-February 17.2020-
WSJ: Prices on nearly every type of insurance are rising, according to insurers and brokers. An exception is workers’ compensation, which is highly regulated by states. Excluding workers’ compensation, rates for property-casualty insurance sold to businesses rose 6.7% from a year earlier on average in the first three quarters of 2019, on track for the highest annual increase since 2003, according to brokerage Willis Towers Watson.
Citrus greening:In the past decade, huanglongbing has caused more than 70 percent decline in the production of oranges for juice and the fresh fruit market in Florida and threatens other states, making it the largest economic threat to the $3.35 billion U.S. citrus industry. It was first found in the United States in 2005, citrus greening has spread to Florida, Texas, California, Georgia, and Louisiana.
The Packer: U.S. fruit exports have suffered under the weight of the tariffs. U.S. Department of Agriculture trade statistics show U.S. cherry exports to China in 2019 were $75 million, down 17% from 2018 and down 39% from 2017. U.S. citrus exports to China in 2019 were $23 million, down 56% from 2018 and down 54% from 2017.The year 2020 is not starting well either with the coronavirus outbreak. “ There have been no large-scale U.S. farm sales to China in 2020, no doubt at least partially a result of the outbreak,” says one ag trader.
Dairies adopt digesters to cut emissions.There are currently 34 digesters operating on California dairy farms, with another 95 in various stages of development. Most of the developing projects are designed to inject biomethane into natural gas pipelines, making a significant contribution to California’s robust supply of RNG that is being used to replace the use of diesel. This year, the state has allocated another $34 million for dairy methane