A new poll released by the Pew Research Center says American’s view of the North American Free Trade Agreement is more negative than other NAFTA partner countries. The research shows that about half of U.S. citizens say the trade agreement is good for the U.S., while 76 percent of Canadians say the agreement is good for Canada. Meanwhile, 60 percent of Mexicans call the agreement good for Mexico. The research indicates that the differences in views may in part reflect the fact that both Canada and Mexico run merchandise trade surpluses with the U.S. In 2016, the U.S. ran a collective $74 billion trade goods deficit with its two NAFTA partners. Political partisanship is linked to views of NAFTA, most notably in the U.S. About two-thirds, 68 percent, of Democrats see NAFTA as good for the U.S., while only 30 percent of Republicans hold the same view. However, public support for NAFTA is somewhat higher today than it was in 2005, the last time Pew Research Center and Gallup regularly polled about the agreement.

Canada is exploring retaliatory options after the Donald Trump administration announced tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber last month. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is exploring ways to push back against the United States, although what options Canada is considering remain unclear. A trade official from Canada called the move normal, according to Politico. The remarks came after Trudeau over the weekend said he is considering “carefully and seriously” a request from British Columbia Premier Christy Clark to ban U.S. shipments of thermal coal through Canadian West Coast ports. The U.S. softwood tariff was an indirect response to a change in dairy policy that impacted U.S. dairy exports to Canada.

ASA and Valent USA are pleased to announce the Soy Leaders of the Future program, a new opportunity for young people interested in improving their understanding of major policy issues that impact soybean farmers, the importance of advocacy, and careers that can impact agricultural policy. The first class will take place this summer and will be held in conjunction with the ASA Board Meeting and Soy Issues Briefing, July 10-13, in Washington, D.C. The U.S. agriculture industry needs more leaders in Washington, D.C. who understand the needs of farmers and the agriculture industry, especially as it relates to the development of policies and regulations that impact farm productivity. The proportion of rural congressional districts is at its lowest point in history. An analysis of the most recent U.S. Census data, correlated with the 2012 Census of Agriculture, shows that only one of 435 districts in the U.S. House of Representatives is comprised of a rural population greater than 75 percent.* In fact, more than half of the U.S. population currently resides in 39 of the nation’s largest cities. As a result, positions on Congressional staffs, regulatory agencies and services groups within the Federal government are often filled with individuals who have a very limited understanding of farming and the needs of the agriculture industry. The new Soy Leaders of the Future program, sponsored by Valent and ASA, is designed to expose young people with a connection to the farm to an education on major policy issues and advocacy, and encourage these future young leaders to consider careers in within agriculture associations and industry, as well as government regulatory and legislative positions.

Another study suggests that dairy fats do not increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The Study, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, concluded that consumption of dairy fats had a “neutral” effect on human health. A researcher leading the study at England’s Reading University said: “There’s been a lot of publicity over the last five to ten years about how saturated fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and a belief has grown up that they must increase the risk, but they don’t.” The study combined other research projects from the last 35 years that involved more than 900,000 people. The study says no associations were found that led them to believe consumption of dairy fats led to increased risks of mortality or heart disease. The research instead suggested that fermented dairy products may actually lower the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The study is one of many recent research projects that have determined dairy fats are good for humans, reversing previous thinking by the scientific community.

The latest measure of global food prices indicates another month of decline. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s monthly report released this week showed a 1.8 percent decline in April, compared to food prices in May. The FAO Food Price Index, however, is still 10 percent higher than year-ago levels. The Index consists of the average of five commodity group price indices, weighted with the average export shares of each of the groups for 2002-2004. Prices for cereal crops were down 1.2 percent compared to March, and the Vegetable Oil Price Index dropped 3.9 percent. Dairy prices fell 3.3 percent in April, representing the second straight month of decline. Meat prices edged higher in April, up 1.8 percent from March, and the Sugar Price Index dropped 9.1 percent in April, compared to the month prior.

A White House staffer reportedly called an official in Canada last month to ask the nation to persuade President Donald Trump to not terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Multiple media outlets say the call came when Trump was preparing an executive order to end the free trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. White House staff apparently asked for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to call President Trump to persuade him not to terminate NAFTA. The call is one of many steps thought to change Trump’s decision on NAFTA to renegotiate the deal, rather than terminate the agreement. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue also met with the President at the time and presented a map showing the economic harm terminating the deal may have on U.S. agriculture. Perdue, meanwhile, said over the weekend that NAFTA could be renegotiated within the next six months.

Bayer will sell its Liberty and Libertylink-branded seeds business to gain antitrust approval for its acquisition of Monsanto. Reuters reports the divestment of the two global brands, a requirement imposed by South Africa’s Competition Commission on Sunday, will account for the bulk of asset sales worth about $2.5 billion which is needed to satisfy competition regulators looking at the $66 billion Monsanto deal. The planned divestitures are also widely expected to be required by competition regulators in larger jurisdictions, such as the United States and the European Union. Liberty products are recognized as an alternative to Roundup Ready crops. Bayer’s CEO last month said he expects the acquisition to be final by the end of this year.

Mexico and Canada both are eying new trade partners as trade rhetoric and threats from the U.S. are growing trade-related concerns between the three countries. The North American Free Trade Agreement members, Canada and Mexico, are considering non-U.S. markets, including China, to grow their economies in the future. The moves come as President Donald Trump promises a renegotiation of NAFTA, calling it a bad trade agreement for the United States. Metro News of Toronto, Canada, reports officials from Mexico and Canada met last week to discuss trade moving forward with NAFTA renegotiations. The talks of renegotiation are causing a great deal of uncertainty for Canada and Mexico, who are looking to diversify trade to curb the uncertainty. Once the Trump administration gives its official notice to Congress, it triggers 90 days of discussion with industry and lawmakers before it can officially start trade talks.