AFBF Concerned about Labor, Trade if Border Closed

Dan Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration, Trade

The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging the administration to make sure that any steps undertaken to tighten enforcement at the U.S. border do not create more uncertainty for agricultural producers. “Right now, farmers and ranchers are toughing it out,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Many of our products are caught up in a trade dispute. Mother Nature has devastated the …

trade

U.S. Pork Can’t Afford Loss of Mexican Market

Dan Exports/Imports, Industry News Release, Pork, Trade

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) asked the Trump administration to carefully consider the fallout from cutting off trade between the United States and Mexico. U.S. pork producers and other American farmers are already facing mounting financial losses from retaliatory tariffs by Mexico and China. The following statement may be attributed to David Herring, president of the National Pork Producers …

washington

NPPC Calls for Swift U.S./Japan Trade Negotiation

Dan Exports/Imports, Industry News Release, Pork, Trade

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) welcomed reports that the United States and Japan will commence trade negotiations on April 15, 2019 and urged the Trump administration to expeditiously complete and deliver for ratification to Congress a trade deal that puts U.S. pork producers back on a level playing field in Japan. “U.S. pork producers are losing market share in …

senate

Trump Wants Quick Action on USMCA

Dan Industry News Release, Trade

President Donald Trump wants lawmakers to move quickly to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The USMCA, Trump’s replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement, is currently being navigated through procedural hurdles before the administration can present the final proposed agreement to Congress. Lawmakers must consider the agreement on a simple yes or no vote, with no amendments, with Trade …

grain trade

Soybean Growers Unhappy with President Trump’s Comments on Keeping Tariffs in Place under a China Agreement

Dan Exports/Imports, Industry News Release, Soybeans, Trade

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is not pleased with recent comments from President Trump that he could leave tariffs in place under an agreement with China. ASA has always considered the lifting of the Section 301 tariffs by the U.S. in exchange for China removing its retaliatory 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybean imports as essential to any initial agreement …

agricultural

China Could Triple U.S. Agricultural Purchases

Dan Exports/Imports, Trade

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue this week again said China could triple its purchases of U.S. agricultural products. The U.S. and China are still hashing out the details of a trade agreement, now thought to conclude in June. Perdue told Bloomberg Television this week “we could easily see, if we are able to come to a trade resolution, a doubling or …

adai

Hemp Industry Looking at Establishing a Trade Association

Dan Industry News Release, Specialty Crops, Trade

A coalition of hemp farmers, farm service companies, processors, crop insurance agents and lenders, as well as other stakeholders, are looking at possibly establishing a trade association group. The Hagstrom Report says the goal is to have an organization that represents the hemp industry in Washington, D.C. Hemp is currently used to make textiles, paper, paint, oil, biodegradable plastics, and …

lawmakers

Lawmakers say No to Potential EU-U.S. Trade Agreement without Agriculture

Dan Exports/Imports, Industry News Release, Trade

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is demanding the Trump Administration force the European Union to include agriculture in upcoming trade talks. A group of 114 lawmakers penned a letter this week to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer stating, “an agreement with the EU that does not address trade in agriculture would be, in our eyes, unacceptable.” The U.S. and EU …

ncba

Trade a Big Issue for NCBA

Dan Cattle, Trade

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has their official Policy Priorities for 2019. And according to NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Colin Woodall, one of the top four issues is trade. And while he knows 2018 was a good year for beef exports, there are many issues to work on this year.

china

China, U.S. Nearing Trade Deal

Dan Economy, Exports/Imports, Industry News Release, Trade

The U.S. and China are inching closer to an agreement on trade that could be reached this month, according to those close to the talks. Bloomberg reports an agreement could be reached and finalized later this month during a planned summit between China’s President and President Donald Trump. As part of the potential agreement, China would lower tariffs on agricultural …