The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association expressed disappoint a new trade deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada does not include a viable pathway forward for country-of-origin labeling on U.S. beef products. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement, or USMCA, will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Kenny Graner says the organization is “disappointed that the Administration turned its backs on U.S. cattle producers.” The organization says the administration missed an opportunity to reestablish a viable country-of-origin labeling program for U.S. beef products. In August, the association sent a letter to President Trump outlining how they believed a modernized NAFTA could reinstate COOL and “prevent U.S. agriculture jobs from being outsourced to other countries that can produce beef at a lower cost.” The association says in a statement that it will “continue to seek out avenues” for the return of COOL.

With the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation effort complete, the Trump administration is expected to turn its trade attention to China and its neighbors. The U.S. and China are in the midst of a tit-for-tat trade war started by President Trump. The Wall Street Journal says the U.S. should “follow this template” from the NAFTA talks to engage with Asia-Pacific trading partners and revive the dream of building a new, rules-based trading bloc to counter China. That was previously the goal of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that President Trump removed the U.S. from upon taking office. The Wall Street Journal opinion piece suggests that the U.S. should follow suit in Asian trade markets as part of its goal of boxing out China. Trade talks are set to begin between the U.S. and Japan soon, marking a potential start on the region. The U.S. Grains Council has previously stated that Southeast Asia specifically represents a region of substantial potential growth for U.S. farmers.

Concerns over weak farm income forced a sharp decline in the monthly Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The index dropped to a reading of 114, 15 points below its August reading of 129 and its lowest reading since October 2016. Organizers say the barometer, a sentiment index based upon a nationwide monthly survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, has been unusually volatile in recent months. The volatility reflects uncertainty in farm country with trade issues, the expectation of bumper crops and low prices. Producers indicated that financial conditions on many farms deteriorated significantly as 2018 unfolded and farmers’ expectations for the future weakened as well. On the September survey, 54 percent of respondents said their farms’ financial condition was worse than a year earlier, and asked to look ahead, 33 percent of producers in September said they expect financial conditions on their farm to be worse a year from now.

U.S. farm organization praised the announcement that Canada has agreed to new NAFTA terms, to be known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement, or USMCA. National Pork Producers Council President Jim Heimerl, said the agreement, along with a new trade agreement with South Korea “represent welcome momentum during what has been a challenging year.” The U.S. Grains Council said in a statement it was “pleased” with news of the agreement, saying “No trade agreement has had more impact on our sector than NAFTA.” The American Soybean Association says the new deal will help “stabilize the U.S.’s two neighboring export markets for growers.” Meanwhile, Ag lawmakers, including Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts, commended the administration for delivering an agreement. Roberts offered similar comments as ASA, saying the agreement “will provide our farmers and ranchers with much-needed export market certainty and will strengthen the relationship with two of our most important trading partners.”

The updated North American Free Trade Agreement has many procedural hurdles to pass before farmers and ranchers can see any benefits. President Trump called the agreement a “promise kept” regarding his trade agenda, as NAFTA will become the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement, or USMCA. The late-night announcement Sunday allows the Trump administration to beat a self-set deadline. The administration must allow for a statutory 60-day notification period before sending a deal to Congress. Given the way the timeline works under Trade Promotion Authority, the administration set a deadline at the end of September to complete the talks to allow Mexico’s outgoing President to sign the pact, before a new administration takes over. However, Politico reports that if the U.S. House of Representatives switches leadership to Democrats, the chamber may be inclined to vote against the Trump win in 2019, when the agreement will likely be before Congress. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said House Democrats would “closely scrutinize the text” of the NAFTA proposal.

While Monday was a good day for trade, it also marked the first day without a farm bill. Lawmakers failed to gain a consensus in the farm bill conference committee before the September 30th deadline as the previous farm bill expired. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway says he is willing to stay in negotiations this month, even though the U.S. House has left for a pre-election recess. Ag lawmakers and Department of Agriculture officials warn of little harm, for now, without a farm bill. The hope is to pass a bill following the November elections. Conaway seems eager to wrap up as much work as possible, saying last week “producers don’t need the additional anxiety or uncertainty” of not having a five-year farm bill. Food Business Network reports that with the expiration of the 2014 farm bill, 39 “orphan” programs lost both authorization and funding. These programs include certain conservation programs and most bioenergy, rural development and agricultural research programs. Meanwhile, also last week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts said arrangements were being made to ensure USDA operations are not left behind.

The National Farmers Union has sent a second letter to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the labeling of cell-cultured meat. The letter calls for officials to finally formalize the definition of protein products that don’t come from livestock and are currently labeled as cell-cultured “meat.” The industry website Meating Place Dot Com says the group wants the FDA to come up with a consistent standard of identity for meat and related products to prevent mislabeling of meat products in the marketplace. Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says the common names for meat products are understood by consumers to mean meat from animals that have been slaughtered for food. In the letter, Johnson says the NFU is concerned about the topic because of “extreme consolidation in the beef, pork, and poultry industries, which has diminished the market share of family farmers and ranchers.” The letter is the second attempt by the NFU to get the federal agency to clarify the difference between products that come from food animals from those that come from a lab. Earlier this year, the NFU joined the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, and the Nebraska Farm Bureau in seeking USDA clarification on the issue.