Wheat Industry Groups Pleased with Trade Deal Announced by US and Japan at G7 in France
Oklahoma Farm Report – 08/26/2019
Yesterday, President Trump announced a trade agreement in principle between the United States and Japan that will keep exports of U.S. wheat flowing to a very large and crucial market for U.S. farmers. “We are very happy that this agreement will end the growing competitive cost advantage that Canadian and Australian wheat imports got under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement,” said U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Chairman and Paulding, Ohio, farmer Doug Goyings. “We want to say thank you to the negotiators at the U.S. Trade Representative office and at the USDA trade and foreign affairs office for working so hard to prevent more export losses for farmers like me.”
Canada’s wheat exports seen steady despite Black Sea competition
The Western Producer – 08/22/2019
Canada’s wheat exports are expected to remain steady in the 2019-2020 marketing year (August-July) despite increased competition from Black Sea wheat in its traditional markets as the North American country is able to diversifysupplies, analysts told S&P Global Platts. Canada is expected to export 23.6 million mt of wheat in 2019-20, down marginally by 0.4% from 2018-19 levels, latest data from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada shows. Of the total wheat exports, non-durum wheat shipments are expected to account for 18.9 million mt and durum wheat the rest. Durum wheat is used in making pasta.
U.S., Japan Agree in Principle on Trade Deal
Feedstuffs – 08/25/2019
China unveiled on Friday retaliatory tariffs against about $75 billion worth of U.S. goods, putting an The U.S. and Japan agreed in principle on a trade deal under which Japan will slash tariffs on U.S. beef, pork and other agricultural products, while continuing to face levies on its own auto exports. According to a report at Yahoo Finance, when the president announced the deal Sunday, he also said Japan would purchase large quantities of U.S. wheat and corn. “America’s farmers and ranchers are pleased to hear that the U.S. and Japan may be close to a trade deal that includes agriculture,” says American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “This is much-needed good news on the agricultural trade front.
Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Abe of Japan After Meeting on Trade | Biarritz, France
The White House – 08/25/2019
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So, thank you very much. We’ve been working on a deal with Japan for a long time. It involves agricultural and it involves e-commerce and many other things. It’s a very big transaction, and we’ve agreed in principle. It’s billions and billions of dollars. Tremendous for the farmers. And one of the things that Prime Minister Abe has also agreed to is we have excess corn in various parts of our country, with our farmers, because China did not do what they said they were going to do. And Prime Minister Abe, on behalf of Japan, they’re going to be buying all of that corn. And that’s a very big transaction. They’re going to be buying it from our farmers.
MGGA Welcomes Agreement on Ag with Japan
Montana Grain Growers – 08/25/2019
The Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA) cheered the announcement by President Trump that a preliminary agreement has been reached to lower Japanese tariffs and increase market share for U.S. agricultural commodities. In making the announcement on Sunday at the Group of Seven summit in France, the President also said Japan would soon be purchasing large quantities of U.S. wheat and corn. MGGA President Lyle Benjamin said, “We welcome the agreement in principle that will provide export market certainty in the crucial Japanese market for premium quality US wheat. This is a key development for Montana farmers who sell a majority of their wheat into the Asian markets.”
Researchers Ask For Vitamin D Fortification Of Wheat Flour
World Baker’s – 08/26/2019
Adding vitamin D to wheat flour would prevent 10 million new cases of vitamin D deficiency in England and Wales over the next 90 years, say researchers at the University of Birmingham. The researchers say overhauling existing public health policy to introduce the mandatory fortification of vitamin D in wheat flour would not only be cost-saving but would significantly reduce the burden on the British National Health Service (NHS) by preventing 25% of the estimated 40 million new cases of vitamin D deficiency over the coming 90 years.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates