trade mission

USDA Kicks Off Spain Trade Mission Delegation

Dan Agri-Business, Exports/Imports, This Land of Ours, Trade, USDA-FAS

The USDA kicks off its trade mission in Spain. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service Associate Administrator Clay Hamilton arrived Monday in Madrid to launch a USDA agribusiness trade mission to Spain. More than 70 participants, representing various sectors of U.S. food and agriculture, including businesses, trade associations, and state government, …

livestock

Black Sea Grain Deal Extended

Dan Agri-Business, Exports/Imports, Field Crops, Wheat

The Black Sea Grain deal, a global food lifeline and key for world fertilizer supplies is being extended for several more months. The grain initiative was set to expire last weekend in what could have been another tragic consequence of Russia’s war against Ukraine, risking starvation in much of the developing world. At an APEC summit in Thailand, Secretary of …

grain

Export Exchange Success

Dan Exports/Imports

The Export Exchange Conference recently hosted by the U.S. Grains Council, Growth Energy, and the Renewable Fuels Association is already paying off. According to surveys of grain buyers who attended the event, they bought $225 million worth of grain and ethanol co-products. In addition to that total, another $128 million in potential sales is under negotiations. That equates to almost …

house

Union Pushes Back Date for Potential Railroad Worker Strike

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Exports/Imports, Labor and Immigration

A key railroad workers’ union says it won’t go on strike after November 19. The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employees Division says it will hold off on any type of action until early December. Freight Waves Dot Com says that will give railroads more time to come up with their best offer without the pressure of an imminent …

beef

USMEF Conference Examines Exports, Production, Economic Headwinds

Dan Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, Livestock, Pork, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) held their Strategic Planning Conference this week in Oklahoma City. The event attracted farmers, ranchers, processors and exporters from across the nation. During the event, it was noted that while U.S. red meat exports will likely set a value record approaching $20 billion this year, the industry faces an array of obstacles related to the sluggish …

grain shipments

Mississippi River Grain Shipments Down 78 Percent

Dan Corn, Economy, Exports/Imports, This Land of Ours, USDA-AMS, Wheat

Drought continues to cause a major slowdown in shipping. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) says the number of grain barges being unloaded in New Orleans during September and October dropped significantly. An AMS report says the number of barges is 20-30 percent lower than in recent years. The slowdown coincides with …

beef

September Pork Exports Continue Upward Trend; Pace Cools for Beef

Dan Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, Marketing, Pork, Poultry, Sheep-Goats, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

New data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) shows U.S. pork exports in September topped year-ago totals for the second consecutive month, while beef exports dipped below the $1 billion dollar mark but remain on a record pace. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom notes continued strong export numbers amid mounting headwinds such as a strong U.S. dollar show the …