Washington DC -April 21- Getting a Farm Bill passed yet this year is a top priority for the National Farmers Union (NFU). Tom Buis, President of NFU, told WashingtonView Radio today that the House and Senate need to come to an agreement soon.

Listen to NFU Tom Buis interview NOW at:    www.blogtalkradio.com/washingtonview

Washington DC -July 17- A surplus of unsold homes on the market, combined with ongoing concerns in the subprime mortgage arena and affordability issues associated with tightened lending standards and higher interest rates, continue to take a significant toll on builder confidence, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -July 17- According to new statistics released by American Farmland Trust’s Farmland Information Center, state and local governments continue to invest in purchase of agricultural conservation easement(PACE) programs to ensure the economic viability of agriculture and to protect the nation’s farmland, even as Congress debates the need for  increased federal matching funds through the federal Farm and Ranch Lands  Protection Program (FRPP). Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -July 3- Pending home sales, a forward-looking indicator, shows existing-home sales may ease but should stay fairly close to present levels in the months ahead, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -May 8- Housing activity this year will be somewhat lower than in earlier forecasts, with clearer analysis of the effects of stricter lending standards and a decline in subprime mortgage origination, according to the latest projections by the National Association of Realtors. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -May 1- Pending home sales, a forward-looking indicator, show sales closed in April are likely to remain soft, with some drag possible in May as well, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -April 23- “U.S. farmers and ranchers provide much more than the traditional crops we first think of,” says Ralph Grossi, President of American Farmland Trust (AFT). Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -April 16- Deepening problems in the subprime mortgage market continued to take a toll on builder confidence in April, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -April 6- USDA Secretary Mike Johanns today discussed details of several proposed 2007 farm bill changes that will streamline USDA’s Rural Development programs and expand funding for rural health care and community facilities. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -April 3-  A forward-looking index based on pending home sales indicates bad weather, and possibly the loss of some subprime lending, will dampen sales closed in March and April, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -March 26- Sales of new one-family houses in February 2007 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 848,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -March 20- “The foundation of U.S. agriculture is our working farmland,” says Ralph Grossi, President of American Farmland Trust (AFT). “Maintaining a strategic base of our best agricultural land is essential to America’s long-term ability to produce food, fiber and energy.” Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -March 19- Builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes receded in March, largely on concerns about deepening problems in the subprime mortgage arena, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -February 13- The United States Department of Agriculture will release new 10-year agricultural projections Feb. 14 at noon EST. Read the rest of this entry »