A meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping to sign a trade deal has been delayed until at least April. In the meantime, farmers are still fighting to offset the effects of the tensions (and tariffs) between the U.S. and China. Mark Watne, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, detailed these struggles.Among members of his union, “their largest concern comes with the fact that their farm income is off about 50% from probably five, six years ago,” Watne told Yahoo Finance’s First Trade. [node:read-more:link]

A new, large study may serve up some confusing advice for egg lovers. [node:read-more:link]

Proposals to move the Agricultural Products Utilization Committee and authority over grain buyers to the North Dakota Agriculture Department remain alive in the North Dakota Legislature.The Legislature already rejected proposals that would have moved the state Milk Marketing Board and the North Dakota Trade Office to the Ag Department. Those agencies will stay with the state auditor’s office and the Department of Commerce, respectively.North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said he’s pleased the Milk Marketing Board will stay where it is, as more of a stand-alone entity. [node:read-more:link]

First and most importantly, there will be thousands of pounds of assorted artisan cheeses, but Wisconsin also brings a un-brie-lievably unique spin with special touches like a Ferris wheel of award-winning cheeses, three 7-liter gourmet fondues, custom swag, and at certain times throughout the day, fair favorites like fried cheese curds and boozy snow cones. A cast of characters will make special appearances including a magician and juggler as well as a woman in a dress made of champagne flutes. [node:read-more:link]

The Nebraska Farm Bureau president says farm and ranch losses to the devastating flooding could reach $1 billion in the state. President Steve Nelson estimates $400 million on crop losses because of crops that will be planted late — if at all. He also estimates up to $500 million in livestock losses as the state struggles with swollen rivers and breached or overtopped levees following heavy rain and snowmelt. He told the Omaha World-Herald , "That gets us close to a billion dollars. I would not be surprised to see the lost agriculture numbers go over a billion dollars. [node:read-more:link]

The Nebraska Farm Bureau has launched relief efforts to aid Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and rural communities suffering from the natural disasters that have impacted the state. The relief efforts include the establishment of a disaster relief fund and launch of an online agriculture disaster exchange portal to connect those in need with those who can help. “Nebraska is a special place with special people. Many of our friends and neighbors across the state are suffering. [node:read-more:link]

One thing you can say about any member of the Trump administration: They are consistent in their hatred of almost anyone who needs a financial helping hand. And they will pursue that hatred to the point of damaging the American economy. The Trump administration’s new budget, released Monday, includes staggering proposed cuts to social welfare programs and needs such as Medicare, Medicaid, housing and education. These cuts are not just mean, though they are indeed very, very mean. [node:read-more:link]

A foot of new snow fell in the Panhandle on Wednesday, while rivers and creeks already swollen from melted ice and snow jumped their banks across eastern Nebraska.State officials urged Nebraskans to stay put in areas where heavy snow and high winds have made travel dangerous, and asked those threatened by flooding to heed evacuation warnings and to avoid water that has spilled over roads.The weather system — which Gov. [node:read-more:link]

The United States and European Union have reached an agreement in principle to allow U.S. farmers a share of the E.U.’s annual 45,000-ton quota for hormone-free beef imports. South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association President Steve Ollerich says that’s a good first step in possibly establishing more market share for U.S. beef in that market. He says a final trade agreement with the E.U. won’t come overnight.However, Ollerich says once the European consumers get a taste of U.S. beef, they’ll want even more of it.Negotiations to include the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

The rivers kept raging Sunday as more Nebraskans and Iowas fled to shelters, first responders kept working through their exhaustion, and scores of volunteers offered supplies, food, and prayers.  The head of the Nebraska State Patrol said the recovery would be a "marathon". With highways closed and farmland flooded, no one could offer a solid projection on how long it might take to put Nebraska back to where it was a month ago.The immediate concern Sunday was for those still stranded, or isolated. [node:read-more:link]