licensed, according to a report released by a pot industry group.The 38-page...

Monsanto Loses Bid to Stop Arkansas Ban on Herbicide Dicamba

Feb 20 2018 // An Arkansas judge has dismissed a Monsanto Co. lawsuit aiming to stop Arkansas from blocking the use of a controversial farm chemical the company makes, dealing a blow to its attempts to increase sales of genetically...

Washington Wheat Farmers Oppose Proposed Trump Budget Cuts to Crop Insurance

Feb 20 2018 // Washington state wheat farmers are protesting cuts to their safety net programs in a budget proposal released by President Donald Trump this week.The Spokesman-Review review reports growers are concerned about...

The Hartford to Acquire Foremost’s Commercial Lines Business

Feb 19 2018 // The Hartford has agreed to acquire Foremost Insurance branded small commercial lines business from Farmers.The Hartford is acquiring the renewal rights on $200 million in small commercial lines premium sold through about...

What’s Inflating Agribusiness Insurance Costs?

Feb 19 2018 // By Joe Dunn, Angel Mendez, and Scott W. DunnAgribusiness clients are acutely aware of the high premiums they pay for workers’ compensation, premises liability, health insurance and the steps they can take to mitigate...