U.S. Wheat Associates Welcomes Japan Trade Development
Brownfield Ag News – 9/28/2018
A leading U.S. wheat export group welcomes President Trump’s announcement of formal trade talks with Japan. U.S. Wheat Associates vice president of policy Ben Conner says the plan to expand trade and investment between the two countries could be a nice consolation prize for TPP. “We liked the TPP (and) thought it was a good agreement. We didn’t like it when the U.S. pulled out. And now that the TPP countries are going forward without us, that’s going to put us at a big disadvantage. But we’re glad that the Administration recognizes that problem.”
| Read More |
Frustration Abounds With 2014 Farm Bill Set to Expire
Brownfield Ag News – 9/28/2018
One of the lead farm bill negotiators is frustrated by the prospect of an extension. House Ag Committee Chairman Mike Conaway says differences remain on several issues. “It’s really frustrating because not one of (the issues) or actually all of them in combination are worthy of us not getting this done, and it’s just a matter of having the political will to make those hard choices.” The Texas Republican says he knows getting the farm bill done is important to farmers, but questions if everyone on the Conference Committee feels that way.
| Read More |
U.S. and Canada Reach Deal on NAFTA After Talks Go Down to the Wire
CNN – 10/1/2018
Canada agreed late Sunday to sign on to a trade deal between the United States and Mexico, revamping the three-country North American Free Trade Agreement after more than a year of tortuous negotiations. Just hours before a midnight deadline, the US and Canadian governments agreed to a deal that would allow US farmers greater access to Canada’s dairy market and address concerns about potential US auto tariffs, officials from both countries said. The agreement with Canada and Mexico — two of the United States’ biggest trading partners — fulfills President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to renegotiate NAFTA and avoids his threat to exclude Canada if the talks failed.
| Read More |
Trade War With China Results in Cancelled Orders for NW Exports
Oregon Public Broadcasting – 9/28/2018
Retaliatory tariffs levied by China on U.S. goods are taking a toll on Pacific Northwest farm exports. Details about canceled orders came out Wednesday at a state Senate committee hearing in Seattle. The latest tariffs on U.S. exports took effect on Monday, increasing the burden on high-volume commodities shipped to China from the Northwest such as seafood, frozen French fries and hay. “I did hear from some hay exporters right away that even when the tariffs were just proposed, Chinese companies were canceling orders,” said Rianne Perry, who manages an international marketing program at the Washington State Department of Agriculture. “I spoke with a hay exporter last week. They estimate their business is down at least 40 percent to China.”
| Read More |
U.S. and Canada Strike Trade Deal; Class 7 Dairy Policy to be Terminated
Capital Press – 9/27/2018
U.S. and Canadian negotiators have reached an eleventh-hour agreement assuring Canada will be part of the renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement that is to be renamed the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA). Canada, in the hard-fought talks that seemed to be at an impasse just two days ago, agreed to eliminate its Class 7 dairy pricing program. The deal was announced late Sunday night after a marathon negotiating session. “USMCA will give our workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses a high-standard trade agreement that will result in freer markets, fairer trade and robust economic growth in our region,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a joint statement. “We look forward to further deepening our close economic ties when this new agreement enters into force.”
| Read More |
U.S. Farm Leaders Meet With Cuba’s President at U.N.
Brownfiled Ag News – 9/28/2018 (audio story)
A group of U.S. ag leaders met with Cuba’s new president at the United Nations this week. Mark Albertson with the Illinois Soybean Association was one of them. He says they talked with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canal who is very interested in more ag trade with the U.S. but also wanted to thank the ag leaders for exporting food to his country. Albertson says the U.S. exported $50 Million dollars of soybeans to Cuba last year, but, “That could have been $150-Million because Brazil and Argentina, they’re exporting soy and soybean meal to Cuba. That really should be our market. With Cuba being 90 miles away, there’s no reason why Brazil and Argentina soy should be making it’s way up to Cuba.”
| Read More |
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates