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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
American farm groups are celebrating the Biden administration’s long-waited decision to name a nominee to be the Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for trade. President Joe Biden has again gone back to the Obama administration to fill a high-level role at USDA with the choice of Alexis Taylor to be the top trade official at the department.
The USDA reported Monday sales of more than 1 million metric tons of U.S. corn to Chinese buyers. The sale comes on the heels of a USDA report showing a smaller-than-expected U.S. corn crop this year as well as amid the war in Ukraine that has all but cut off Ukrainian exports.
China is buying unprecedented levels of U.S. corn, and much of that demand comes from the country’s race to modernize its pork production – a mission that’s expected to sustain a long-term increased reliance on grain and oilseed imports, according to U.S. government and industry officials.
The USDA announced Tuesday a large export grain sale of 1.156 million metric tons of U.S. corn to China for delivery in the 2020-21 marketing year, showing that the massive Chinese demand so far in the 2020-21 marketing year continues to be robust.
Floyd Gaibler passed away Thursday afternoon, leaving behind a rich history of passionate defense for American farmers during his career at the USDA, U.S. Grains Council, International Dairy Foods Association, the Lesher and Russell consulting firm and elsewhere.
Brazil is making it known that the Bolsonaro administration wants a strong relationship with the U.S., but the friendly words come amid rising U.S. frustration over Brazil’s ethanol tariffs.
The USDA is reporting Thursday yet another large Chinese purchase of U.S. corn, reinforcing assessments that the country’s demand for the grain is strong as it tries to rebuild its swine herd.
U.S. corn and ethanol groups are celebrating a recent shipment to Mexico of gasoline with a 10% ethanol blend, but the fate of a more permanent acceptance of E10 in the country isn’t yet solidified as the government works to rewrite regulations to boost the legal blend rate.
After years of wrangling over sanitary and phytosanitary issues, China is opening its borders to U.S. blueberries and barley, sparking new optimism from farmers who are looking to expand exports.
Global demand for U.S. ethanol has grown substantially over the last decade, but ongoing trade tensions, policy enforcement, and changing markets could set up potential roadblocks for the industry in the years ahead.
