Headlines:
Trump Administration to Announce Aid for U.S. Farmers Hit by Trade Spats
The Trump administration was set to announce billions of dollars in aid for U.S. farmers on Tuesday to help protect them from the repercussions of trade spats between the United States and China, the European Union and others, a source familiar with the plan told Reuters. Rural, agricultural states have been particularly hard hit by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies, and the majority of voters in those states backed him in the 2016 election. Trump has been talking for weeks about finding ways to aid farmers as China, in particular, has canceled orders for soybeans and other crops. He defended his trade policy on Twitter on Tuesday. “Tariffs are the greatest!” he wrote. “Either a country which has treated the United States unfairly on Trade negotiates a fair deal, or it gets hit with Tariffs. It’s as simple as that – and everybody’s talking!” he wrote on Twitter. In April, the president called farmers “great patriots. They understand that they’re doing this for the country.” Trump is scheduled to speak in Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday, and later in the week will visit Iowa and Illinois, two other agricultural states. The Washington Post earlier reported that the White House was readying $12 billion in assistance, citing two people familiar with the plan. Politico, citing two sources familiar with the plan, also reported the administration will pay for billions in trade-related aid through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s broad authority and two commodity support programs in a farm bill under consideration in Congress. The USDA did not immediately comment.
Enlist E3 Soybeans Await Chinese Approval
The Enlist weed-control system that features tolerance to 2,4-D choline is a go for cotton. Ditto for corn. Soybeans? Well, all is a go for a widespread commercial U.S. launch except for a familiar sticking point that caused the system that includes tolerance to 2,4-D not to widely commercially debut in 2018. “We continue to seek import approval from China,” says Shawna Hubbard, product marketing manager with Corteva Agriscience, agriculture division of DowDuPont. Once approved, it’s a go. In the meantime, Corteva Agriscience is concentrating on stewardship of the soybean launch, she says. Hubbard and other Corteva Agriscience officials updated members of the agricultural media at a field day last week near Lebanon, Indiana. The Enlist system confers herbicide tolerance to a new 2,4-D formulation—2,4-D choline—and glyphosate in corn, soybeans, and cotton and fop herbicides in corn. Herbicide options include Enlist Duo, a mix of glyphosate, and 2,4-D choline. Enlist One is straight 2,4-D choline that can be tank-mixed with approved label herbicides.
Press Release:
(Washington, D.C., July 24, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take several actions to assist farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. Specifically, USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs, which is in line with the estimated $11 billion impact of the unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods. These programs will assist agricultural producers to meet the costs of disrupted markets.
“This is a short-term solution to allow President Trump time to work on long-term trade deals to benefit agriculture and the entire U.S. economy,” Secretary Perdue said. “The President promised to have the back of every American farmer and rancher, and he knows the importance of keeping our rural economy strong. Unfortunately, America’s hard-working agricultural producers have been treated unfairly by China’s illegal trading practices and have taken a disproportionate hit when it comes illegal retaliatory tariffs. USDA will not stand by while our hard-working agricultural producers bear the brunt of unfriendly tariffs enacted by foreign nations. The programs we are announcing today help ensure our nation’s agriculture continues to feed the world and innovate to meet the demand.”.
