Secretary Perdue Statement on USMCA Agreement

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced agreement on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): 

“USMCA is a big win for American workers and the economy, especially for our farmers and ranchers. The agreement improves virtually every component of the old NAFTA, and the agriculture industry stands to gain significantly,” said Secretary Perdue. “President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer are laying the foundation for a stronger farm economy through USMCA and I thank them for all their hard work and perseverance to get the agreement across the finish line. While I am very encouraged by today’s breakthrough...

Retail Imports Surged in November Ahead of December Tariffs

Volume at the nation’s major container ports bumped up significantly in November as retailers imported merchandise ahead of new tariffs set to take effect this month, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“At this point, holiday merchandise is already in the country, so the direct impact of new tariffs won’t be seen until the season is over,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Nonetheless, tariffs are bad for both consumer and business confidence, and we hope that the December tariffs will be canceled or postponed as a sign of good faith. We need a deal with China as soon as possible so we can...

China Fuels October Pork Exports; Beef Exports Down from Last Year

Strong demand from China bolstered U.S. pork exports in October, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Export Federation (USMEF), while October beef exports were below the very high totals posted a year ago.

October pork exports increased 8.5% year-over-year to 225,376 metric tons (mt), while export value climbed 10% to $592 million. January-October export volume was 5% ahead of last year’s pace at 2.13 million mt, while value increased 3% to $5.48 billion.

Pork export value averaged $48.13 per head slaughtered in October, up 4% from a year ago. For January through October, the per-head average was...

Rabobank: Global Beef Trade Into the 2020s

Global Beef Trade Continues to Grow

Global beef trade has continued to grow over the last five years, fueled by growing import demand, and supported by trade agreements and improved access to new and existing markets. This growing demand, seen predominantly in Asian markets, is illustrated in the latest Rabobank World Beef Map, which shows a heavy concentration of trade flows into Asia.

Rabobank believes that beef trade will continue to rise over the next five years, supported by strong importer demand. African swine fever (ASF) will provide a short-term, intense increase in demand, but strong fundamentals of increasing wealth and changing diets in Asian countries support ongoing demand for protein. To meet this growth in demand, we believe production and beef exports will also...

USMEF Statement on Approval of U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement

On Dec. 4, the Upper House of the Japanese Parliament approved the U.S.-Japan trade agreement, which will greatly improve access for U.S. red meat in Japan. Key provisions of the agreement, which was approved by Japan’s Lower House on Nov. 19, were released in October by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued this statement:

With the U.S.-Japan trade agreement now approved by the Japanese Parliament, the U.S. beef and pork industries look forward to expanded opportunities in Japan, which is already the largest value destination for U.S. pork and beef exports (combined export value in 2018 was $3.7 billion). This agreement is one of the...

Retailers Say Extending Trade War Past 2020 Elections Would Be ‘Bad Deal’ for U.S. Economy

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French in response to President Trump’s comments that he might wait until after the 2020 elections to reach a trade agreement with China:

“We want and need to see a deal as soon as possible. The tariffs continue to hurt U.S. businesses, workers and consumers and are a substantial drag on the U.S. economy. Waiting another year to resolve the cost and uncertainty of the trade war is a bad deal not just for retailers and their customers but every segment of the economy from farmers who export their crops to...

USMEF Statement on European Parliament’s Approval of U.S.-EU Beef Access Agreement

On Nov. 28, the European Parliament voted to approve a plan granting the United States a country-specific share of the European Union’s duty-free high-quality beef quota. The agreement, which was signed and announced in August, is detailed in this press release from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

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

Approval by the European Parliament keeps this agreement on track for implementation in early 2020, which is...

Rabobank Beef Quarterly Q4 2019: Strong Demand to Test Supply in 2020

Beef will see a continuation of strong import demand from China in 2020, according to Rabobank’s Beef Quarterly for Q4 2019.

Report Summary

Strong demand will be the driving force in the global beef market in 2020, while beef production will experience slow growth.

“Although beef is not strictly a fungible product, demand and supply pressures will cause a redistribution of product among markets. Market participants will need to be vigilant for any...

U.S. Pork Can Reduce Overall U.S. Trade Deficit with China by Nearly Six Percent

Securing zero-tariff access to China for U.S. pork would be an economic boon for American agriculture and the country, according to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). Based on an analysis by Iowa State University (ISU) Economist Dermot Hayes, NPPC says unrestricted access to the Chinese chilled and frozen market would reduce the overall trade deficit with China by nearly six percent and generate 184,000 new U.S. jobs in the next decade. NPPC today launched a digital campaign to spotlight the importance of opening the Chinese market to U.S. pork as trade negotiations continue.

“Were it not for China’s tariffs that are severely limiting access to American goods and other restrictions, including customs clearance delays, U.S. pork could be an economic powerhouse, creating thousands of new jobs, expanding sales and dramatically slashing our nation’s trade deficit. China’s actions would...

FSIS Releases List of 172 Poultry Plants Approved to Export to China 

Since China has announced it will lift its ban on imports of all U.S. poultry products, 172 U.S. poultry processing plants have been approved to export to China. The list of processing plants has been published on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service portal. United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer stated that China is an important export market for America's poultry farmers, and estimates indicate that more than $1 billion worth of poultry and poultry products will be exported to China each year.

Find the complete list from the FSIS here...

ANALYSIS: All Eyes on the West

With China once again opening their door to US poultry imports, we thought it would be a great opportunity to take a step back to assess the performance of legs and leg quarters throughout the years...

Rabobank: Supply Slide Saves Grounded Demand

Agricultural commodities were heavily impacted by trade wars, African swine fever, and erratic weather in 2019. According to the RaboResearch report "Outlook 2020: Supply Slide Saves Grounded Demand," many of these factors will remain key for agri commodity prices in 2020.

In 2019, agri commodity markets were impacted by several unprecedented incidents and uncommonly severe conditions. China's hog herd declined significantly, as a result of African swine fever (ASF). This drastically weakened demand for feed and, combined with the US-China trade war, resulted in a significant slowdown in the global soybean trade.

Meanwhile, record US corn- and soybean-planting delays drove corn prices from three-year lows to six-year highs within a few weeks. Then, improved...

United States and South Korea Reach Agreement on Guaranteed Market Access for American Rice

United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue are pleased to announce that the Trump Administration has reached an agreement with the government of South Korea on market access for U.S. rice.

Under the agreement, Korea will provide access for 132,304 tons of U.S. rice annually, with an annual value of approximately $110 million. Korea also agreed to important disciplines to ensure transparency and predictability around the tendering and auctioning for U.S. rice.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, this agreement gives our farmers the largest volume of guaranteed market access for rice in Korea that...

US and China Could Sign ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal Before Christmas, Pimco Predicts

A “phase one” trade deal between the U.S. and China could be finalized and signed before Christmas this year, according to an executive from bond investment giant Pimco.

Optimism that such an agreement could be reached between the two countries faded in recent days following reports that Washington and Beijing remained far apart on several issues. A Chinese government source told CNBC’s Eunice Yoon on Monday that China is troubled after U.S. President Donald Trump said he hasn’t agreed to roll back tariffs.

But John Studzinski, managing director and vice chairman of Pimco, said on Tuesday that he still thinks the two sides would...

ANALYSIS: Deciphering Chicken Dark Meat

News of China lifting its five-year ban on U.S poultry and therefore granting access to more than a billion dollars’ worth of potential export business for chicken and chicken products is making the rounds...

American Poultry Farmers Regain Access to China 

Today, China has announced it will lift its ban on imports of all U.S. poultry products. China has banned all U.S. poultry since January 2015 due to an avian influenza outbreak in December 2014, even though the United States has been free of the disease since August 2017. The United States is the world's second largest poultry exporter, with global exports of poultry meat and products of $4.3 billion last year.

According to an Urner Barry chicken analysis, China was the number two trade partner with the U.S. poultry industry before the ban. Prior to the ban, China was pulling in about 195.7 thousand metric tons of U.S. chicken annually. Of that tonnage, approximately 77.7 thousand metric tons were...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Export Volume Continues to Outpace 2018

Despite a 6.06 million-pound decline in total turkey export volume from the month prior, September marks the sixth consecutive month of YoY advancements in overall export tonnage...

Rabobank's Global Protein Outlook for 2020

In 2020, global animal protein faces an uncertain world, but opportunities can still be found. African swine fever dominates the outlook, having generated unprecedented change in 2019 – and we expect more in 2020. Trade disputes and sustainability are other notable challenges in the global animal protein complex. But there are also opportunities in global animal protein, such as recovery from ASF, winning on sustainability, and investing to secure ongoing trade flows.

Global Summary

African swine fever (ASF) overwhelms the outlook for 2020 – as it has done during 2019 – and will pull down overall growth, as well as bring uncertainty to...

USMEF Elects New Officer Team, Examines Trade Challenges

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) concluded its Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, Ariz., with the election of new officers. Cevin Jones, a cattle feeder from Eden, Idaho, was elected USMEF chair. He succeeds Iowa pork producer Conley Nelson.

“My first involvement with USMEF was when I was marketing chair with the Idaho Cattle Association,” recalled Jones, who along with his brother operates Intermountain Beef, a custom feedlot. “As part of my duties I would go to national conventions where USMEF staff and leadership shared information about their work in international markets. This was a tremendous eye-opener. I valued the importance of export markets then, but value them even more today.”

Jones became president of the Idaho Cattle Association in November 2003, shortly before one of the most disruptive events in the history of the U.S. beef industry...

Retail Imports to See Final Tariff-Driven Surge of the Year

Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to see their final surge of the year this month ahead of new tariffs set to take effect in December, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Retailers are highly competitive, but the ability to compete has been challenging this year because of the uncertainty of the trade war and continued tariff escalation,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Retailers are encouraged by reports that China and the United States have agreed to remove at least some of the existing tariffs once a ‘phase one’ deal is signed. We are eager to see concrete evidence that the trade war is coming to an end with...

September Beef Export Volume Steady with 2018; Pork Exports Higher Year-over-Year

September exports of U.S. beef were steady with last year in volume but export value trended lower, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Pork exports were above year-ago levels in September but pulled back from the large totals posted in June, July and August.

September beef exports totaled 109,799 metric tons (mt), essentially even with last year, valued at $661.3 million (down 4%). Through the first three quarters of the year, beef exports were 2% below last year’s record pace in both volume (991,325 mt) and value...

NPPC Launches 'Pork O' Clock' to Highlight Importance of USMCA Agreement 

Today, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) launched a dynamic new campaign, “It’s Pork O’ Clock Somewhere,” to highlight the importance and benefits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement. The campaign focuses on pork and the many ways it’s enjoyed across North America.

“Ratification of USMCA is the top priority for U.S. pork producers and there is no better way to highlight its importance than a campaign that illustrates how pork is enjoyed across United States, Canada and Mexico,” said David Herring, NPPC president and a pork producer in Lillington, N.C. “A USMCA agreement provides much-needed market certainty for U.S. pork producers, ensuring...

Western Hemisphere Ag Leaders Unite in Support of Science-Based Standards 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney issued the following statement following the Inter-American Board of Agriculture’s (IABA) endorsement last week of a resolution emphasizing the need for science-based agricultural regulations to facilitate global agricultural trade.

“We have an opportunity to support the agricultural producers in the Western Hemisphere – and across the world – by committing to science-based standards and policies that ensure the quality and safety of our food while also facilitating international trade. I’m pleased that we’ve come together as neighbors across the hemisphere in support of this resolution, which lays a foundation for continued cooperation that will...

Secretary Perdue Leads USDA Trade Mission to Mexico

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will lead a trade mission to Mexico November 6-8 to forge new opportunities with U.S. agriculture’s largest bilateral trading partner and second-largest export market. Currently, Mexico is the number one export market for U.S. corn, dairy, poultry and eggs, sugar and sweeteners, distillers dried grains, and rice. The country also ranks among the top destinations for an assortment of processed foods and beverages, as well as other products including soybeans, beef, pork, wheat, fruits, and vegetables. Agricultural exports from the United States to Mexico totaled $19 billion in 2018, with export growth seeing a 23% increase between 2008 and 2018. These numbers prove opportunity for more trade growth between Mexico and the United States. The Secretary will be joined by Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney and more than...

ANALYSIS: China Trade Talks Suggest a Light is at the End of the Tunnel

Current trade discussions between the US and China stand to benefit the US poultry industry which has been unable to export to China since 2015...

Strong Performance of EU Agri-Food Exports Continues in August 2019

The value of the EU’s agri-food exports in August 2019 reached €12.07 billion, marking a rise of 5.6% compared to August 2018. As the value of imports decreased by 0.2% to €9.14 billion, the agri-food trade surplus for August stood at €2.93 billion, a 29% increase in the positive trade balance compared to last year’s figures. These are some of the main findings of the monthly trade report for August 2019, published today by the European Commission.

Comparing the monthly export values of August 2019 with August 2018, the highest increases were recorded for China (up €283 million), the USA (a rise of €192 million), and Japan (an increase of €69 million). However, significant falls were recorded in...

Pig Feet from Britain to be Shipped to China

Six sites in Britain have been given official approval to export pig feet to China in a new agreement announced today.

Exports will be able to commence shortly after the sites – five in England and one in Scotland – were confirmed to meet Chinese requirements.

It will be the first time these sites in Britain, which belong to Cranswick, Karro and Tulip, have exported pig feet to China. While pig feet have relatively low demand in the UK, they are prized in the Chinese market.

The news comes just days after the government announced beef from the UK will be exported to...

Beef Exports from Ireland to China Resume 

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, today announced that following the Chinese audit of beef plants last month, 14 further beef plants have been approved from today to export to the Chinese market.

Minister Creed said, "I am delighted that all of the beef plants which were audited in September have now been approved by the Chinese Authorities." There are now no outstanding plant applications.

He said, "This is the strongest endorsement possible of Irish food safety standards, we were the first country in western Europe to achieve access to the Chinese market and now it is clear that...

Retailers Welcome Progress on Trade, say Administration has Listened to Concerns

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French after the Trump administration announced that a scheduled tariff hike from 25 percent to 30 percent on $250 billion worth of goods from China will not take place next week as negotiators finalize a tentative trade deal.

“Retailers are encouraged by the progress made between the United States and China and are pleased that the administration has listened to the concerns of the business community as the trade war takes an increasing toll on the American economy. The decision to delay planned tariff hikes is...

National Turkey Federation Testifies on Capitol Hill 

Today, Ron Kardel, Vice Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Capitol Hill. Kardel updated the Committee on the state of the turkey industry, including topics such as exports, disease prevention and response, immigration, and research concerns. Kardel began with thanking the Committee for the opportunity, informing those at the hearing that there were more than 244 million turkeys raised in the United States last year. Kardel added that the USDA projects 5.8 billion pounds of turkey production to take place this year. The turkey industry generates 441,000 jobs, and in order to support these jobs, Kardel explained that policies coming out of Washington must maintain America's ability to thrive. Kardel spoke on behalf of the turkey industry when he expressed the anticipation of working with Congress and the Committee to address these issues.

Kardel mentioned the importance of exports to the turkey industry, stating that expanded trade would lead to significant growth and reducing uncertainty is imperative. Therefore, Kardel strongly urged Congress to pass the USMCA this fall, as this should not be a partisan issue. Kardel mentioned that the turkey industry has a fantastic relationship with...