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,” …
USDA Breaks Down Benefits of TPP for Each State
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making its case on how the newly reached Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement will benefit ag operations across the country. This news release says the USDA is releasing a series of fact sheets put together by the agency’s Foreign Agricultural Service that show how TPP will boost the U.S. agriculture industry, supporting more American …
Brownfield’s Steever Interviews President Obama
Brownfield Ag News anchor and former NAFB president Tom Steever got a 20 minute interview with President Obama this week on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal and what it means for agriculture. “So this is really a big deal,” the President told Brownfield Ag News Tuesday, “and the key to getting it passed is just making sure that people …
Lots of Reaction to TPP
Seems like everyone has something to say about the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement reached by negotiators meeting in Atlanta for more than five days, even though few details have been released. U.S. Trade Ambassador Michael Froman does say that agriculture is a big winner under the agreement. “Tariffs will either be eliminated or greatly reduced or quotas will be significantly …
Dairy Policy Talks at #WDE15
Policies concerning our nation’s dairy industry were just a few of the topics Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, Ben Brancel, discussed while attending the 2015 World Dairy Expo. “Today I think price in most all commodities are issues whether you are talking milk or grain prices. Of course low grain prices help that dairy farmer out when …
USDA Looks to Expand Export Opportunities in Africa
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is looking to expand this country’s agriculture export opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. This agency news release says a trade mission will go to Accra, Ghana, Nov. 17-20. “Two years ago, I led a mission to southern Africa to launch USDA’s Sub-Saharan Africa Trade Initiative, which aims to expand U.S. agricultural and commercial ties in …
NFU DC Fly-In Focuses on Top Issues
Members of the National Farmers Union (NFU) are meeting with administration officials and Congressional representatives in Washington DC this week for the organization’s 2015 Fall Legislative Fly-In. “This fall has proven to be a very important time for several Farmers Union issues, including the path forward for voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), the full implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) …