A Rabobank report says the African Swine Fever virus has shifted the outlook for the global pork industry. The virus was first found in China and has now been confirmed in Belgium. Rabobank says the potential for the spread of the disease around the world has increased exponentially. Twenty cases have been confirmed in China. The Rabobank report says, “It’s unlikely that this disease has been contained, with additional cases expected to be reported.” China has placed restrictions on animal transportation in the country, which means significant disruptions in pork supplies. Surplus pork supplies are weighing the markets down as producers are rushing to market their healthy animals. Chinese pork prices have risen 40 percent since the country put the curbs in place on transportation. The report predicts a supply gap of two million to three million metric tons may emerge. Rabobank also says finding the virus in feral hogs in Belgium may make it much harder to contain the spread if those wild animals carry the virus into other countries.

(KSA) As fall harvest ramps up, farmers should think about the annual Kansas Soybean Yield and Value Contests. Entries must be postmarked no later than Dec. 1. Kansas State University Extension personnel or a designee must witness the harvest. A designee may be anyone not involved with the farm enterprise. For example, a family member or input supplier may not serve as the witness.
Pertaining to harvest, some of the contest rules’ highlights include the following.
An entry shall consist of one field of at least five contiguous acres. Farm Service Agency measurements will serve to verify a field’s size if entered in its entirety. If not, the harvest witness must take measurements with a measuring wheel, GPS device or smartphone app. If using an electronic method, a color printout must accompany the entry.
Contestants should notify their Extension county offices of when harvest is to begin as early as possible.
The harvest witness must inspect the combine’s grain hopper and verify it is empty before harvest begins.
Only official elevator-scale tickets shall verify the soybeans’ weight. While a minimum of 5 acres must be checked, the entire field’s weight may be taken.
Thanks to the Kansas Soybean Commission, the highest dryland and irrigated yields in the contest each will receive a $1,000 award. In each district, first place will win $300, second will earn $200, and third will receive $100. A winner could earn an additional $1,000 for achieving or surpassing 100 bushels per acre.
The No-till on the Plains organization will supply additional prizes in the no-till categories.
Managed by the Kansas Soybean Association, the contests are free to all Kansas farmers. There is a limit of one entry per field. One person may enter multiple categories — conventional or no-till, dryland or irrigated.
Farmers may enter the value contest, which evaluates protein and oil contents, without entering the yield contest and vice versa.
The complete rules are available at http://KansasSoybeans.org/contests on the web, from the Kansas Soybean office (877-KS-SOYBEAN, 877-577-6923 or [email protected]) and in K-State Extension offices across the state.

As Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland returned to Washington, D.C. for continued NAFTA negotiations, a prominent Congressional member says time is running out. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise says sentiment is building among members of Congress that Canada is purposefully dragging out the negotiations for political purposes. “Members of Congress are concerned that Canada doesn’t seem to be ready or willing to make the concessions necessary for a fair and high-standard agreement,” Scalise says. The Chronicle Herald Website in Canada says Scalise, who represents Louisiana, notes that Congress absolutely wants Canada in the agreement with Mexico and the U.S. Mexico negotiated an agreement with the U.S., doing so separately from Canada, much to the consternation of the Canadian government. However, Scalise says Congress isn’t willing to wait for an indefinite amount of time for Canada to come to an agreement with the other two countries. “Mexico negotiated in good faith and in a timely manner,” Scalise says. “If Canada doesn’t cooperate in the negotiations, Congress won’t have any choice but to consider options on how to move forward and stand up for American workers.”

China said Tuesday that it will hit back against President Donald Trump with retaliatory duties of five or 10 percent against another $60 billion worth of American products. The response comes one day after Trump issued the largest number of tariffs yet in an escalating trade dispute. Politico says China is scheduled to implement their plan on Monday to coincide with the new U.S. duties. A total of $113 billion in U.S. exports are now subject to tariffs while duties will be in place on $253 billion in Chinese products. Trump is prepared to go even higher, saying Tuesday that he’s ready to impose duties on another $267 billion in Chinese imports. The new tariff list includes meat products, including lamb and salted beef; frozen and canned produce like peas and spinach; refined ingredients like soybean, corn, and coconut oil, to processed oats; along with coffee, teas, and liquors. Ag groups weren’t happy with Trump’s decision to take things further. “As we head into the 2018 harvest season for corn and soybeans out here in Iowa, this escalation of the trade conflict couldn’t have come at a worse time,” says Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig.

The ongoing trade war with China is threatening trade relations with Japan. Reuters reports that the start of a second round of trade talks between Japan and the United States will be delayed until after fresh tariffs imposed on China by the United States come into force on September 24th. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Trump were expected to meet during a U.N. General Assembly debate next week. Japan is trying to avoid steep tariffs on its car exports and stay away from bilateral free trade agreements, a demand by the Trump administration. Japan fears a bilateral agreement could force the nation to open sensitive markets, including agriculture, to U.S. trade. Japanese officials are calling on the Trump administration to quickly end the trade war with Japan, and in attempt to avoid a bilateral agreement, Japan is urging the U.S. to consider rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

More tariffs in the tit-for-tat trade war between the U.S. and China means more suffering for agriculture and agricultural equipment makers. Feeling the brunt of the trade war since it started with tariffs on steel and aluminum, manufacturers of agriculture equipment are eager to see a swift resolve. Just last week, a coalition of manufacturing groups and associations sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer urging the Trump Administration not to move forward with this latest round of tariffs. Association of Equipment Manufacturers President Dennis Slater says the “extreme use of tariffs hurts our nation’s access to global markets” and threatens many of the 1.3 million equipment manufacturing jobs. Slater called for the administration to look for ways to improve trade with China, instead of “doubling down on tactics that only lead to continued retaliatory actions.”

The farm bill deadline at the end of the month could pass without a new farm bill or an extension. As the pace of the farm bill committee stalls, leadership says the actual deadline that would have any impact on farm country is in December, if the bill is stalled further. The committee has a deadline of September 30th to get the bill passed and on the President’s desk for signature before current law expires. However, no major breakthroughs were reported earlier this week. Senate Ag Committee leaders Pat Roberts and Debbie Stabenow told Politico that “any pain from a lapse would not really be felt until December,” suggesting the deadline may be moved back. Stabenow said: “We’re not sure we actually need an extension.” Disagreements remain regarding conservation programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is the biggest issue to resolve.

A coalition of agriculture groups plan a U.S.-Cuba ag business conference in November. The U.S.-Cuba Agriculture Business Conference, according to organizers, comes at a time when U.S. agriculture needs to expand into new markets. Cuba continues to depend on imports for 80 percent of its food supply, and the coalition says Congress is poised in the Farm Bill to allow USDA export promotion programs to be used in Cuba. Coalition chair Paul Johnson says the event “will help inform and connect the people who can work to make those things happen.” The conference offers participants a chance to meet ministers, leaders of agriculture industry, farmers, cooperatives and decision makers in Cuba’s newly formed government. The conference is planned for November 8-10 in Havana. Registration information is available at visit www.usagcoalition.com.