Ethanol Report from Export Exchange 2018

There was a special focus on the ethanol co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) at the fifth biennial Export Exchange held this past week in Minneapolis. The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) began organizing this event in 2010 with the help of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to bring together international buyers and domestic sellers of U.S. feedgrains and ethanol …

Export Exchange 2018

Export Exchange is a biennial educational and trade forum for U.S. feed grains that hosts international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products from 35 around countries to meet with U.S. suppliers and service providers across the value chain. The event is co-sponsored by the U.S. Grains Council, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), and Growth Energy. Held in Minneapolis, Minnesota …

President Says USMCA is Victory for Farmers

President Donald Trump announced the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) during a Rose Garden press conference Monday. During his remarks, he talked about how the agreement benefits U.S. farmers. This new deal is an especially great victory for our farmers. Our farmers have gone through a lot over the last 15 years. They’ve been taken advantage of by everybody. Prices have …

Preview of Export Exchange 2018

Around 500 attendees from at least 38 countries are expected to be at Export Exchange 2018, coming up October 22-24 in Minneapolis. The event, which brings together international buyers and U.S. sellers of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), was started in 2019 by the U.S. Grains Council and the Renewable Fuels Association. In this edition of The Ethanol Report …

USDA Announces Trade Disruption Relief for Farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take several actions to assist farmers negatively impacted by recent trade actions. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. Specifically, …

Reaction to Presidential Trade Tariff Actions

Following action by President Trump yesterday to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese imports, China is making its list of what U.S. products will be the target of retaliation. The list reportedly includes agricultural products such as U.S. pork, modified ethanol, wine, fruits and nuts, and soybeans are expected to be as well. U.S. Grains Council (USGC) …

Study Shows Foreign Competitors Increase Investment In Developing Ag Exports While U.S. Lags Behind

The latest analysis of foreign export promotion program investment shows that several competing countries and the European Union spent close to $1 billion in public funds on agricultural export promotion in 2016, outspending the United States 4 to 1. That is an increase of 70 percent in real competitive public spending since 2011*. U.S. public funding for the two largest …

White Paper Explores Opportunities for U.S. Ag in Cuba

Two leading advocates for normalizing trade with Cuba announced the release of a new white paper, Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture in Cuba: A White Paper, that examines how 16 farm states could benefit if the U.S. repeals longstanding restrictions on food sales to the island nation. The paper was produced by Cuba Trade Magazine and the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for …

Ag Export Coalition Urges More Funding for Programs

More than 120 members of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports are urging leaders of the House Committee on Agriculture to increase funding for USDA export promotion programs in the new farm bill. The coalition ssent a letter asking them to increase funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) to $400 million annually and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) …

GROWMARK and COFCO Announce Grain Partnership

A new grain partnership was created on Friday between agricultural cooperative GROWMARK, Inc. and global supply chain agribusiness COFCO International Limited (CIL) providing a direct link from farmers in the Midwest to the global marketplace, and China in particular. The partnership includes joint ownership and operation of the barge, truck, and rail terminal at Cahokia, Ill., with frontage on the …

2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange

U.S. soybean farmers meet the international buyers responsible for purchasing the 60% of soybeans exported from the U.S. each year during the 2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange. The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and Midwest Shippers Association (MDA) hosted the 5th annual conference Aug. 15-17 at Omaha’s CenturyLink Center. Over 250 international buyers representing more than 50 countries and …

Historic Chinese Agreement to Help U.S. Rice

History was made this week when an agreement permitting US rice exports to China was signed during bi-lateral trade meetings held in Washington DC. An inspection of US rice mills and packaging facilities by the Chinese phytosanitary authorities is the next step to take place. The first exports to China will take several months but will provide a boost to …

Brazil Holds Off On US Ethanol Tariffs

Brazil’s Chamber of Foreign Trade (CAMEX) has postponed a decision on whether to reinstate tariffs on U.S. ethanol until next month. Brazilian sugarcane and ethanol producer associations had proposed reinstating the ethanol import tariffs following a recent surge in shipments coming in from the United States. Brazil was the top destination for U.S. ethanol in March, according to RFA, with …

Canadian Trade Policy Delivers Blow to Wisconsin Dairies

Over 70 Wisconsin dairy operations are already feeling the blow from a protectionist Canadian trade policy that has slammed the door on American dairy exports, violated existing trade commitments, and left farmers across the state scrambling to find milk buyers. Grassland Dairy Products Inc. informed over 70 operations this week that their contracts with the company will end May 1st, …

Talk about Ethanol Exports at #Grains17

Exports of U.S. ethanol and distillers feed co-products were a big topic at the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) 14th International Marketing Conference & 57th Annual Membership Meeting in Panama City, Panama and USGC president and CEO Tom Sleight says the export picture is changing but still positive for both. In this interview with AgWired reporter Lizzy Schultz, Sleight also talks …