The Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board will invest about $40.5 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications during fiscal 2019, subject to USDA approval. In action at the end of its September 11-12 meeting in Denver, the Operating Committee approved checkoff funding for a total of 14 “Authorization Requests” – …
Senators Grill Administration Officials at Trade Hearing
Ag state senators peppered Trump Administration officials at USDA and the Office of the Trade Representative with questions regarding trade policy. The Thursday hearing focused on the Trump Administration’s policies and the resulting harm to American farmers from retaliatory tariffs. Politico says both Republicans and Democrats gave an earful to USDA chief economist Robert Johansson, Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign …
Trump: the U.S. Under “No Pressure” to Make Deal with China
President Donald Trump pushed back at the Wall Street Journal, which ran an article saying the U.S. was under pressure to make a deal with China. The Hill Dot Com says Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin recently invited Chinese officials to come to Washington for negotiations, which Beijing accepted. The Wall Street Journal reported that the invite came about because of …
Soybean Prices Improve 15 Percent if Tariffs Resolved
If the U.S. can get its trade disputes resolved, one economist says soybean prices could jump as much as 15 percent higher. Farm Journal’s Ag Web Dot Com quotes Jackson Takach of Farmer Mac as saying there’s no underestimating the importance of trade to agriculture. “One of every $4 or $5 in farm income is from foreign sources,” he says. …
Mexico Heading to Washington to Move NAFTA Forward
Mexican officials are on their way to Washington to work on the wording of the trade agreement between Mexico and the U.S. A Bloomberg article says they’re prepared to enter a bilateral agreement with the U.S. that would leave current NAFTA partner Canada out of the trading block. Kenneth Smith Ramos, Director of Trade and the NAFTA Office at the …
Roberts Asks Conaway, Peterson, to Remain in Washington
Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts is also chair of the House-Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee. The Hagstrom Report says Roberts feels Congress is running out of time to finish the farm bill conference report before the current bill expires on September 30th. He’s asking House Ag Chair Michael Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson to remain in Washington, in …
ASF Found in Belgium and Spreading in China
Belgian authorities confirmed that the African Swine Fever (ASF) Virus has been found in their country. That’s adding to increasing worries about the virus moving into western Europe. The trade association website Meating Place Dot Com says the country’s food safety agency has found the virus in two wild boars in the southern part of the country. Belgian authorities are …
Farm Bill Passage On-time Uncertain
Time to finish the farm bill before the September 30th deadline is running out. House and Senate ag leaders are working to quickly iron out differences between the two versions of the bill, but many believed the conference committee needed to wrap up this week to get a bill on-time. The Senate adjourned Wednesday night until Monday, and the House …
Trump Administration Seeking China Trade Talks
The Trump administration proposes a new round of trade talks between the U.S. and China to stop an additional round of tariffs on Chinese exports. The Wall Street Journal reports the invitation comes as the Trump administration senses new vulnerability—and possibly more flexibility—among Chinese officials pressured by U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year and threats for more. Treasury Secretary Steven …
China Cuts Soybean Import Forecast
China this week lowered its forecast for the 2018-2019 import season for soybeans due to the trade conflict between the U.S. and China. Farmers are reducing their use of soybeans in animal feed in China as China has placed massive tariffs on U.S. soybeans. Imports of soybeans in the crop year that starts on October first will be 83.65 million …