CME Group Announces Trading Hours for U.S. National Day of Mourning to Honor Former President Carter 

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, has announced that it will honor the passing of former President Jimmy Carter by implementing an early close for agricultural, equity and interest rate markets on the National Day of Mourning on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

U.S. equity markets will be open until 8:30 a.m. CT on January 9. All U.S. equity options expiring on January 9 will be moved to expire on January 8.

Interest rates and agricultural markets... 

USMEF Explores Market Potential in Morocco During USDA Trade Mission

Risk mitigation and an underdeveloped supply-chain are among the market development challenges in this vital distribution hub for western Africa.

USMEF was among the 50 ag companies and organizations that recently visited Morocco during a trade mission hosted by USDA. Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley led the delegation, which participated in business-to-business meetings, met with Moroccan government officials, studied transportation logistics and visited retail and foodservice outlets in Casablanca. USMEF Africa Representatives Matt Copeland and Monty Brown, and USMEF Director of Trade Analysis Jessica Spreitzer... 

USDA Imposes Animal Import Restrictions on Belize Due to Screwworm Threat

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a statement on January 7, 2025 regarding live animals originating from or transiting Belize.

Based on the confirmation of New World screwworm in cattle, restrictions have been imposed, effective January 3, 2025 until further notice on the importation of animal commodities.

The restriction omits the importation of dogs who carry a certificate confirming the animal has been inspected for screwworm within 5 days prior to its shipment to...

Impact of the EU-Mercosur Agreement on EU Beef Market

After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, reached a landmark free-trade and cooperation agreement on December 6, 2024. In 2023, EU agri-food exports to Mercosur totalled €3.2 billion, and the new EU-Mercosur Free-Trade Agreement aims to substantially increase these exports by removing high tariffs on key EU export products. The following article examines the potential impact of the deal on the beef market...

Deep Global Recession May Start in Spring 2025, Warns Expana

The global economy today shows some parallels to past pre-recession periods. A world PMI below 50, elevated asset prices, for instance, are indicators of a slowdown in business activity.  

Furthermore, rising tariffs, protectionist policies, or geopolitical disruptions could exacerbate trade slowdowns. Consumer spending is also paramount since it accounts for a significant portion of GDP. Monitoring retail sales, credit card usage, and savings rates will be critical.   

With the global economy facing a myriad of challenges and uncertainties, the likelihood of a recession...

USMEF Partners with Sam’s Club on U.S. Beef Training and Promotion in China

U.S. beef played a prominent role in the recent grand opening of Sam’s Club’s 50th retail outlet in China. In addition to sampling and promotions during grand opening events, U.S. beef was featured the previous day at a special promotional event. To publicize the freshness of chilled U.S. beef available at the store, USMEF livestreamed the fabrication of a chilled U.S. beef carcass (see section at page bottom)...

Culinary Training Programs for U.S. Beef and Pork Continue at Caribbean Event

USMEF led a team of 16 culinary school instructors and training “ambassadors” from the Caribbean region to Miami last month to participate in training sessions and attend the Taste of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF). Taste of the Caribbean, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) annual culinary showcase of top young chefs, provides a forum for food and beverage professionals to gather practical information, develop skills, sample and purchase products, and strengthen supplier relationships while meeting new vendors...

ASEAN Customers Study U.S. Pork and Beef in Trend-Setting Korea

To expand the range of U.S. pork and beef cuts in the ASEAN, USMEF led retail and foodservice teams to Korea to study how U.S. red meat is utilized.

Characterized by the growth of single-person households and growing demand for quality and convenience, the Korean food industry has invested heavily in new product development and has become an innovator in its uses of U.S. pork and beef. USMEF recently brought teams of retail and foodservice customers from the ASEAN region to Korea to study new products...

Philippines Surpasses China in Brazilian Pork Imports as Sector Hits Record Shipment Revenues

The Philippines has emerged as Brazil's largest export market for pork in 2024 with 206,000 tonnes shipped between January and October, a 103% year-on-year increase, displacing China as the top importer who, during the same period purchased 199,900 tonnes, down 41% according to The Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA).

In October 2024, Brazil's pork exports, including fresh and processed products, reached 130,900 tonnes, representing the second-highest monthly total in the industry’s history and a 41% increase from the 93,000 tonnes...

ANALYSIS: Uruguay’s Beef Exports See 11.3% Monthly Rise in October, Yet Decline 11.9% Y-o-Y

In October 2024, Uruguay’s fresh beef exports reached 28,512 MT, based on the latest data from the Uruguayan National Customs Directorate. This is 11.3% higher than the previous month and marks a 11.9% drop Y-o-Y. On a YTD basis, cumulative exports now stand at 292,422 MT, up by 2.2% compared to the same period last year. Uruguay’s annual performance indicates resilience in export volumes, with exporters adjusting destination strategies in response to fluctuating demand and price conditions...

Trump's Return Could Spark Major Shifts in Agri-Food Trade

Donald Trump secured a victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election on November 5, marking a return to leadership that could bring sweeping changes to the agricultural commodities markets.

With a second term, Trump’s decisions could pave the way for notable shifts within trade policy, foreign relations and regulatory approaches.

At Expana’s Agri-Food Americas conference in Chicago last month, Alex Kazan, Partner and Geopolitical Co-Lead, Brunswick Group explained the massive impact the 2024 election would have on agricultural markets...

2024 Presidential Election Poised to Reshape U.S. Commodity Markets

As the 2024 Presidential Election quickly approaches, industry stakeholders are closely watching how the outcome could impact commodity markets, which are sensitive to shifts in policy and federal regulations.

When the new president takes office, businesses and consumers may see changes to key issues like trade and foreign policy. Stay tuned to Expana for continuous updates on how the election may affect agricultural and industrial markets.

Presidential Impact on International Trade

Changes in U.S. trade relations could either strengthen or disrupt markets for agricultural exports...

Understanding the Global Cattle Cycle's Role in Shifting Beef Trade and Prices

The Global beef cattle market is characterized by an interplay of cyclical trends, external pressures, and strategic management decisions across key regions. This whitepaper outlines the current state of the cattle industry in six major areas- the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico- highlighting key findings related to production, market pressures, and the potential outlook. As forces like weather, the economy, and trade dynamics shape the global beef landscape, industry stakeholders can stay ahead of the... 

ANALYSIS: China’s Sept 2024 Meat Imports Slump 4.3% M-o-M; Ends Two-Month Growth Streak

China’s total meat imports, including variety meats fell in September 2024, amounting to 540,543 metric tonnes (mt), according to the latest preliminary figures from the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China. 

On a monthly basis, imports slipped 4.3% (-24,559 mt), partially affected by the shorter working month due to the observance of the Mid-Autumn festivities. 

Annually, imports plummeted by 9.2% (-54,457 mt) in September, marking the eighth consecutive month since the start of the year...

ANALYSIS: Chicken Export Volumes in August

Total chicken exports were up 3.5% from July to August, compared to a 5-year average month-over-month (MoM) change of 4.6%. Of the twenty countries listed in the USDA’s monthly import/export report, thirteen of them had increased MoM export volumes in August, but only seven of them were up year-over-year (YoY). This aligns with the year-long trend of lower export volumes in which the current year-to-date (YTD) value of 4.4 billion lbs. is -8.6% lower YoY and is...

ANALYSIS: US Pork Exports Rise 6.2% Year-Over-Year in August, Led by Central & South American Gains

On Wednesday, the USDA released their August import/export trade data. The latest report reveals mixed results for U.S. pork exports in August. While overall exports saw a slight decline of 1.1% compared to July, they continued to increase by 6.2% year-over-year.

Notable success was achieved in Central America, where exports surged by 5.9% from the previous month and a remarkable 31.3% from last year, driven by strong demand in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, and Guatemala...

Brazil Pork Exports Grow 7.3% in September

Brazil's pork export volume for September 2023 reached 120,400 tonnes, a 7% increase year-on-year, according to data from the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA). This marks the second-highest monthly export volume on record, following July 2023’s peak of 138,300 tonnes.

Export revenue rose at an even faster pace, jumping 16% to US $284 million, compared to $245 million in the same month last year. This is also the second-best revenue figure in history. The rise in average...

USMEF Statement on East and Gulf Coast Port Announcement

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) have released a joint statement announcing an end – at least temporarily – to the work stoppage that shut down East and Gulf Coast ports earlier this week.

U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement:

On behalf of USMEF’s member companies and organizations, I want to thank all parties involved in the effort to get cargo moving again off the East and Gulf Coasts. This is a tremendous relief to everyone...

The Retail Rundown:  Port Strike Sends Shockwaves Throughout Supply Chain 

The strike at East and Gulf Coast ports officially began once the calendar turned to October, following unsuccessful contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).

The strike's impact is being felt throughout the supply chain, causing significant disruptions in the flow of goods ahead of the rapidly approaching holiday season. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, USMX stated that its current offer includes a nearly 50% wage increase. In response, ILA said it has rejected USX's offer "because it fails to address...

Dockworker Strike Highlights Importance of Food Independence

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the impact of the East Coast dockworker strike.

“America is bracing for the impact of the massive dockworker strike that threatens to paralyze traffic of goods in and out of the United States. Our nation relies on international trade for everything from electronics to machinery.

“Families also count on the import of food like bananas, coffee and specialty items, including chocolates and European beer. While there is a risk of shortages of some items...

Hurricane Helene Intensifies U.S. Agriculture Disruptions As Port Strike Officially Starts

Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region on September 26, 2024. The storm caused widespread destruction across the southeastern U.S., with the death toll approaching 125 as of this writing. 

Its damaging winds, storm surge, and flooding led to power outages and infrastructure damage in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas–with the Carolinas seemingly suffering the greatest impacts. Parts of North Carolina are submerged under water, where roads have been washed out and properties have been flattened. As of October 1...

Biden-Harris Administration Delivers Over $26.7 Billion In Market Access for U.S. Agriculture

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that the Biden-Harris Administration has secured over $26.7 billion in agricultural market access across the globe for America’s farmers, ranchers, fishers, and food manufacturers. Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack have worked to ensure American agriculture can reach global markets and customers around the world...

ANALYSIS: Mexico’s Livestock Trade Deficit Persists Amid Volatile USD:MXD

The Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA) reported that Mexico's livestock trade balance remains in deficit, driven by increasing domestic prices that spurred record beef and pork imports. Between January and July 2024, meat imports totaled 1.67 million tonnes, a 6.3% increase from the same period in 2023.

Homero García de la Llata, president of Mexicos National Confederation of Livestock Organizations (CNOG), pointed out that several problems and weaknesses are affecting livestock farming in Mexico. These include low productivity, limited financing, and a lack of innovation and technology....