Wheat exports are being flattened by the strengthening dollar, as competitors with weaker currencies take US share of the global market for this and other agricultural products. Generally among the top 3 US agricultural exports (behind soybeans and corn), wheat...
Brazil-US Trade: Trouble Brewing?
House bill challenges 2010 agreement that settled cotton dispute by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor In my last column, about Brazil’s surprising spike in demand for US ethanol and cotton, I noted that the way had been cleared for shipments of $328 million worth of US...
Food Prices: Why So High?
Latest spike is a variation on the pattern set in 2002 A steady downward trend in global food prices in 1980-2002 has given way to sharp rises and falls. A report from the US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service (ERS) looks for answers to the question...
Argentina Uncorks Exports
Wine exports are “growing like crazy.” But protectionism could stopper trade. by Bill Armbruster, blog anchor Argentina surged ahead of Chile to become the third largest source of US table wine imports during the first quarter, according to the National Association of...
Not a Party
Countries left out of FTAs lose out on trade Proponents of the free trade agreements awaiting Congressional approval often argue their case by pointing to the boost FTAs will give to US exports. So, for instance, the US Department of Agriculture projects the US-Panama...
Weed Killer App
Glyphosate, the world’s herbicide of choice, may be a victim of its popularity While debate continues over the pros and cons of planting sugar beets genetically modified to be “Roundup Ready” [see A Time to Plant, a Time to Sue], it appears that nature has done some...
America’s Top (Ag) Export
U.S. growers want to open more markets to soybeans It’s the time of year when U.S. soybean growers are asked to send in samples to provide a preview of new-crop soybean quality for international purchasers. Growers underwrite the cost of the annual quality survey with...