(NAFB)

Four ethanol-state governors are expressing concerns regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard to President Donald Trump. In a letter Monday, the governors of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota, told the president they were concerned about “where the EPA’s proposed implementation of RFS policy is heading,” and its impact on farmers and the rural economy.

The four Republicans urged the president to keep his campaign promises to rural America to support the RFS. The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a request for additional comments on reducing previously finalized volumes required by the RFS program and on using waiver authorities to further reduce biodiesel volumes. The National Biodiesel Board echoed the comments from the letter, saying the latest proposed cuts to the RFS volumes threaten jobs in rural America, along with hurting companies that have invested to comply with the RFS, and undermines energy security goals of the RFS program.

(NAFB) The Environmental Protection Agency last week declared dicamba under it’s “restricted use” category, but a weed scientist from Illinois has doubts the new restrictions will be beneficial. Aaron Hager, a weed scientist and professor at the University of Illinois, told Reuters: “Nothing in these new restrictions addresses volatility, and that’s still an issue.” The EPA said Friday it would classify dicamba as restricted use, limit spray times and required wind conditions, along with requiring detailed record keeping of dicamba use. Under the requirements, certified pesticide applicators, or people under their supervision, will be allowed to spray dicamba in 2018. However, that restriction may not do much to reduce crop damage related to sprayings because many farmers and commercial applicators are already certified, according to experts. Monsanto and BASF, makers of dicamba-based herbicides, welcomed the EPA announcement. Growers across the U.S. said this summer that dicamba affected areas other than where it was sprayed, damaging millions of acres of crops that could not tolerate the herbicides.

Canada and Mexico have both said they are not walking away from the North American Free Trade Agreement following hard-hitting proposals by the United States. However, online source Axios points out that folks on Capitol Hill are starting to ask “when” not “if” President Trump will issue a notice to withdraw from NAFTA.

The U.S. hardball approach on dairy and automotive trade, along with the Buy American initiative, and others, has sources close to the negotiation saying “there’s no chance of a compromise solution,” unless U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer changes tactics.

The White House has not denied that Trump and Lighthizer have discussed the six-month withdrawal notice, but say that doesn’t mean he’s moments away from doing so. Mexico and Canada, meanwhile, are not walking away from the talks, as both sides agree to take part in the negotiations “in good faith,” due to NAFTA’s benefits for both countries.

The U.S. wants to reverse Canada’s dairy supply management system as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation. U.S. negotiators centered on the agriculture chapter of NAFTA over the weekend, and proposed to reverse Canadian dairy pricing program that has undercut certain U.S. dairy exports to Canada.

The text, which demands that Canada eliminates an industry pricing classification that lowered domestic prices for certain milk protein products to the minimum global price, was met with swift pushback, according to Politico.

The proposal, called a “five-page attack” on Canada’s management system, also includes transparency requirements for Canada to report pricing decisions. A labor union representing dairy workers in Canada said the U.S. is “preparing a full assault on Canada’s supply management system.” The U.S. has long protested Canada’s system of tariffs and export limits designed to protect the domestic market, which is not part of the original NAFTA agreement.

(MO Dept. of AG)

On Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an agreement with Monsanto, BASF and DuPont on measures to minimize the potential for off-target movement of Dicamba and further ensure effective use of three pesticides: DuPont’s FeXapan, BASF’s Engenia and Monsanto’s XtendiMax.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is reviewing these requirements as preparations are made for the 2018 growing season. “This announcement gives farmers certainty moving forward as they make seed purchases for the next year,” said Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn. “We will continue to work alongside farmers, researchers, industry partners, and farm and commodity organizations to safeguard these important tools in the best interest of all Missouri agriculture.” The Department is also working with the University of Missouri and other researchers to strengthen education and training specific to Dicamba and other auxin herbicides. The EPA’s announcement specifically addresses new label restrictions for the 2018 growing season for the following registered pesticides:

DuPont FeXapan herbicide plus VaporGrip Technology, EPA Registration Number 352-913;
Engenia Herbicide, EPA Registration Number 7969-345; and
XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology, EPA Registration Number 524-617

To see the full news release from the EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-states-collective-efforts-lead-regulatory-action-dicamba. More detailed information about Dicamba is available at Agriculture.Mo.Gov/dicamba.

(NAFB) The Environmental Protection Agency Friday announced new restrictions for dicamba-based herbicides, classifying dicamba as a restricted-use product. The EPA said that only certified pesticide applicators, or people under their supervision, will be allowed to spray dicamba.

The EPA also is reducing the maximum wind speed and the hours during each day when dicamba may be sprayed, and will require farmers to keep records proving they’re complying with the product label, according to Reuters.

Monsanto says the EPA decision will “ensure farmers have even more success” with dicamba-based herbicides, such as Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System. Thousands of complaints during this growing season, and many last year, of dicamba drifting to neighboring fields not tolerant to the herbicide, prompted the announcement by the EPA.

(NAFB)

Business leaders from the U.S. and Korea are pressing South Korea and the United States to “eliminate the uncertainty” around the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, known as KORUS. The U.S.-Korea Business Council, along with the Korea-U.S. Business Council, issued a joint statement, calling KORUS “a platform to expand bilateral trade.”

President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement and Korea has agreed to a renegotiation effort by the Trump administration. However, the two business councils, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, expressed concern with the discussions, and the “limited consultation with the business community.”

The statement points out the benefits of KORUS to the U.S., noting that Korean tariffs have been reduced or eliminated. U.S. exports of agricultural products such as beef and pork have increased because of the trade agreement.

(Politico)

Vice President Mike Pence is meeting with Japan Monday in Washington. D.C. to talk trade. Politico reports that Pence and Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister will meet for the second round of the U.S.-Japan economic dialogue launched by the Trump administration in the wake of Trump’s decision to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Japan is expected to propose to change its safeguard mechanism on frozen U.S. beef imports to shorten review periods and allow importers to voluntarily lower import volumes to prevent tariffs from automatically kicking in. Japan is currently the fourth largest goods trading partner with the U.S., according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office.

U.S. total exports of agricultural products to Japan totaled $11 billion in 2016. Leading domestic export categories include corn, valued at $2.1 billion, pork products, valued at $1.6 billion, beef products, valued at $1.5 billion, and soybeans, valued at $1 billion.