imports

China barred pork imports from six U.S. processing plants and six cold storage facilities as part of its ban on the feed additive ractopamine, which helps hogs gain weight more rapidly, said Reuters.

USDA is giving a thorough examination of how to reorganize its international trade functions, including creation of a new senior-level position, undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a teleconference.

President Vladimir Putin issued a decree that bans or reduces for one year imports of food and agricultural products from countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia in the crisis over Ukraine. "The Kremlin decree doesn't specify which items will be affected," said the BBC.

Russian President Putin says his country should retaliate against economic sanctions imposed by the West in the crisis over Ukraine, steps that could affect...

At the same time U.S. sugar growers launched a trade challenge against sugar imported from Mexico, apple growers in Mexico say they are being put out of business by U.S. apples. Growers attempted to get the government to cut off the imports and a senator accused the United States of dumping apples on Mexico, says Public Radio International in a story produced in partnership with FERN, the Food and Environment Reporting Network.

Japanese and U.S. negotiators explored various factors that control market openings for farm imports during President Obama's visit, a senior administration official told reporters.

The Commerce Department announced it will open an investigation into charges that Mexico is dumping subsidized sugar in the United States

Record yields will result in record large US corn and soybean crops, USDA said at its Outlook Forum, based on current commodity prices, which affect plantings, and on normal weather.