USDA vs. journalists
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been busy stirring the pot in Washington lately, especially with respect to the journalists who cover the agency.
On July 10, USDA announced that it would end the longstanding process of allowing journalists a head start in gaining access to National Agricultural Statistics Service and World Agricultural Outlook Board crop and livestock reports.
Prior to this policy change, the reports were publicly released at noon Eastern time. However, journalists in Washington could access the information 90 minutes prior, with an embargo on their stories until public release.
When journalists go through the 90-minute procedure, known as “lockup,” they undergo heavy security. Then, they are literally locked in a room, without their electronics or any transmission devices, to sift through dozens of pages of data, and turn their findings into a news story for their readers. They cannot leave the room until the reports are released to the public.
This past week marks the first time that USDA released the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report after the agency’s announcement last month. No “lockup” sessions were held, and the information was released to everyone, including journalists, at noon.
USDA claims this change in policy levels the playing field, so everyone gets the data at the same time. On its face, maybe that sounds nice and fair, but that’s just not the reality of the situation.
In the announcement last month, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said, “Everyone who has interest in the USDA reports should have the same access as anyone else. The new procedures will level the playing field and make the issuance of the reports fair to everyone involved.”
USDA has also said that unreliable broadband in rural America is the main hindrance for rural economic development. So why is the agency punishing farmers who likely have turtle-speed internet service to download the reports? This move is quite the opposite of leveling the playing field for farmers, the very people the agency is professing they’re looking out for.
So what exactly drove the change? “Prompted by inquiries from the public, USDA examined the procedures and determined that technological advancements have afforded recipients of customized media reports a market advantage not enjoyed by members of the general public,” according to USDA. Well, a lot of folks aren’t buying it, and USDA has not divulged any of the public inquiries.
USDA also says that the old practice gives an unfair advantage to high frequency traders, and modern technology allows readers of agriculture news publications to access the information quicker than the two seconds it takes USDA to upload reports to its website. And finally, the “lockup” process incurs staffing and IT costs.
It looks like USDA created a solution in search of a problem.
This policy change also strikes as a very Trump-esque move, restricting media access and giving journalists more reason to have negative views on the Trump administration.
Editor’s note: Seymour Klierly writes Washington Whispers for the Journal from inside the Beltway.