It’s getting difficult in the farming area now. The war in Iran is creating some big issues on freight rates and fuel surcharges, not counting the increases in energy and fueling a spike in fertilizer prices and also cotton because of the rise and they said the price is a polyester. The cotton market is booming again. Inflation risks are elevated which could possibly …
Strait of Hormuz Reopening Considerations
Maritime officials say the buildup of ships on either side of the Strait of Hormuz will take months to restore normal traffic when it does open. Reuters reporting there are over 3,000 vessels now in the Gulf area, including over 800 oil tankers. The narrow passage when the Strait does open when it meets the Gulf of Oman like a three-lane highway merging into …
USMEF Hosts U.S. Red Meat Symposium in Mexico City Next Week
The U.S. Meat Export Federation is hosting the U.S. Red Meat Symposium April 14-17, 2026, in Mexico City providing face-to-face opportunities between importers and prospective customers throughout Mexico. USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and Central America, Gerardo Rodriguez provides an overview of the symposium. Rodriguez said, “The exporters that are going to be having their product being showcased, they are going …
Deputy Secretary Shares Factors Being Considered For Potential Reopening of US Mexico Border to Livestock
After U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins closed the southern border to livestock crossings last year due to the threat of New World Screwworm, Secretary Rollins indicated at a recent event that a partial reopening of the border is being considered. We caught up with USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden to learn what factors they are considering. Deputy Secretary Vaden …
Five-Year Fertilizer Duty Review is Underway
A five-year review of countervailing duties on phosphate imports from Morocco and Russia is underway. Agri-Pulse reported that fertilizer producers Mosaic and Simplot say they’re in favor of keeping the duties in place. The tariffs range from 16.6 percent to over 47 percent, and have been in place since 2021 when Mosaic filed a countervailing duty case. The Commerce Department’s …
Beef Exports Access To Saudi Arabia Expanded
U.S. Beef Exporters now have greater access to selling beef in Saudi Arabia due to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s announcement that participating in the Export Verification Program will no longer be required for importers. U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom explains how the removal of this barrier will impacts a growing foodservice market. Halstrom said, …
USMEF Highlights Ecuador Reciprocal Trade Agreement Benefits For Beef and Pork
With the announcement of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement with Ecuador being finalized, the U.S. Meat Export Federation is highlighting the benefits in the agreement for beef and pork. Erin Borror, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President for Economic Analysis explains, “The tariff on beef is basically 20 percent and that’s phased to zero in the agreement over three years. And …
USMEF Working to Bolster In-Home Use of Pork in Mexico
The U.S. Meat Export Federation has been working to increase the consumption of pork in homes in Mexico, especially as exports to Mexico have set records for the past five years with greater demand through restaurants. USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and Central America, Gerardo Rodriguez explains, “The percentage is lower than what we thought. So we get to find …
Checking In On The Peanut Market
USDA Agriculture Department says we produced 3,590,000 tons of peanuts this past year. That’s an 11% increase over the previous year. Domestic use for domestic food is predicted to decrease this year about 1.6% so far. Peanuts for crush, that’s going into peanut oil, is up 22%. This could have been caused by some quality issues during the peanut harvest and some dry areas. Peanut …
American Soybean Association Calls for Additional Sales to China
The American Soybean Association is calling for the Trump Administration to prioritize soybean exports in upcoming trade talks with China. The ASA called for these additional purchases of soybeans in a letter to the White House with the additional request of removing the remaining 10% retaliatory tariff on U.S. imports into China. ASA President Scott Metzger said, “Farmers continue to …









