Last night marked President Obama’s last State of the Union (SOTU) address, and as expected one area of focus was the fight against climate change. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson said after the speech that the administration’s focus on the climate change is an issue that farmers and ranchers across the U.S. have been dealing with for many …
Ag Trade Rep Gives #TPP Details at #AFBF16
The chief agricultural negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative gave a detailed explanation of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention on Sunday. “The TPP is an agreement that unites 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific in a comprehensive trade agreement, with 40 percent of global gross domestic production on the table,” Vetter said. “It …
WTO Announces $1.01 Billion in COOL Retaliation
We anticipated this and now it’s here. The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced $1.01 billion retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods authorized in the country-of-origin labeling (COOL) with Canada and Mexico. The WTO has upheld multiple times our neighboring country’s claim that the label creates an unfair advantage to U.S. products. U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee …
Former Ag Secretaries Urge TPP Passage
Several former U.S. Agriculture secretaries are calling on Congress to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). This news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says TPP will create new opportunities for American-grown and American–made products in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region. By opening new markets in Japan, Vietnam, and other countries, we are giving our producers access to new …
Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Agri-Pulse Open Mic this week features Sen. Debbie Stabenow. In this week’s interview the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee discusses a challenging agricultural agenda. With time running out on the congressional calendar, Stabenow feels an urgency to find compromise on GMO labeling and COOL trade laws. Stabenow discusses a potential compromise child nutrition reform and defines the TPP …
USDA Sec & Deputy on Trade Trips to Japan & Africa
USDA’s top two officials are talking trade this week in two different regions. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is traveling to Japan Nov. 19-21, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden is going to Africa, Nov. 17-20. Secretary Vilsack will be meeting with Japanese officials to discuss the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership and the strong history of trade between the U.S. …
TPP Big Topic for Ag Groups at #NAFB15
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is no doubt the biggest issue for ag groups at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention in Kansas City this week. Representatives from six national farm groups joined USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Phil Karsting in Kansas City Wednesday for a press event to discuss the TPP. The event featured farmer leaders from the American …
Vilsack to Lead Food & Ag Delegation to Cuba
For the first time in more than 50 years, a U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will visit Cuba. Secretary Tom Vilsack, accompanied by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and U.S. Representatives Terri Sewell of Alabama, Suzan DelBene of Washington and Kurt Schrader of Oregon, travels to Havana November 11-14, marking the first official U.S. Department of Agriculture visit to Cuba …
“Here’s the Deal” – Details on TPP Released
The White House today released the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack calls “an important step forward in the process to make this landmark agreement for U.S. agriculture a reality.” According to Vilsack, the text confirms that this agreement “will expand U.S. agricultural exports, generate more rural economic activity, and support higher-paying American jobs” …
New Zealand’s Trade Minister at #IFAJ2015
One of the hard news highlights of the 2015 IFAJ Congress was hearing from the man who was responsible for holding up the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement to get New Zealand’s dairy industry more access to other markets. “The fundamental reason why New Zealand agriculture is so strong is we don’t have a choice, it’s export or die for us,” …