It’s a busy time to be involved in government affairs, as Colin Woodall of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will tell you. Trump hit the ground running, which means NCBA is moving at a quick pace too, Woodall told Jamie Johansen at the 2017 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. The executive action to pull the United States out …
Letter to Trump Highlights NAFTA Successes
The recent words of Donald Trump concerning the U.S.’s withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) prompted more than 130 food and agriculture industry organizations to send a letter to the President. Members of the food and agriculture community wanted to highlight the importance of the trade agreement and to urge him to continue to build upon that success. …
Ag Reacts to Trump Withdrawal from TPP
The detailed description touting the benefits of the Trans Pacific Partnership is now gone from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) website as President Trump signed an executive order today withdrawing from the trade deal. “With this decision, it is critical that the new administration begin work immediately to do all it can to develop new markets for U.S. agricultural goods …
U.S. & Cuba Trade Workshop at #AFBF17
Cuba has become a near and dear topic for me since visiting the country a few months ago with fellow ag media. The people of Cuba are eager to normalize relations with their big neighbor to the North opening trade and opportunities for U.S. agriculture. During the 2017 American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show experts gathered …
US Challenges Chinese Quotas for Rice, Wheat, and Corn
The Obama Administration has launched a new trade enforcement action against the People’s Republic of China over tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for rice, wheat, and corn. The complaint was filed with the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). “China’s TRQ policies breach their WTO commitments and limit opportunities for U.S. farmers to export …
Withdrawal from TPP Tops Trump List of First Actions
In a YouTube video message to the nation Monday, President-elect Donald Trump outlined a list of executive actions he intends to make “on day one” of his administration and number one on that list is to get out of the TPP. “I am going to issue our notification of intend to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster …
Reaction to Election and Policy Priorities for NCGA
Much of the conversation during NAFB’s Trade Talk last week surrounded the industry’s response to the election of Donald Trump, and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Wesley Spurlock was on hand to discuss what this new administration will mean for NCGA and how the organization intends to move forward into the future. “It is great to have the …
Need More Corn Exports on Heels of USDA Crop Report
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its new corn forecast report and predicts that this year’s corn harvest will reach 15.057 bushels. Although this is down around 36 million bushels from last month’s estimates, it is still predicted to be another record crop. The World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates Report also lowered corn supplies for 2016/2017 from …
The Cuban Gold Rush
Few Americans can say they have stepped foot on Cuban soil. Even fewer can say they had the opportunity as a journalist and yet even fewer as an agricultural journalist. Luckily, I am one of those who can answer yes to all of the above. Thanks to the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) and Alltech, I recently traveled to Cuba …
Ag Voices Urge TPP Passage
The National Corn Growers Association this week started delivering letters from over 6300 corn farmers from across the country to members of Congress urging them to take up and pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement before the end of the year. “America’s farmers and ranchers need Congress to step up and pass TPP now,” said Chip Bowling, president of the National …