agricultural trade
U.S. ethanol exports highest in five years
During a year of record U.S. ethanol production, exports of the biofuel totaled 1.05 billion gallons, second only to the record 1.19 billion gallons shipped to foreign buyers in 2011, said the Renewable Fuels Association. "Our industry produced 15.2 billion gallons of ethanol last year, and while we continue to meet our domestic needs, ethanol exports are essential for future growth,” said RFA chief executive Bob Dinneen.
Ag groups press for U.S. trade deals with Japan, Asia-Pacific region
With Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to meet President Trump on Friday, the two largest U.S. livestock groups suggested the president "initiate free-trade agreement negotiations with nations in the Asia-Pacific region beginning with Japan." Separately, 87 farm and trade groups and agribusinesses wrote Trump in support of expanded access to Asia-Pacific markets, the region involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Monsanto’s GMO corn seed still not welcome in Mexico
Monsanto isn’t likely to get a green light to bring GMO corn seeds into Mexico anytime soon, says Reuters. Last week, the country upheld a 2013 Mexican court decision that banned even test plots of GMO corn in Mexico, because of concerns that the genetically modified varieties might contaminate native corn species through cross-pollination.
Food companies rush to ship orders to Mexico in case trade breaks down
U.S. food manufacturers and trucking companies are trying to quickly move product into Mexico in case trade relations between the two countries break down after President Trump promised to renege on the North American Free Trade (NAFTA) agreement, says Reuters. The President has also said he is might push for a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports in order to pay for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Dairy industry says new Canadian rules will block U.S. exports
Dairy companies wrote to governors of 25 states to ask their help in heading off a change in Canadian dairy policy, due to take effect on Wednesday, that they say will further discourage shipments of ultra-filtered milk and other dairy products to Canada. The dairies say the new National Ingredients Policy violates trade agreements.
White House suggests 20 percent tax on Mexico, top U.S. food supplier
Aggie honeymoon with Trump ‘was over before it ever really began’
More than 60 percent of U.S. red meat exports go to countries involved in NAFTA or TPP, says the U.S. Meat Export Federation, part of the chorus of livestock and meat industry groups worried by the Trump administration upheaval of trade agreements. "The honeymoon with many in agriculture was over before it ever really began, it appears," says Beef magazine, adding, "And many in ag don’t like it."
USDA proposes to add venison to country-of-origin labeling program
A year after Congress repealed country-of-origin labeling for beef and pork, the USDA is beginning the process of adding venison to the list of commodities where labeling is mandatory. The 2014 farm law included a provision to include muscle cuts and ground venison to the labeling system.
Trump to spell out plans for TPP and NAFTA, farm groups react
President-elect Donald Trump, selecting a China critic as U.S. Trade Representative, "will further lay out some of the exact ways" that he will pull out of TPP and seek to re-write NAFTA once he takes office, a spokesman said. The aim of these moves will be to shrink the trade deficit, expand economic growth, strengthen U.S. manufacturing and stop jobs from moving overseas, spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters.
US wins WTO case over Indonesian limits on food imports
A WTO dispute panel agreed with the United States and New Zealand on all 18 points of their challenge of Indonesian trade barriers to imports of fruit, vegetables and meat. The U.S. trade representative's (USTR) office said removal of the barriers could lead to a vast increase in sales of the goods affected by the licensing rules, which totaled $87 million in 2015.
Cuba has plenty of fertile farmland, but is far from feeding itself
Cuba imports about 70-80 percent of it food, spending roughly $2 billion annually, but it has enormous potential to produce far more on its own and even export high-value crops to the U.S., due to its incredibly rich soils, says Pedro Sanchez, a renowned tropical soils specialist at the University of Florida.
Currency turmoil in India strengthens cotton prices worldwide
World cotton prices were boosted by a smaller-than-expected 2015/16 crop and remain high despite a larger harvest this year, says the International Cotton Advisory Committee, pointing to currency turmoil in India. "The currency crisis ... is exacerbating the situation, since that country is the world's largest producer of cotton and the second-largest exporter," says the intergovernmental body.
California ag leader hopes for TPP; Japan sees pivot to China
The president of the California Farm Bureau says he's optimistic President-elect Donald Trump will see the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a good deal despite campaigning against it, reports Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is to meet Trump on Thursday, says there will be an Asian pivot to a Chinese-led trade pact that would exclude the United States if TPP founders.
With Canada pact settled, EU expects new trade talks with U.S.
One day after signing a trade pact with the European Union, the Canadian government said it would start work immediately on implementation. The so-called CETA agreement was regarded for months as an indicator of prospects for a U.S.-EU free-trade agreement; the EU trade commissioner says the initiative is still alive although on the sidelines while the United States chooses its next president.
U.S. ethanol co-product faces high duties under Chinese decision
In a preliminary ruling, China's Ministry of Commerce said it will put a duty of 33.8 percent on shipments of distillers dried grains from the United States, a step that could affect ethanol makers and rebound against U.S. soybean meal usage, said Agrimoney. Some in the commodity trade speculated China was playing tit-for-tat with a U.S. complaint to world trade authorities over Chinese farm subsidies.
U.S. accuses China, its biggest ag customer, of unfair farm subsidies
China is the largest buyer of U.S. farm exports and also the target of 14 of 23 world trade complaints filed by the Obama administration. In a new case, the United States accuses China of paying unfairly large subsides to corn, wheat and rice growers, distorting the world market and hurting U.S. farmers.
China’s the top market for rallying U.S. farm exports, USDA says
With record harvest, Russia to displace EU as top wheat exporter
Russia will shatter its record for wheat production with a harvest of 72 million tonnes this year, far exceeding the record set in 2008 of 63.7 million tonnes, says USDA. The record crop will vault Russia ahead of the EU as the world's top exporter for the first time, with the United States in third place, according to USDA's Grain: World Markets and Trade report.
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.