National Cotton Council (NCC) Chairman Ronnie Lee thanked the leadership of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and the U.S. negotiating team for their support of U.S. farmers at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 11th Ministerial Conference held this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lee, a Georgia cotton producer, said, “We appreciate Ambassador Lighthizer and his team of negotiators from USTR …
Canada and Mexico Working to Strengthen Trade Ties
While the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations are in between rounds, Mexico and Canada are still busy talking trade. Canada’s Ag Minister just wrapped up a two-day trip to Mexico City aimed at strengthening their bilateral relationship and promoting trade. Meating Place Dot Com says the Canadian Ag Minister, Lawrence McCauley, attended a large food and trade show …
Lighthizer defends U.S. Ag in WTO Meeting
U.S. Wheat Associates publicly thanked U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for his work defending U.S. agriculture against attempts to weaken the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on domestic support in agriculture. The Wheat Associates organization says the Buenos Aires WTO Ministerial Conference would be a failure and the mission of the WTO to advance trade would be negatively affected through …
Oil and Ethanol Supporters Get Together to Talk RFS
The White House is hoping to play mediator between the oil and ethanol industries as it brought together Wednesday (12/13/17) for a preliminary discussion on the Renewable Fuels Standard. Refiners say they can’t afford the RFS compliance costs. The biofuels industry insists it has to have the mandates in the RFS to keep expanding and growing biofuels. Senators Chuck Grassley, …
Biodefense Experts to Senate Ag Committee-U.S. Ill Prepared
Biodefense experts told the Senate Agriculture Committee a message the panel has heard before. The U.S. is ill-prepared for an intentional or natural disease outbreak that could devastate the nation’s food supply. It’s been over a decade since the Senate Ag Committee held a hearing on agriculture security, but concern over the issue has only grown. Former U.S. Senator and …
House Agriculture Committee Launches Farm Bill Landing Page
Ahead of the 2018 Farm Bill, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) today announced the launch of a new online resource which can be accessed through the committee’s current website, https://agriculture.house.gov/farmbill. This landing page is designed to provide updates and information related to the 2018 Farm Bill. Following its launch, Chairman Conaway offered the below remarks: “I’m committed to completing a …
FDA Report on Antibiotics Released
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its 2016 summary report on antimicrobial use in food producing animals. National Pork Board vice president of science and technology Dave Pyburn says this research confirms reduced use of antibiotics at the farm level. Antibiotics This is a milestone in antibiotic stewardship. Pyburn credits the success back to pig farmers and their …
NCBA Comments on Tax Reform
Tax reform and trade are inserted daily in today’s agricultural conversations all around the United States. 2017 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Elect Kevin Kester says these issues are on the forefront of all in the cattle industry, too. Regarding tax reform, Kester says they support a full elimination of the death tax. Tax Kester says there is also …
Secretary Perdue Welcomes WTO Statement on MRLs
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement in response to the joint statement on pesticide maximum residue levels (MRLs) signed at the 11th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture applauds the joint statement on pesticide MRLs issued this week at the WTO ministerial in Buenos Aires. The 17 signatory …
USDA Predicts Lower Red Meat and Poultry Production
The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts lower red meat and poultry production due to lower beef and pork production forecasts. Beef production is lowered on the current pace of cattle slaughter and lighter carcass weights. The pork production forecast is lowered on smaller-than-anticipated hog slaughter this quarter although …