ag-trade
Path for African food security entails larger U.S. food and ag trade
While the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership and U.S.-EU trade pacts get the headlines, the African Growth and Opportunity Act also is due for action this year.
U.S. ag-trade delegation begins meetings in Cuba
"The most important U.S. agricultural delegation to visit Cuba in more than a decade" hopes to find business partners and is urging an end to the decades-old trade embargo, says Reuters.
Assessing when quality standards turn into protectionism
A team at the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development surveyed the literature on quality standards in an attempt to better characterize when the measures become a form of protectionism.
White House announces steps to boost rural exports
The Obama administration announced eight steps to boost exports by rural businesses, including "reverse trade missions" that bring foreign business officials into the United States as well as an effort to double the number of rural businesses that take part in traditional trade missions overseas. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the announcement was the result of workshops held over the past year in rural America.
Ag giants Australia and United States eye quinoa
Two of the world's leading grain exporters "are racing to become mass producers" of gluten-free quinoa, native to South America and the world's newest super food, says Reuters.
China is top US ag export customer, although purchases dip
China "is expected to remain the largest destination for U.S. agricultural products for the fifth consecutive year" even though its purchases will drop by $2 billion, to $23.6 billion, this year, said the USDA's chief economist Robert Johansson at the Outlook Forum. China buys nearly one-fifth of U.S. farm exports. Canada is the No. 2 market at $21.8 billion, and Mexico is third at $18.7 billion, followed by Japan and Europe.
USDA data-fest highlights early crop projections
The USDA's annual Outlook Forum traditionally generates headlines with its projections of U.S. crop production seven months before harvest, a challenging exercise considering the many factors that could intervene. A late-winter surge in commodity prices could sway planting decisions, a cold and rainy spring can force last-minute changes among crops, and a summer drought can destroy crop prospects.
U.S. ag sales to Cuba are smallest in 12 years
U.S. food and agricultural exports to Cuba totaled $291 million in 2014, the smallest tally since 2003, said the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, which monitors trade flows.
China takes cautious path on GE crops
A top Chinese agriculture official says the world's most populous nation will continue research into genetically engineered crops, and will assure the safety of the technology, Reuters reports.
Froman says “good progress” with Japan on ag and autos
The 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership for free trade could be wrapped up within months, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told lawmakers.
US-Cuba normalization expected to bring larger farm exports
Normalization of U.S.-Cuba relations, announced by President Obama, will include easier terms for selling U.S. food and agricultural equipment to the island nation, long viewed by farm groups as a natural and nearby market.
Murmurs of China action on Syngenta corn, no official word
Based on comments from industry officials, two news outlets said China has approved Syngenta's biotech MIR 162 corn but Reuters says there was no official word to the U.S. government.
U.S. relaxes trade regulations with Cuba, may aid ag exports
The Obama administration relaxed trade rules with Cuba, changes that were promised when President Obama announced normalization of relations on Dec 17. The Treasury and Commerce departments published regulations in the Federal Register to facilitate trade. "These changes will immediately enable the American people to provide more resources to empower the Cuban population to become less dependent upon the state-driven economy, and help facilitate our growing relationship with the Cuban people," said the White House.
U.S. and Japan meet again on farm and automobile trade
Trade officials from Japan and the United States opened a new round of talks in Tokyo on two sticking points, agriculture and autombiles, in negotiations for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, said the Kyodo news service.
Goodbye, DEIP and EEP
The government has erased from its books the regulations for two export subsidy programs, the Export Enhancement Program and Dairy Export Incentive Program, that were mothballed years ago.
Ag negotiator sees “a lot of momentum” for TPP
The chief U.S. agricultural trade negotiator said there was "a lot of momentum" toward a Trans-Pacific Partnership pact after months of delays. The chief negotiators from the 12 TPP nations are in Washington this week, said Darci Vetter, of the U.S. Trade Representative's office. "We hope and think we will be closing this agreement soon." Vetter told the Farm Journal Forum that only the most sensitive products were left on the table, items that may need ministerial action.
Russia wheat exports second-highest ever despite duty
Russia's newly announced duty on wheat exports will discourage sales but exports still would be the second-highest ever, says USDA's Grain: World Markets and Trade report.
Brazil is forecast to reap a record-setting soybean crop
Brazil, No 2 to the United States as a soybean producer, will reap a record 95.5 million tonnes of the oilseed, forecasts USDA - 10 percent than its previous crop.
New Zealander elected as chair of WTO ag-trade negotiations
Agricultural negotiators at WTO elected Vangelis Vitalis, the New Zealand ambassador, to chair ag-trade discussions, the WTO announced.