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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
China has agreed to increase its imports of American agriculture and energy products and to address U.S. concerns about protection of intellectual property, according to a joint U.S.-China statement released by the White House.
The fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement remains uncertain and a trade war with China continues to loom heavy over rural America, but the long-term forecast for U.S. soybean exports remains bullish, propped up by optimistic forecasts from the USDA.
John Baize was on a mission to sell more U.S. soybean oil in Egypt. But there was a problem, according to the government buyer who was charged with procurement of edible oils in that country.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is predicting production declines this year for corn and soybeans, the nation’s two most valuable crops, while the all-wheat harvest is expected to jump by 5 percent.
You won’t find any tourists in the muddy, mosquito-ridden town of Barcarena in Brazil’s state of Pará, but you can’t miss the almost constant parade of trucks pulling in and out of port facilities under the scorching sun or torrential rainfall on the country’s northern coast.
Prospects for U.S. farm exports can change suddenly and dramatically. Breaking into foreign markets takes decades of persistent hard work and hefty investments in building infrastructure, relationships and, ultimately, sales.
President Donald Trump, to say the least, has American farmers and ranchers variously worried and bewildered about his intentions and the direction of U.S. trade policy.
Republicans expect to advance a farm bill in the House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday despite Democratic anger over its reforms to food stamps, but the legislation also would make significant changes in policy and funding across many other sections, including conservation, rural development and horticulture.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue likes to tell people that he’s a “grow it and sell it kind of guy” who is always on the lookout for opportunities to do so. Increasingly, that means understanding world population and demand growth – outside of U.S. borders.
