Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 2/22/21

Swaths of the ag sector are enjoying a major rebound lately as market prices surge for top commodities like corn and soybeans. That new reality is on a collision course with Washington’s habit of reflexively pouring money into the industry, which was in a downturn for years before the recent uptick, your host reports.

Ag exports bounce back: Fueling the farm economy is a flood of exports to China, which are projected by USDA to hit a record $31.5 billion during Biden’s first year in office. That would be a stark turnaround from the last few years when farm sales plummeted amid the Trump administration’s trade war with Beijing. Pro Trade’s Doug Palmer has the details.

The new House Ag chief: Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) in January became the first Black lawmaker to chair the House Agriculture Committee, an important turning point as the industry and USDA seek to address decades of discrimination against farmers of color. Scott chatted with our Liz Crampton about climate change, racial equity and confronting the pandemic.