Trade
Food, agricultural and allied industry groups yesterday urged the parties involved in a labor dispute that’s affecting food exports that ship out of West Coast ports to resolve their differences as soon as possible.
“The safeguard trigger is obviously not good,” says Gerardo Rodriguez, USMEF regional marketing director. “But this is a result of more interest in finding U.S. pork in Panama.”
The U.S. is well positioned to help fill any additional need that China has for pork, said Joe Schuele, U.S. Meat Export Federation, “but we’d be in a lot better position if we weren’t facing a tariff that’s five times higher than everybody else.”
More than 125 pork producers participated in the Spring Legislative Fly-in to talk trade issues with state and national leaders. Four central priorities remain to get the pork industry free access to foreign markets.
USDA reports live hog prices in January and February averaged below $40 for the first time in over a decade, says Chris Hurt, Purdue University.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross downplayed expectations for an end to U.S.-China trade war when both sides meet in Washington next week.
China continues to deal with an outbreak of African Swine Fever while U.S. agriculture makes preparations to keep it out of the country.
Ask National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Vice President and Counsel Nick Giordano about the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs on U.S. pork and his response is pointed and simple: “ouch!”
I cry during the national anthem almost every time I hear it.
As agriculture faces multiple challenges, USDA’s latest net farm income forecast is masking the reality for farmers. While livestock margins have improved for 2024, high input costs and below breakeven prices for row crops means margins could be the worst in nearly 20 years.
U.S. and Mexican officials are working together on pre-export inspection protocols before resuming live cattle imports into the U.S. The use of sterile flies is also a priority to help control the spread of NWS in Mexico.