Leaders of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and state corn organizations held a news conference Wednesday morning to urge the Trump Administration and members of Congress to finish the job on outstanding trade and ethanol issues important to corn farmers. The past year has presented a perfect storm of challenges for America’s corn farmers. While there have been positive …
Ethanol to Benefit From Japan Trade Agreement
President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Abe signed a trade deal Wednesday worth billions for U.S. agricultural producers. Under the market access agreement, Japan will open the market to approximately $7 billion in American agricultural exports, eliminating or significantly lowering tariffs for U.S. beef, pork, poultry, wheat, cheese, wine, certain nuts and berries, cherries, ethanol, and more. “So it’s …
GROWMARK Urges Congress to Ratify USMCA
Because GROWMARK is a farmer-owned cooperative, its priorities reflect the interests of its farmer members, and right now that number one priority is trade in general and the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) in particular. “Having the assurance of the United States Mexico Canada trade agreement passed will be an ultimate priority, hopefully it won’t go much past October,” said …
Farmers for Free Trade Rally for USMCA
Farmers for Free Trade brought its #MotorcadeForTrade to Washington D.C. Thursday to highlight the importance of ag trade with Canada and Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that Congress will consider to upgrade NAFTA. Members of Congress and farm leaders discussed how USMCA provides farmers with new market access while maintaining a zero-tariff platform, and stressed the need for Congressional …
US and Japan Shake on Trade Deal
During the G-7 summit in France Sunday, President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shook hands on a deal “in principle” that involves agricultural products. “(We) have excess corn in various parts of our country, with our farmers, because China did not do what they said they were going to do,” said President Trump. “And Prime Minister Abe, …
NBB Challenges Argentina Biodiesel Duty Rate Change
The National Biodiesel Board‘s (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition is criticizing a preliminary decision from the Department of Commerce in a “changed circumstances” review of countervailing duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina. According to NBB, the department determined that “Argentina’s recent changes to its export tax regime eliminated certain government subsidies provided to Argentina’s biodiesel producers” which, if finalized, would reduce …
Trump to Visit Iowa Ethanol Plant
President Donald J.Trump will be showing his love for the American farmer again this week as he visits an Iowa ethanol plant to celebrate the easing of summer restrictions on the sale of E15. Trump will be touring Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC (SIRE) in Council Bluffs on Tuesday and will speak to hundreds of farmers and other ethanol industry …
Secretary Perdue Discusses Disaster Aid in Florida
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited Florida and Georgia to participate in roundtable discussions on USMCA and disaster aid signed by President Trump yesterday. At his first stop in Tallahassee, Perdue participated in a short press conference with Governor Ron DeSantis prior to the roundtable. Listen here: USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue presser in Florida on disaster aid
Trump Talks E15 During Trade Announcement
President Donald Trump welcomed representatives from a number of agricultural organizations to the White House Thursday to talk about the $16 billion in trade assistance announced by the administration. “I have directed Secretary Perdue to provide $16 billion in assistance to America’s farmers and ranchers. It all comes from China. We’ll be taking in, over a period of time, hundreds …
USDA Announces More Trade Aid for Farmers
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced several actions that USDA will be taking to assist farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation and trade disruption. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a relief strategy to support American agricultural producers while the Administration continues to work on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more …