Did you know that aquaculture is the fastest growing animal production system in the world today? Or that aquaculture is the fastest growing utilization area for soy protein ingredients? Aquaculture and U.S. soybean production easily fit hand-in-hand. While I was at the U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange I quickly realized the relationship aquaculture and the soybean community have formed and …
IA Gov Branstad Visits #FarmProgessShow
Another successful Farm Progress Show has wrapped up in Boone, Iowa. We ended on a high note with Iowa Governor Terry Branstad visiting exhibitors and stopping by the BASF Media Tent to speak with reporters about key ag issues. I spoke with him about three issues: ethanol, water quality and trade. Branstad said that we appreciate the private sector support …
China Commits to $1.8 Billion Worth of U.S. Soy
During the 2016 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange in Indianapolis, buyers from China committed to buy nearly $1.8 billion worth of U.S. soy, totaling 146 million bushels of new crop U.S. soybeans. Several of these commitments were made official at a signing during the event, hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC). “China continues to be the No. 1 …
US Soy Well Represented at Global Trade Event
The 4th annual U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange & Midwest Specialty Grains Conference and Trade Show hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and the Midwest Shippers Association (MSA), took place in Indianapolis, IN and is the premiere global soy and grain trade event. Over 700 attendees gathered with 300 of them representing 55 countries around the world, focused …
New Poll Shows Strong Support for TPP Agreement
A new poll from Morning Consult shows most voters favor fair trade. Which is something the American Farm Bureau Federation said all candidates should keep in mind as a congressional vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement comes closer to reality. “Most Americans support free trade,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “and most farmers do, too. Exports …
#ASTAannual Selects New IEC Chair
Karen Withers will be taking the reins for American Seed Trade Association’s International Executive Committee for the coming year. Withers works for Pennington Seed handling their international sales, so she’s well versed in trials and tribulations that come with work on the international level. She’s also had two years serving the committee as vice chair, joining the year before that as …
NCGA Takes Farmers to Trade School
Last week’s National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Trade School brought more than 50 farmers, ranchers and representatives of state agriculture associations to Washington in order to deepen their knowledge about trade issues and drum up support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on Capitol Hill. “Trade policy has a significant impact on me as a farmer. The success of my business …
ITC Study Predicts #TPP Benefits for Farmers
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) this week released a report on the expected impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on various industries and agriculture fares especially well. The report finds that, “Among broad sectors of the U.S. economy, agriculture and food would see the greatest percentage gain relative to the baseline projections, output would be $10.0 billion, or 0.5 …
Senate Ag Committee Urges T-TIP
The 13th round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) beings today in New York. In preparation for the new round of talks U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, along with 26 other Senators, set a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative, Michael Forman, to ask for a strong framework for …
Vilsack Traveling to Japan, Vietnam
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has made plans to attend the G7 Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Niigata, Japan. Following the meeting he will then travel to Vietnam to highlight the agricultural relationship between the two countries and point out the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership to the each as well. At the G7 meeting, Vilsack and other participating ministers will discuss …