U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, visited with the media during the Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show prior to his remarks at the closing general session. The first topic of the press conference was on trade and it was obvious he really wanted to talk about it. He said the top priority for ag groups is trade, trade, …
USDA Under Secretary Northey at #ARA2018
Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service Bill Northey discussed trade and a 2018 farm bill, among other topics, during a visit to the 2018 Agricultural Retailers Association convention this week in Boca Raton, Florida. “I’m very hopeful,” said Northey about getting a farm bill by the end of the year, especially after word Thursday from House and Senate …
Trade is Hot Topic at #ARA2018
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) 2018 Conference and Expo started off with the timely topic of trade Tuesday. Ambassador Darci Vetter, General Manager of Public Affairs & Vice Chair of Agriculture Food and Trade of Edelman Public Affairs, presented a pre-conference workshop on “Trade, Tariffs, and Their Impact on American Agriculture.” Vetter, who is former chief agricultural negotiator at the …
USTR’s Gregg Doud Talks Trade at #NAFB18
Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the US Trade Representative’s Office Gregg Doud held a press conference at the 2018 National Association of Farm Broadcasters Convention in Kansas City Thursday to talk trade after Trade Talk. Doud discussed what’s in the new U.S. Mexico Canada trade agreement (USMCA) and also addressed strategies dealing with China and the European Union. Listen here – …
ExEx18 Keynote Stresses U.S. Trade Advantages
North America is a leader in both trade and increasing food production for the world, trade needs to grow to provide global food security, trade is already complex so we should work to eliminate unnecessary complexities, and we need to think long term when it comes to trade policy. Those were four key messages that Roger Watchorn, group leader at …
President Says USMCA is Victory for Farmers
Out with NAFTA and in with USMCA, the initials for the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement. “This new deal is an especially great victory for our farmers,” said President Donald Trump as he announced the agreement this morning. “The deal includes a substantial increase in our farmers’ opportunities to export American wheat, poultry, eggs and dairy – including milk, butter, cheese, yogurt …
Zimfo Bytes 9/14
American Agri-Women have named Allie Poole, Central City, Kentucky, the 2018 winner of their Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarship, High School Graduate. She is currently enrolled in the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, Alabama. National Farmers Union’s Beginning Farmer Institute convened this week in Washington, D.C., for the first of three learning sessions that will take place during …
Farmers for Free Trade Expands Coalition
Over 80 of the nation’s leading trade associations representing thousands of businesses and workers today announced the formation of Americans for Free Trade a multi-industry coalition aimed at opposing tariffs and highlighting the benefits of international trade to the U.S. economy. This new coalition will immediately join Farmers for Free Trade, the coalition backed by the nation’s largest ag commodity …
ASTA Requests Seed Exemption on Chinese Tariffs List
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is requesting that seeds for sowing be exempted from the proposed list of supplemental retaliatory tariffs on China. “While we support the administration’s push for stronger intellectual property protection and enforcement globally, at the end of the day, the majority of these proposed tariffs will be levied on seeds owned by small and medium …
Corn Growers Join Farmers For Free Trade at #FPS18
Last week was a big one for trade news impacting agriculture, so Farmers for Free Trade (FFT) Executive Director Brian Kuehl and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes had a lot to talk about during a press conference at Farm Progress Show. Regarding news that U.S. and Mexico had reached a preliminary NAFTA deal, Kuehl expressed some concerns. …