agricultural trade
Trump wants $1.5 trillion for infrastructure; one-fourth for rural projects
After declaring “America is a nation of builders,” President Trump asked Congress to write a bill that would fund $1.5 trillion in “gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways across our land” — much of it financed by state, local, and private-sector money. A quarter of the federal funds would be earmarked for rural projects.
U.S. wants ‘much faster’ NAFTA pace, ag issues unresolved
Negotiations for the new NAFTA will resume in late February in Mexico City, with agricultural trade among the undecided issues. Canadian trade groups said there was progress on agricultural biotechnology and on food safety rules during a week of work in Montreal. U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer said he hoped for "major breakthroughs" in the interim. "We owe it to our citizens, who are operating in a state of uncertainty, to move much faster."
Wheat groups in Canada, Mexico, and U.S. ask for NAFTA update, not breakup
In a letter to leaders of the NAFTA nations, seven wheat groups that span the continent and represent a range of players, from growers to millers to bakers, said an updated NAFTA that continues duty-free agricultural trade is critical to their success.
As NAFTA round begins, Canada says it will stand firm on farm supports
Colorado may revive country-of-origin labels on beef
A bill in the Colorado legislature would require that raw beef sold in the state be identified as either “USA Beef” or “Imported Beef,” says Drovers. The bill’s House sponsor says it would boost cattle prices in Colorado.
Russia is back as No. 1 wheat exporter
The United States rebounded to its longtime spot as the world’s largest wheat exporter last year, but Russia will be No. 1 by a long shot in the 2017/18 marketing year, says the monthly Grain: World Markets and Trade report.
Outlook for U.S. farm income: Stable but ‘at much lower levels’
After a three-year plunge, U.S. farm income is stabilizing “at much lower levels than in previous years,” said the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, warning that “growing inventories and trade uncertainty remain the key risks to the outlook.”
Ag trade is vital, says Farm Bureau leader a day before Trump speech
Farmers are among President Trump's staunchest supporters, and they have a response to his threats to scrap NAFTA and rewrite other trade agreements: "Without those global markets, our already-depressed farm economy would go down even more," said Zippy Duvall, leader of the largest U.S. farm group. "Trade should not be a dirty word," Duvall told the estimated 7,000 attendees at American Farm Bureau Federation convention, where Trump is scheduled to speak this afternoon.
Bad weather batters wheat crops in Australia and Brazil
Wheat production in Australia is down by 36 percent from a year ago because of drought, said the USDA’s World Agricultural Production report.
Just in case: USDA works on response to NAFTA withdrawal
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said he is “talking with the administration and Congress about some mitigation efforts” if President Trump withdraws the United States from NAFTA, said Politico.
Tighter Cuba trade rules should have little impact on agriculture
The State, Treasury, and Commerce departments unveiled regulations, outlined by President Trump in June, to keep dollars out of the hands of Cuban military and intelligence agencies.
Farm country fears loss of NAFTA and its benefits
President Trump’s repeated threats to scrap NAFTA are creating uncertainty in the Farm Belt, where ag exports are a key source of income, and may undermine U.S. negotiating power in other parts of the world, said farm group leaders.
Oregon frets about NAFTA and Christmas trees
One in six of the Christmas trees harvested in Oregon is sold south of the border in Mexico, so state officials are keenly monitoring negotiations for the new NAFTA. If talks collapse or the United States withdraws from the free trade agreement, "it could result in Mexico imposing a retaliatory tariff on the U.S. and pivoting to Canadian suppliers," says Bloomberg.
Up is down in USDA forecast of 2018 ag exports
U.S. farm exports are headed uphill and downhill at the same time in the USDA’s quarterly forecast of overseas sales, the source of one-fifth of farm income. The agency forecast that exports will reach $140 billion in fiscal 2018.
‘Do no more harm’ to NAFTA, farm leaders say
President Trump's repeated threats to withdraw from NAFTA are scaring away customers for U.S. ag exports, farm leaders said at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce session on "The future of NAFTA." Gordon Stoner of the National Association of Wheat Growers said the informal slogan of farm groups – "do no harm" – when negotiations began for the new NAFTA should be replaced with "do no more harm."
Ag issues contribute to NAFTA impasse as talks head to Canada
Canada stood fast in defense of its supply management system for dairy, and Mexico rejected a U.S. proposal for sanctions on seasonal surges in produce shipments during an inconclusive round of NAFTA talks in Mexico City.
Farm-state senators ask Ross to keep ag exports flowing
Before the administration changes NAFTA, or any other trade agreement, it ought to analyze the impact on agriculture and tell farmers what to expect in the export market, said 18 farm-state senators in a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
U.S. says new NAFTA must end Canadian protection of dairy, poultry, eggs
At the top of the Trump administration's list of agricultural goals for the new NAFTA is elimination of Canadian tariffs on imports of U.S. dairy, poultry, and egg products — meaning a dismantling of the nation's supply-management system. Canada balked at that demand in the previous round of negotiation, and the current round of talks in Mexico City made little progress over the weekend.
Reduced interest overseas in U.S. soybeans
The new soybean marketing year opens on Saturday, and early orders for the U.S. crop are the smallest in years, says a research brief from rural lender CoBank. Global demand is down in the face of the strong dollar, slow economic growth, and uncertainties about U.S. trade policy in an election year.