The U.S. is lagging behind competitors in reducing global trade barriers and the Biden administration’s trade policy does not look to alter that trajectory, according to a new analysis from the Corn Refiners Association and unveiled during a recent roundtable virtual discussion hosted by the Farmers for Free Trade. The findings, which track trade agreement since 2010, show that rival trading nations have outpaced the U.S. in cutting bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements.
Read MoreThe Army Corps of Engineers 2020 Work Plan included funding for infrastructure projects in Louisiana, including $85 million to deepen the Mississippi River to 50'.
The launch of the project followed the July 31, 2020, signing of an agreement between the Corps and the state of Louisiana. The final 256 miles of the Lower Mississippi between the Gulf of Mexico and Baton Rouge, La., is in the process of being deepened to 50'. In fact, dredging the ship channel to 50' from the Gulf of Mexico to the Port of South Louisiana in Reserve, La. (between New Orleans and Baton Rouge) is finished.
Between Baton Rouge and the Gulf of Mexico is a stretch of river where more than 50% of U.S. corn and soybeans are shipped to U.S. export markets, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Read MoreThe American Farm Bureau Federation joined eight other organizations in reaching out to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai in advance of the upcoming 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), which will focus on the future work of the World Trade Organization (WTO), to call for needed reforms.
Read MoreEarlier this week, in its Grain: Worlds Market and Trade report, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) stated that, “China coarse grain imports for 2020/21 are now complete.
Based on China Customs’ data, combined imports of corn, sorghum, and barley from the world totaled 50.2 million tons, doubling the previous record set in 2014/15.
Read MoreOver the weekend, the United States and European Union agreed to suspend the tariffs on steel and aluminum and to start the work of facilitating negotiations with like-minded countries to reduce steel and aluminum overcapacity and carbon intensity. The agreement also reopens the door for U.S. agriculture exports impacted by retaliatory tariffs. But the ag equipment sector remains challenged.
Read MoreMore than 95% of the world’s consumers live outside the United States. The growth opportunities are endless for U.S. agriculture. But it’s necessary to understand the value of international trade and how more Americans can take advantage of it, according to the founding members of the newly launched Agriculture Trade Education Council.
Agriculture leaders from across major food and ag associations announced the formation of the ATEC, a 501 c (3) non-profit that will be a resource for education on the value of agricultural trade policies, practices and structures.
Read MoreKey ag leaders shared with the Department of Transportation that the most problematic supply chain issues for the ag industry include transportation costs, labor availability, rising energy costs and challenges with obtaining inputs and products for the ag sector.
In response to President Joe Biden’s Feb. 24, 2021, Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains, key participants in the agricultural industry detailed in two letters the key concerns for an industry impacted on multiple levels, one signed by the Ag CEO Council of the 17 top ag groups as well as another written on behalf of the Agricultural Transportation Working Group
Read MoreBloomberg News reported this week that, “Chinese authorities are imposing new hurdles for fertilizer exporters amid growing concerns over surging power prices and food production, a move that could worsen a global price shock and food inflation.
“Some Chinese fertilizer cargoes ready to be shipped are being held up by local authorities for additional checks or to obtain new export certificates, according to people familiar with the matter. The supplies will either end up being sold on the domestic market or face delays in being exported, said the people, who asked not to be named as they are not authorized to speak on the matter
Read MoreElaine Trevino, President Joe Biden’s nominee to serve as chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, has the support of the vast majority of the food and agriculture sector. A coalition of 170 U.S. food and agriculture industry members called for the swift confirmation of Trevino.
Read MoreThe current shipping crisis has been an ongoing fiasco for well over a year and it continues to get worse. Shipping containers to load soybeans and other commodities have been elusive, especially for many ag shippers, as containers were returned to China empty. Railroad yards have been backlogged with containers for months.
Perhaps the most stunning image of this entire mess is full container ships anchored off the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, waiting to berth and unload their precious cargo. Terminals are packed full of both loaded import containers and empty containers waiting to be loaded onto vessels or with export goods.
Read MoreAlmost half a billion dollars is buried at the bottom of the Mississippi River. A massive effort is underway to dredge the lower Mississippi along its final 250-mile stretch, and the results could provide major financial benefits to U.S. farmers.
At ports along the mouth of the Mississippi, most ships loading soybeans can carry a maximum of 2.4 million bushels, and any additional weight in the hold puts the vessels in danger of scraping the riverbed. However, a mere extra 5' in depth allows a ship to squeeze in 2.9 million bushels, at a small increase in transport costs.
Read MoreWhile the U.S. continues to maintain being the primary trading partner with Central American and Caribbean neighbors, heightened Chinese economic engagement with those neighbors concerns several Congressional members. Over a dozen representatives sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai asking for immediate attention to the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party in both Latin America and the Caribbean trade and economic development.
Read MoreSoybean exports for the 2021-22 season did not get off to the best of starts with Hurricane Ida ravaging the Louisiana Gulf Coast and causing significant damage to both humans as well as residential and commercial properties in early September.
Several export facilities were closed for a period of time with Cargill’s Reserve elevator perhaps incurring the worst damage. September is of course, a critical month for the ramping up of U.S. corn/soybean exports and re-building the pipeline. Various reports suggested that as much as 45-50% of the Gulf’s export capacity was impaired for the month.
Read MoreFinancial Times writers Demetri Sevastopulo and Ryan McMorrow reported on Thursday that, “Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to hold a virtual summit this year, in the first sign of improving relations between the countries since the US president took office.
Read MoreMonday, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai announced the Biden Administration’s plans for a new approach to the U.S.-China relationship, including enforcement of the U.S.-China Phase One Agreement that was signed in January 2020. A series of upcoming bilateral discussions amongst trade negotiators will be scheduled.
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