News that the Tuesday meeting at the White House resulted in a commitment to allow year-round sales of 15% ethanol blends was tempered by a reported plan to reallocate Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) from exempted renewable fuel volumes using exported ethanol gallons. As Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley tweeted after the meeting, the devil will be in the details of the …
The U.S. Soybean in Southeast Asia
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Chris Rittgers has called Jakarta, Indonesia home for nearly a year, but is a veteran when it comes to the role of agricultural counselor. Prior to this three-year position, Rittgers worked for the USDA in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Malaysia, Iraq, Egypt and Spain. Naturally, he was the perfect person to share the role of Indonesia …
China Strikes Back
From almonds to frozen edible swine offal, the majority of the 128 products on which China imposed retaliatory tariffs Monday are agricultural, making farmers bear the brunt of the reaction to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs. “This is a tax on American farmers, brought about by protectionist trade policies,” said Farmers for Free Trade (FFT) Co-Chair Max Baucus. “American farmers …
Ethanol and Pork on China’s Draft Retaliation List
Following action by President Trump yesterday to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese imports, China is making its list of what U.S. products will be the target of retaliation. The list reportedly includes agricultural products such as U.S. pork, modified ethanol, wine, fruits and nuts, and soybeans are expected to be as well. “We sell a lot …
Reaction to Presidential Trade Tariff Actions
Exports are literally the life blood of U.S. agriculture, so it is not surprising that reaction to President Trump’s trade tariff actions this week from agricultural groups has been largely negative and fearful that it will lead to retaliation. U.S. Grains Council (USGC) President and CEO Tom Sleight says they are dismayed by the tariffs against China announced yesterday by …
Ethanol Supporter Optimistic About Industry
Senator Joni Ernst has earned the title of “ethanol champion” for her work on behalf of the industry to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), but she took the time today to visit with people she thinks are the real champions – the grassroots farmers, producers, retailers and investors who make up the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). “You are …
Farm Credit at #CattleCon18
During #CattleCon18 I visited with Farm Credit to learn what they are offering to cattle ranchers. I talked with Todd Moore (pictured), Farm Credit Mid-America, first and asked him what the message is for those attending. He says that with the volatility in cattle prices lender are talking to their customers and asking questions like, “Do they have a risk …
Study Shows U.S. Lags Behind in Developing Ag Exports
The latest analysis of foreign export promotion program investment shows that several competing countries and the European Union outspent the United States in publicly-funded agricultural export promotion by a margin of four to one in 2016, according to a release from the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports and the Agribusiness Coalition for Foreign Market Development. The other countries spent …
Grains Council Adds to Staff
The U.S. Grains Council is adding a new strategic director in Asia and assistant director in Southeast Asia to help increase near-term demand for feed grain sales and build long-term demand for ethanol among global customers. Tim Tierney has joined the Council as director of strategic marketing/ethanol in North Asia, filling a new role that seeks to capitalize on both …
Ag Export Coalition Urges Increased Funding for Export Programs
More than 120 members of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports are urging leaders of the House Committee on Agriculture to increase funding for USDA export promotion programs in the new farm bill. The coalition ssent a letter to Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX), and Ranking Minority Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), asking them to increase funding for the Market …