The President of the European Commission says he’ll “bring forward in the next few days a proposal for WTO-compatible countermeasures against the U.S.” Politico says the move is intended to hit back against the steel and aluminum tariffs announced on Thursday by President Trump. The Commission says the 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum will directly …
Senate Confirms Key USTR Nominees
The National Cotton Council is pleased with the Senate’s confirmation of key officials in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The Senate confirmed Gregg Doud as USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Dennis Shea as Deputy USTR (Geneva) and C. J. Mahoney as Deputy USTR (Investment, Services, Labor, Environment, Africa, China, and the Western Hemisphere). Earlier this year, the NCC …
USTR Wants Renewal of Trade-Promotion Authority
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) says it plans to ask for a three-year extension of trade-promotion authority in order to negotiate new trade deals. Robert Lighthizer says those discussions could be with Japan, Vietnam, and other members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership if they’re interested. Politico quotes Lighthizer as saying, “The Trump administration will aggressively negotiate trade deals …
EPA Unresponsive to Letter on RIN Prices
The official position of the Environmental Protection Agency is that high-priced Renewable Identification Numbers do no significant harm to refiners. That position was made public most recently in November of last year. Grassley, along with a handful of other Senators, sent a letter to the EPA in January asking about the agency’s previous findings that RIN prices don’t affect the …
Ag Groups Concerned About Trade Retaliation
U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers were both very disappointed in the Trump Administration’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. A statement says they have repeatedly warned of the risks of retaliation and the precedent set by such a policy would have potentially serious consequences for agriculture. The groups say it’s disappointing that …
Perdue Reaffirms Support for Ethanol, RFS
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue spoke at the Commodity Classic this week and defended his support for the Renewable Fuels Standard. A DTN report says that Perdue told farmers attending the event that President Trump unequivocally supports the RFS, corn farmers, and ethanol. The biofuel industry and corn farmers are concerned that the secretary doesn’t understand the importance of Renewable Identification …
Trump Will Impose New Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum
After hosting what the White House initially called a “listening” session, President Donald Trump took American investors by surprise Thursday. Trump announced to the group attending the meeting that he will be imposing the long-rumored steel and aluminum tariffs next week. A Zero Hedge Dot Com article says the president will impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and …
2018 Pig Farmers of Tomorrow Named
Recipients recognized as leaders of the next generation of American pig farmers The National Pork Board announced that Adam Krause from South Dakota and Emma Lasco and Christine Snowden, both from Iowa, have been named the 2018 Pig Farmers of Tomorrow. They were recognized today at the 2018 National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City. “It is important for the …
UF/IFAS Research: Tiny Insect May Help Reduce Hydrilla Presence in Florida Waters
A tiny insect with a big appetite for hydrilla could help reduce the presence of this troublesome invasive water weed in lakes, springs and rivers, says an entomologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. During National Invasive Species Awareness Week (Feb. 26 to March 2), researchers with UF/IFAS want to make residents aware of this …
Work to Save Florida’s Wetland Acres
According to a U.S Fish and Wildlife Service report, nearly half of Florida’s 20.3 million wetland acres have been lost since settlers began draining and diking them back in the 19th century. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to make sure landowners are familiar with the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which helps preserve and restore these …