Republicans are using the growing ag trade deficit to buttress their criticism of the Biden administration’s trade policy.
“The Biden-Harris administration is failing our farmers, ranchers and foresters when it comes to maintaining our competitive advantage in the global marketplace,” the top Republican on the Senate Ag Committee, John Boozman, said in a statement Wednesday.
But Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack argues that U.S. criticism of China has played a role in the slump in exports to China. And he also said at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa Wednesday that the trade deficit underscores the need for the new trade promotion funding the department is offering to farm groups.
“Our exports to China are off significantly. The reason for that [is] they pay attention to what's being said and what's being done here in this country,” Vilsack said.
USDA projected this week that the ag trade deficit would grow from $30.5 billion in fiscal 2024 to $42.5 billion in FY25, which starts Oct. 1. Exports to China are projected to drop $3 billion to $24 billion. In 2023, China bought nearly $34 billion in U.S. ag products.
What others say: Josh Gackle, president of the American Soybean Association, acknowledged in an interview with Agri-Pulse that there is some “tension between the U.S. and Chinese governments when it comes to issues outside of ag. So, we just want to make sure that both sides … know that ag can be a bright spot in the relationship between U.S. and China, and has been in the past.”
Rep. Randy Feenstra, an Iowa Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees trade policy, said of the drop in exports to China that “we sort of did it to ourselves a little bit.”
“China obviously has a lot of mouths to feed, and they're obviously buying more and more of their product from Brazil and Argentina,” Feenstra said.
Herbicide manufacturer cancels registrations
AMVAC is voluntarily canceling its registrations for products containing DCPA, or dacthal, following EPA’s decision to suspend sales of the herbicide because of its impacts on fetal development.
“We applaud the EPA for its emergency suspension, which led to the cancellation of this dangerous pesticide,” said Patti Goldman, senior attorney at Earthjustice. “This is a step in the right direction in protecting children.”
EPA said, “Currently, all products containing DCPA are suspended following EPA’s [Aug. 6] temporary emergency suspension order …, and the action announced today will ensure that the registrations will be permanently cancelled.
Vaccine manufacturers can test their avian flu vaccines in field
USDA is going to allow field safety trials of manufacturers’ H5N1 vaccines for dairy cattle. The department's Center for Veterinary Biologics says in a notice published Wednesday evening that it’s accepting submissions "for field studies to support conditional or full licensure of nonviable, non-replicating vaccines."
It’s easy to be “in the know” about agriculture news from coast to coast! Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse news. Simply click here.
CVB previously said the vaccine trials would have to take place in contained areas. Dairy, egg and turkey groups all wrote to Vilsack earlier this month to urge him to act speedily.
Vilsack announced approval of the field trials at the Farm Progress Show.
USDA awards funds to connect underserved forest landowners with climate markets
Nine projects across 14 states will receive a combined $15 million from USDA’s Forest Service through the Inflation Reduction Act to help connect underserved forest landowners with climate markets.
While private-sector markets offer economic incentives to preserve forests through sustainable practices, private landowners often struggle to meet high acreage requirements and pay start-up costs, according to a USDA press release.
The Forest Service investment aims to help underserved and small-acreage forest landowners address climate change while maintaining ownership and protecting private forests from pressures to convert land to other uses.
The latest round of funding follows the $145 million investment from the IRA announced in March. This similarly aims to help landowners participate in climate markets.
Kroger executive admits to raising milk, egg prices higher than needed
Kroger’s director for retail insight and strategy, Andy Groff, admitted before a federal judge in Oregon Wednesday that the company raised its prices for eggs and milk higher than their cost increases necessitated, according to a Bloomberg report.
Groff's testimony was part of a case brought by the Federal Trade Commission aimed at blocking the grocery giant’s $24.6 billion purchase of the rival Albertsons.
Take note: Early last week, Kroger filed an motion for preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against the FTC's administrative proceeding on the acquisition. It accused the agency of "violating Constitutional protections" by "proceeding in its administrative tribunal," according to a release.
Final word: “There is no greater return on investment of $1 spent out of Washington than one spent on America's No. 1 industry, Iowa's No. 1 industry, Pennsylvania's No. 1 industry, which is agriculture.” – House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., talking about the farm bill at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, on Wednesday.
