Articles by Bill Tomson

U.S. farm groups are looking for big wins as U.S. negotiators push the U.K. to abandon European barriers to agricultural trade in the countries' first round of trade talks, according to industry officials aware of the proceedings.

Anti-biotech activists and sentiment are entrenched throughout Africa, but U.S. farm groups and businesses are hoping a free trade agreement with Kenya will help the country break through its GMO barriers and provide an example to other nations of what the science can do for farmers and food security.

China snapped up another 136,000 metric tons of 2019-20 U.S. soybeans this week, according to a USDA announcement Tuesday, showing the country is not letting up on purchases that go toward meeting its promises under the “phase one” trade agreement.

The European Union's plan to buy up skim milk powder and butter from European producers is spurring U.S. producers to join in protest with farmers from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Singapore, at the persistent insistence of USDA and the Pet Food Institute over the past two years, has lifted a ban on U.S. pet food containing bovine material, according to a new report from USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.

House Democrats are focused this week on finishing their proposal for the next coronavirus relief bill, and farm groups and their allies in Congress are working to get priorities addressed in whatever Phase 4 package reaches the president’s desk.

USDA is gearing up to start dispensing the first round of coronavirus relief payments to farmers, even as lawmakers struggle to agree on a Phase 4 stimulus bill that ag groups hope will provide additional funding for more aid.

The U.S. and China are making strong progress on implementing the “phase one” trade deal and both sides expect the pact will be successful despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vice President Mike Pence will be in Iowa today to meet with a group of food supply chain CEOs, agriculture leaders, and government officials.

The USDA on Thursday reported sales of 686,000 metric tons of corn to Chinese buyers, with 371,000 tons of it for delivery in the 2019-20 marketing year and the rest — 315,000 tons — in 2020-21.