Vilsack trade view: ‘Over-reliance on China,’ no deal with EU soon – July 3, 2021

Vilsack trade view: ‘Over-reliance on China,’ no deal with EU soon

Ag exports, a key part of U.S. farm revenue, are expected to generate 36 cents of every $1 in cash income this year, thanks to high commodity prices as the world recovers its appetite and the pandemic recedes. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the country ought to diversify its sales to a broader range of markets.

USDA to ask consumers, what does Product of USA mean to you?

Amid complaints that the labels are deceptive, the USDA will undertake a top-to-bottom review of the Product of USA labels that appear on packages of meat, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday. In addition to identifying meat from animals raised in the United States, the label can currently be used on foreign meat that is processed in U.S. plants.

Today’s Quick Hits

All-year H-2A: Congress should revamp the short-term H-2A visa to allow unlimited numbers of guestworkers year-around employment at U.S. hog farms and pork slaughter plants to offset a labor shortage, said a farm group. (NPPC)
Feral hog conundrum: It sounds illogical, but legalized hunting of feral hogs may slow or even thwart the elimination of the destructive beasts, say wildlife officials. (Harvest Public Media)

Torrid GDP growth: The economy, recovering more rapidly than expected, is predicted to grow 9.7 percent this year and 7.2 percent in 2022, up from February estimates of 6.3 percent growth in 2021 and 4.9 percent growth in 2022. (Congressional Budget Office)

Price-fixing deal: Smithfield Foods agreed to pay $83 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit that accuses several pork processors of conspiring to limit pork supplies to raise prices and boost profits. (Reuters)

China at 84 percent: China imported $18.8 billion worth of U.S. food, agriculture, and seafood products in the first five months of the year, equal to about 84 percent of the pace needed through May if it is to meet the target of $46.3 billion in ag imports for 2021. (Peterson Institute for International Economics)

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