Last week a team of pork, beef, corn, and soybean producers visited Tokyo to meet with Japanese meat buyers and other food industry professionals, and examine marketing opportunities for U.S. red meat. Joe Schuele has more. Download Audio
Congress Back in Session This Week
After a seven-week recess, Congress returns to session this week as many have little expectation lawmakers will accomplish much of anything with the November elections looming. Topping the discussion is likely to be the highly debated Zika virus funding, marred in a spat between Democrats and Republicans over last-minute additions to the bill. For agriculture,
U.S. Watermelon Imports Growing
New data from the Department of Agriculture shows the majority of watermelons consumed in the U.S. are produced domestically, but imports are growing rapidly. USDA says watermelon imports accounted for 1.5 billion pounds, or a third of domestic use in 2015, up from 11 percent in 2000 and seven percent in 1990. Part of the increase in imports can be …
Ag in Review for the Week Ending September 2, 2016
In this week’s recap of agricultural news from around the Southeast, Congress will soon return from its August recess but many feel little will get done before the November elections, farm sector profits are down from last year, trade teams are coming to the U.S. to see about getting more of our peanuts, retirement plan ideas for farmers,
Expanded Access Could Boost U.S. Beef Exports to Indonesia
With its large population and expanding economy, Indonesia has long been a market that held significant promise for U.S. beef exports. And as Joe Schuele reports, some positive news has recently come out of that country. Download Audio
China’s Zika Rules Raise Fears for U.S. Exporters
Zika is big news in Florida and across the country, and now that China has moved to add the U.S. to a list of Zika-infected countries is worrying U.S. exporters.
Trade Teams Coming to Talk U.S. Peanuts
Earlier in the season, due to the high number of peanut stocks and amount of peanut acreage being planted, farmers were told to make sure they had a federally approved peanut warehouse available before harvest. But exports have been better than first thought, and as Tyron Spearman reports, a few trade teams are coming to the U.S. to see about …
Statement by Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on Latest Quarterly Export Forecasts for 2016 and 2017
From the U.S. Department of Agriculture: WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement on the first forecast for U.S. agricultural exports for fiscal year 2017 and a revised forecast for fiscal year 2016. Both forecasts indicate U.S. agricultural exports have begun to rally and will continue the record-setting pace that began in 2009.
New Poll Shows Support for TPP
A New poll from Morning Consult shows the majority of voters favor trade. The poll shows 57 percent of registered voters have a favorable view of “fair trade,” and 50 percent said they would be more likely to support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) if they knew it would provide new markets overseas for U.S. farm products. The American Farm Bureau …
Congress Told TPP is Coming
There has been a lot of talk about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement the past few days, as last week the White House let Congress know it will be bringing TPP to lawmakers in a move that was intended to bring new energy to the discussions. The move came during this presidential campaign that has both major party candidates coming …