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Mexico bans U.S. lamb and sheep offal over scrapie case
In late July, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) surveillance program detected a case of classical scrapie in a single sheep at a slaughter facility in Oregon. It was the first such detection in the U.S. in more than five years. Although APHIS has not found any additional scrapie cases, Mexico has implemented a ban on U.S. sheep and lamb offal and viscera. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Director of Technical and Export Services Courtney Heller said scrapie is a...
Major progress on beef trade at U.S.-China summit
On Friday, May 15, China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) granted a five-year registration extension to 425 overdue U.S. beef establishments in China’s Food Import Food Establishment (CIFER) system – a critical step toward restoring market access for U.S....
NWS cases less than 100 miles from U.S. border
There are over 1,800 active cases of the New World Screwworm in Mexico, and 15 of those cases are now less than 100 miles from the U.S. border. Rear Admiral Michael Schroyer, the associate administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, says that...
China agrees to $17 billion in ag purchases
China has agreed to purchase at least $17 billion in U.S. agricultural products annually through 2028. That’s according to a White House fact sheet released Sunday following President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing. The agreement came after meetings between Trump and...
USDA watching western drought, Midwest summer outlook
Summer weather patterns remain difficult to predict heading into the heart of the growing season, but USDA Chief Meteorologist Brad Rippey says current forecast models continue pointing toward ongoing drought concerns across much of the western United States. Speaking...
Recapping a volatile week in the grain markets
President Trump’s meeting with China President Xi Jinping is over, and, unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there was much discussion about agriculture. The ag industry was hoping for some official trade deals, but all we’ve seen so far are verbal agreements between...
Stay prepared for natural disasters in farm country
Here in Iowa, tornadoes and other severe weather storms can decimate an area in no time. The same is true for much of the country- in fact, data shows that 90% of US counties have experienced a flood, hurricane, wildfire, or other calamity serious enough to receive a...
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More Ag News
Iowa livestock producers should be tracking NWS cases
Recently, New World Screwworm (NWS) was officially confirmed in the U.S. after it made its way closer to the border through Mexico. Now that it is in the U.S. cattle herd, we have also seen our first case of NWS in a different mammal- a dog in Lea County, New Mexico....
Secretary Rollins talks ag trade with lawmakers
The Agriculture Secretary Thursday discussed agricultural trade opportunities and gains with House Agriculture Committee members. Secretary Rollins began by touting trade deals that have been made by the current administration to increase U.S. farm and food export...
Supporters plot E15 strategy in the Senate
Supporters of year-round E15 gasoline sales are making another push in Congress, but significant hurdles remain before the measure can become law. Backers of the proposal are working to attach E15 language to a larger must-pass bill in hopes of advancing the policy...
Pork industry is optimistic despite trade limitations from pseudorabies
Strong export sales, particularly in Latin America, are contributing about $67 in value per every hog slaughtered and accounting for more than 30% of all U.S. pork production. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President of Economic Analysis Erin Borror said...
Growing crush capacity shifts soy demand priorities
For decades, one of the soybean industry's biggest challenges was finding new markets for soybean oil. Today, however, the conversation is changing. Growing demand from renewable diesel and other biofuel markets has helped create new opportunities for soybean oil,...
