Governors from more than 40 states are in Washington, D.C., this weekend for their annual winter meeting. International issues like the future of trade will be among the topics they’ll cover, as well as the future of food and agriculture. The timing coincides with the start of the seventh round of NAFTA talks, which begin in Mexico City on Sunday. …
White House Economist Dodges NAFTA Withdrawal Questions
Kevin Hassett, Chief White House Economist, attacked the integrity of past and present government officials who have negotiated U.S. trade agreements. However, he declined to say if the U.S. would be better off economically should President Trump withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The question at a White House briefing was, “Would it be a good thing …
Mexico Buying More Brazilian Corn as NAFTA Negotiations Continue
Mexico purchased ten times more corn from Brazil last year than it had previously. Reuters says that’s due to the uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations. Mexican government data and top grain merchants all say they fear supply disruption from the U.S. if the White House ever followed through on its threat …
Agri View: Issues Impact on Agriculture
Everett Griner talks about issues that are taking place in Washington D.C. and its impact on agriculture in today’s Agri View. Issues Impact on Agriculture Well, we are well into 2018 now. And, things seem to be going smoothly for agriculture. I said seem to be. There are a couple of issues that will impact farmers based on what happens …
USDA Opens New Office in Vietnam to Help Facilitate Increasing Agricultural Trade
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently celebrated the opening of its new office in Hanoi, Vietnam. The office will play a vital role in helping expand the United States’ $2.5 billion-dollar agricultural export market in Vietnam. “Growing agricultural trade between the United States and Vietnam means new opportunities for American producers,” said Greg …
Senators Urge Trump to Rejoin TPP
A group of Republican Senators is urging President Donald Trump to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. The 25 lawmakers, including many from western and farm states, encouraged Trump to “work aggressively to secure reforms that would allow the United States to join the agreement” according to Politico. In a statement, the group says: “An improved TPP would therefore …
Trump to Sit Down with Mexican President
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations will be just one of the topics President Trump will discuss with the President of Mexico when they meet in the next few weeks. Bloomberg says they plan to discuss the relationship between the two countries and several pending issues. The meeting comes after several months of sometimes contentious NAFTA discussions and …
NCBA President Discusses Various Issues
During the recent Cattle Industry Convention, California rancher Kevin Kester officially took over as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). He talks about the various issues they will continue to concentrate on, including trade and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NCBA President Discusses Various Issues
NAFTA Exit Would Trigger 15 cent Mexican Sugar Tariff
Withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would revert the U.S. tariff on sugar imports from Mexico to 15 cents per-pound, the level in place before NAFTA went into effect. A trade adviser to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told a meeting of the sweetener industry this week that NAFTA eliminated the U.S. tariff on sugar, but Mexican sugar …
Canada: Trade Problems Expected with the U.S. Even if NAFTA is Signed
Canada expects trade challenges from the U.S. will continue even if the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks are successful. A senior Canadian government official says: “Even if a new NAFTA were to be signed tomorrow I think we would still face a lot of turbulence in our relationship with the United States on trade.” Timothy Sargent, the top …