The Trump administration this week signaled a willingness to provide more trade aid to farmers if needed. However, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says the claims are untrue. While in Iowa, Perdue stated, “I’m afraid that’s not accurate,” adding it could be miscommunication, as reported by the Des Moines Register.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters Monday that the Trump Administration has allocated $12 billion for farmers, and that they “stand ready to do more if necessary.” Perdue has repeatedly ruled out any new trade aid for 2019. The Department of Agriculture this week extended the deadline to certify acres under the Market Facilitation Program to May 17.

The program has already paid producers more than $8 billion for losses that occurred in 2018 as a result of retaliatory tariffs from China. Perdue says the President has not discussed any further trade aid for farmers with him. Talks with China could conclude within the next two weeks, and a possible agreement may be signed in June.

(MODA) Representatives of United States Department of Agriculture and State of Missouri agencies will participate in public meetings May 2 and May 3 in northwestern Missouri to explain various types of flood-recovery assistance available to landowners and units of government.

Dates & Locations

Rock Port, (Atchison County, MO)
Thursday, May 2
1:30 p.m. until 4:15 p.m.
Velma Houts Fair Building, 201 E U.S. Highway 136

Forest City (Holt County, MO)
Friday, May 3
9:00 a.m. until 11:45 a.m.
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, 25542 U.S. Highway 159

Topics & Participating Agencies

Farm Service Agency Assistance Programs
Natural Resources Conservation Service Assistance Programs
Risk Management Agency
Rural Development Assistance Programs
Missouri Department of Agriculture
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
University of Missouri Extension

In comments submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Renewable Fuels Association Monday said it “strongly supports” the year-round E15 proposal. The proposal would extend the Reid Vapor Pressure waiver for fuels blended with 15 percent ethanol year-round. The waiver currently applies to E10 only during the summer months.

According to RFA, the EPA proposal would allow year-round sales of E15 in conventional gasoline markets for the first time, opening the marketplace more broadly to a fuel that provides consumers higher octane, lower cost, and reduced tailpipe emissions. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper says, “President Trump was correct when he called the summertime prohibition on E15 unnecessary and ridiculous.”

However, just 32 days remain before the start of the summer driving season. Cooper says to honor the President’s commitment, EPA must act quickly to complete the rule. RFA’s comments also discouraged EPA from finalizing any of the four proposed Renewable Identification Number market reforms. RFA is concerned that changes may be counterproductive, undermine the efficient operation of the RIN market mechanism.

President Donald Trump promises agriculture will be a focal point in trade talks with Japan. Farmers are hoping a deal with Japan will make up for lost market access after the U.S. withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Japan and TPP-member countries have signed a new agreement now in place, giving other nations reduced tariffs and improved access to Japan, resulting in a decline of U.S. products flowing to Japan.

Before meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week, Trump stated the two would be “discussing very strongly agriculture,” according to Politico. Japan will be seeking market access in return, which could include growing markets for its specialty agricultural products.

The U.S. and Japan earlier this month agreed to accelerated trade talks in hopes of reaching a speedy deal by focusing on agriculture automobile trade. The benefits seen in a new trade deal with Japan are likely to be similar to those agriculture welcomed during the TPP negotiating process.

The Department of Agriculture Monday extended the deadline to May 17 from May 1 for producers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program. The trade relief program payments will be issued only if eligible producers certify acres before the updated May 17 deadline.

Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce says the deadline was moved because rainfall and snowfall have delayed harvests in many parts of the country, preventing producers from certifying acres. The program helps producers who have been significantly affected by foreign tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports, according to USDA.

MFP provides payments to producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, hogs, fresh sweet cherries and shelled almonds. To date, more than $8.3 billion has been paid to nearly 600,000 applicants. Producers can certify production by contacting their local FSA office or through farmers.gov.

Ag industry lobbyists tell Politico that the industry appears to have come together to reach consensus on a potential fix to the shortage in farm labor. The lobbyists tell Politico that the potential fix would give workers a path to legalization for farm laborers currently in the country. It would also expand the H-2A foreign guest worker program to help make it easier for farmers to find the help they need to run their operations.

Multiple lobbyists say those are the two elements that would help the potential fix win support from all segments of agriculture. Different segments of agriculture have been sharply divided in recent years on how to fix the labor shortage. Ag groups that lobby in Congress say organizations ranging from fruits and vegetables to dairy are more together on the issue than they’ve ever been in the past.

Lawmakers, who return this week from Easter break, are in the beginning stages of negotiating legislation. Discussions in the House will likely pick up steam soon. “We’re hopeful for some sort of grand bargain and that our labor needs are addressed,” says Nick Giordano, VP of Government Affairs for the NPPC. “However, we know the odds are long.”

U.S. Grains Council staff members recently made a long trip to Saudi Arabia with the goal of promoting sorghum and other products to buyers and other end-users in the country. As the Saudi government continues to revise its subsidy rates, that could lead to more opportunities for U.S. sorghum or corn imports used for animal feed.

Saudi Arabia purchased 11 million bushels of U.S. sorghum last year, as well as 16.5 million gallons of ethanol. Roughly 80 percent of the country’s poultry market is controlled by 15 farms and 85 percent of the Saudi dairy market is controlled by nine farms. An increasing number of animal feed rations in both industries are coming from imports.

The USDA’s Ag Trade Promotion Program is also expanding engagement for potential customers by promoting sorghum and DDGs in Saudi Arabia. Large Saudi importers and end-users will be traveling to a buyer’s conference in Europe this summer. Looking for feed supplies doesn’t end there as a team of Saudi buyers and end-users will also likely travel to the United States this fall.

House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson of Minnesota is leading a trade mission to Central and South America. The Hagstrom Report says the delegation is scheduled to make stops in Brazil, Argentina, and Honduras. They’ll meet with agriculture leaders from the public and private sectors of each country.

Patrick Delaney, the committee’s communications coordinator, says discussions will include the effects of the changes in U.S. trade policy. “This includes what openings the administration’s trade war has created for our competition in those countries,” Delaney says, “as well as how Chinese investment has increased the competitive capacity of South American producers.” Other discussions will cover ag trade issues that are important to each country.

In Honduras, the delegation members will meet with American service members stationed in that country. Peterson says Trump Administration officials had encouraged him to include that particular stop in Honduras. Delaney didn’t provide the names of other trade delegation members, preferring to leave it up to each member to discuss the trip when they return to the U.S.