USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney addressed the 2020 Agricultural Retailers Association Conference & Expo Wednesday to update attendees on the U.S. trade situation at the end of 2020. In a quick spin around the world, McKinney touched on trade and COVID19 in different countries, including Mexico and Canada with USMCA, China and the Phase …
Agri-Pulse Hosts National Pork Board Webinar on Trade
Agri-Pulse president Sara Wyant moderated a discussion last week with USDA Trade Undersecretary Ted McKinney, North Carolina hog farmer Jan Archer, and Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes on how exports add value for pork producers and support U.S. jobs. The event was sponsored by the National Pork Board. Watch the webinar here. Listen to the audio here: (1 hour)
USDA and USTR Release Report on China Trade
An interim report from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlights the progress made so far in implementing the agricultural provisions in the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement. To date, China has implemented at least 50 of the 57 technical commitments under the Phase One Agreement. These structural changes will benefit American …
Ambassador Doud Proud of Trade Accomplishments
The chief agricultural negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative gave an update on the phase one agreement with China, and talked about what he believes are the major trade accomplishments of the Trump administration for the nation’s farmers and ranchers during an appearance at the 2020 Agribusiness Council of Kansas City Ag Outlook Forum on Monday. “How many of you …
Ethanol Report Highlights Exports
Ethanol exports have taken a hit this year due to the pandemic, but there are still reasons to be optimistic about this important market for the industry. In this episode of The Ethanol Report, we hear from Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) General Counsel Ed Hubbard, who doubles as the organizations international trade expert. We also learn about a new program …
Savannah is Top Port for Agriculture
There are almost 100 ports in the United States, and of them the Port of Savannah was recently named the top port in the nation for the export of containerized agricultural goods. “Agriculture is a major driver for Georgia’s economy, contributing $74 billion in annual economic benefit and nearly 400,000 jobs across the state,” said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. “As …
USMCA Implementation Celebration Roundtable
To celebrate the July 1 implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson and U.S. Senator Joni Ernst held a virtual roundtable Tuesday to discuss the importance of USMCA to farmers, rural communities and ag exports. The roundtable was hosted by Farmers for Free Trade, which showed support for USMCA with an 11 state, 4,300 mile …
U.S. Soy is Open for Business
The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) held a webinar for the media Wednesday to provide an update on the industry and its continued resilience through this time. Participating in the webinar were, USSEC CEO Jim Sutter, USSEC Chairman Monte Peterson, and Regional Directors Brent Babb and Rosalind Leeck. They discussed the industry’s response to COVID-19 in various export markets, how …
Catching up with NCGA President Kevin Ross
It’s not always easy to catch up with Minden, Iowa farmer Kevin Ross who has spent a lot of time in the past few months at the White House as president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), mostly celebrating new trade agreements beneficial to American farmers. Most recently, Ross attended a White House ceremony last month commemorating the signing …
USDA’s McKinney Optimistic About Ethanol Exports
USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney says he will leave “no stone unturned” in his quest to increase U.S. agricultural exports, including ethanol. McKinney spoke to the Renewable Fuels Association National Ethanol Conference Wednesday about the markets where he sees the most potential for ethanol, including China, Mexico, Brazil, and India. Listen to his remarks: …