The newspaper headlines in 2018 have painted a grim portrait of the difficult financial conditions facing many of America’s dairy farmers. The prolonged slump in milk prices we’ve been going through has taken a painful toll on farmers, raising questions about the outlook not just for individual farms, but for the entire U.S. dairy sector. Hopefully, the recent positive movement …
Ethanol Coalition Sues EPA Over Secretive RFS Waivers
An ethanol coalition has filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. The Renewable Fuels Association, the Advanced Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers, and the National Farmers Union are suing the EPA to challenge several waivers to the Renewable Fuels Standard, given out in secret to several profitable refineries. The …
Producers Getting Whiplash from Trade Back-and-Forth
American producers are suffering from dizziness, thanks to the back-and-forth headlines regarding the U.S.-China trade dispute. Tuesday, the Trump Administration announced it was moving ahead with plans for protecting intellectual U.S. property. Politico says the administration will take steps to impose 25-percent tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports, plus, establish broad investment restrictions and pursue litigation with the …
Trade Retaliation Already Hurting Pork Producers
The National Pork Producers called for a swift resolution to the U.S.-China trade dispute because pork producers are feeling the pain. Iowa State University Economist Dermot Hayes says U.S. pork farmers have lost $2.2 billion on an annualized basis. The losses are a direct result of the events leading up to and following China’s 25 percent punitive tariffs in retaliation …
Brazil Trucker Strike Disrupting Ag Exports
The Brazilian trucker strike has officially disrupted supply and exports of farm products from one of the biggest ag exporting countries in the world. A Reuters report says Brazil is the top exporter of soybeans, sugar, coffee, and chickens. The strike over high fuel prices has brought Latin America’s largest economy to a complete stop. Roads are empty and major …
Humane Society of the U.S. Rating is Downgraded Again
An Ag Web Dot Com article says 2018 has been a rough year for the Humane Society of the United States. A third charity watchdog has downgraded HSUS. CharityWatch lowered the Humane Society of the U.S. to a D rating in its most recent rankings, thanks in part to its highly inefficient spending practices. The downgrade comes just a few …
Nation’s Number Two Milk Processor Continues to Close Plants
Dean Foods, the nation’s number-two milk producer behind Nestle, continues to shutter businesses in cost-cutting moves. Milk Business Dot Com says supply-and-demand economics appears to be the driving force behind the downsizing. U.S. milk production is continuing to climb as the demand for fluid milk wanes. That’s been hard on Dean’s bottom line as the company reported a year-over-year eight …
DOJ Approves Bayer Purchase of Monsanto
The U.S. Department of Justice Tuesday approved Bayer Ag’s acquisition of Monsanto, with conditions. The Justice Department says Bayer must sell approximately $9 billion in businesses and assets to BASF. The Department says the proposed divestiture to BASF, which it calls an experienced chemical company with a substantial crop protection business, will fully resolve all horizontal and vertical competition concerns. …
NAFTA Talks Continue, Time Running Short
Negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) continue this week in Washington, as all sides are trying to wrap up the talks quickly. Canada’s foreign minister Chrystia Freeland is in Washington this week, meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and others, according to Bloomberg News. However, absent from the table is Mexico’s Economy Minister, who is attending …
U.S. to Continue With Trade Action Against China
Despite a potential agreement on trade issues between the U.S. and China, the Trump administration will continue to pursue action against China. By mid-June, The U.S. is expected to release a list of $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that will be subject to a new 25 percent tariff, according to Reuters. The United States will also continue to pursue …