National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp this week submitted NCGA’s negotiating objectives for a United States-Japan Trade Agreement to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Japan is the second largest market for U.S. corn exports, and U.S. corn farmers have been a reliable supplier to the market for more than 50 years, according to NCGA. Chrisp says corn farmers have “long counted on Japan” as a leading export market, a market that the industry has spent decades developing. NCGA has been advocating for a formal trade agreement with Japan for years. NCGA’s top priorities for the negotiation are to secure market access for corn amid intensifying competition from other corn suppliers, to improve market access for other corn co-products, and to address technical, sanitary and phytosanitary, and other non-tariff barriers to trade between the parties, allowing for more efficient trade flows.

The long-awaited meeting between President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping (Shee Jihn’-ping) this weekend brings hope of eased trade tensions between the two nations. The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Argentina Saturday as agriculture, and other sectors hope the two reach a ”ceasefire” in the tit-for-tat tariff war. Bloomberg News reports such a truce could at the least delay an escalation of the trade conflict. The Trump administration argues any progress would be the result of the pressure Trump as placed on China, being the $250 billion of tariffs, with the threat of more to come. China has retaliated by targeting U.S. agriculture. China is missing allies for the talks, according to Bloomberg, as Larry Kudlow of the Trump National Economic Council said this week “the rest of the world agrees with us,” regarding China’s trade practices.

An agreement in principle on the farm bill brings the legislation closer to completion, with hopes remaining that Congress can finish the bill this year. The so-called big four of the conference committee announced the agreement Thursday morning. Leaders of the farm bill conference committee, Senators Pat Roberts and Debbie Stabenow, along with Representatives Mike Conaway and Collin Peterson, now wait for cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, along with finalizing language. Before the bill is completed, the conference report must be finalized, and both chambers of Congress must pass the bill by the end of the year. Both the House and Senate plan to adjourn in mid-December, wrapping up a busy lame-duck session. The bill is not expected to include strict work requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to Politico. Lawmakers also confirmed this week requested last-hour changes to the forestry title by the Trump administration will not be included. However, Stabenow suggested those measures be considered outside of the farm bill during the lame-duck session.

The Environmental Protection Agency will not reallocate waived biofuel volumes in 2019. The agency denied a request by the corn and ethanol industries to reallocate any biofuel volumes lost to small refinery waivers next year, according to Reuters. Expansion of the waivers, which were unused under the Bush and Obama administrations, threatens demand for corn and corn-based ethanol. The Renewable Fuel Standard requires oil refiners to blend biofuels each year or purchase blending credits. However, the small refiner waivers exempt any refinery that proves complying with the RFS causes them financial strain. The corn industry points out that some of the world’s largest oil companies have received waivers from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, an EPA official this week also said that the 2019 annual biofuel mandate figures were set to be largely in line with the agency’s June proposal of 19.88 billion gallons.

Members of the Congressional Western Caucus issued a statement condemning obstruction of active fire management policies by Senate Democrats. The statement says the 2018 deadly and destructive wildfire season has further solidified the need for active forest management provisions found in the House-passed farm bill. The group sent a letter to the farm bill conference committee urging the inclusion. However, farm bill conference committee members reported Wednesday afternoon that leadership decided against any sweeping forestry title reforms, which has been the latest hold up in the farm bill debate. More than 52,000 wildfires have burned more than 8.5 million acres this year alone. The caucus, currently comprised of all Republicans, is open to all political parties. Opposition to the House plan has said that active forest management could “devastate forests” and “wipe out plants and animals.”

House and Senate ag leaders announced a farm bill agreement, in principle, Thursday morning. In a joint statement, the so-called big four said: “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve reached an agreement in principle on the 2018 Farm Bill. We are working to finalize legal and report language as well as CBO scores, but we still have more work to do. We are committed to delivering a new farm bill to America as quickly as possible.” The statement includes House Ag Chair Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, along with Senate Ag Chair Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow. Leadership reported Wednesday a deal was close after agreeing not to include sweeping reforms to the forestry title of the bill.