China Makes US Wheat Purchase Ahead of Trade Talks
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced Thursday export sales of 130,000 metric tons of U.S. white wheat for delivery to China. It’s the first significant purchase announcement for Chinese importers above 100,000 metric tons since China slapped a 25% tariff on the grain last year.
“We are glad for this purchase ahead of the latest round of trade discussions between the U.S. and China,” said U.S. Wheat Associates Chairman Doug Goyings in a statement to Agri-Pulse. “It remains to be seen if this is the start of a return to steady purchases by China. In the long run, that is what our farmers need, along with good progress toward an agreement and continued support for the rules-based trading system that has given them access to more markets.”
Politico Pro: Bayer to Consider Suing if EU Bans Glyphosate
Agrichemical giant Bayer, which manufactures the controversial weedkiller glyphosate, would consider launching legal action if the substance’s EU license is not renewed in 2022, a board member said on October 1st. Asked whether Bayer would seek to defend the safety of glyphosate in the courts, Crop Science Division President Liam Condon said: “If we feel a scientific process, an established regulatory pathway, is being completely ignored, then of course we’ve got to look at all our options.” In Europe, the Austrian parliament, and the French and German governments have signaled their intention to phase out the herbicide, and in the U.S. Bayer has lost the first three of some 13,400 cases lodged by plaintiffs saying glyphosate caused their cancer. Entire piece can be found in Politico Pro.
October 15th USDA Data User Meeting
On Tuesday, October 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will hold a Data Users’ Meeting at the American Farm Bureau Federation (600 Maryland Ave. SW, Suite 1000W, Washington, DC 20024). Participants are encouraged to sign up to learn more about how to use the new data variables that are being incorporated into the service. It is also an opportunity to give feedback to NASS and partner agencies to provide more of what you may need. Other participating USDA agencies include the Agricultural Marketing Service, Economic Research Service, Farm Service Agency, Foreign Agricultural Service, and the World Agricultural Outlook Board, along with the U.S. Census Bureau.
NASS announces release of 2017 Census of Agriculture Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Profiles
On October 1, 2019 the U.S Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its 2017 Census of Agriculture data tabulated by race, ethnicity, and gender. These national, state, and county-level data profiles highlight number of farms, land in farms, land use, value of sales, and producer characteristics, such as years of experience, average age, and other variables.
NASS also released an interactive map that shows key Census data in the 5 broad categories of crops and plants, economics, farms, livestock and animals, and producers. Already preparing for the 2022 Census of Agriculture, NASS is asking for content change suggestions and for new producers who did not receive a Census of Agriculture form in 2017 to sign up to be counted in future censuses and surveys. Both forms can be found at www.nass.usda.gov.
“30 Harvests” Reintroduced During Climate Week (Sept. 23-29)
On Thursday, August 15, US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) launched the short docudrama, “30 Harvests.” In just over one month, the film has received more than 785,000 views. Many of USFRA members and other leaders in the food industry have shared it on their social platforms and internal websites. NAWG encourages you to push the video out through your social media channels.
Registration and Housing Officially Open for the 2019 NAWG/USW Fall Conference
Registration and housing have officially opened for the 2019 NAWG/USW Fall Conference. This year’s conference will take place at the Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Hotel in Santa Fe, NM., from Monday, November 4 through Wednesday, November 6, 2019. To reserve your room under the NAWG Block click here. To register for the meeting, visit USW’s page here. For more details, including NAWG’s meeting schedule, visit our conference page here.
Source: National Association of Wheat Growers