Commodity Prices Up
Commodity prices bumped up, thanks to China’s announced tariff “exclusions.” The big winners are those with long positions, most likely grain traders and speculators. It could be liar’s poker re-visited.
Global Stewards of the Earth
Heirs’ property rights; ERS move to Kansas; cut-backs in buy-outs; ethanol waivers, raging fires in Brazil; new US-Sino tariffs—not a good week for agriculture, global stewards of the earth. The …
China Food Safety Focus
Great news to see China’s Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum focusing this year on new technologies for food safety tracing and e-commerce, the fastest growing retail grocery …
Who’s Winning the US-Sino Trade War?
Russian grain exports surging. Guess why? Even soybeans from Siberia—859,000 metric tons according to Bloomberg– and guess who’s buying them and soy oil? I wonder who’s winning the US-Sino trade …
Horns of a Dilemma #7
Over 1 million swine have reportedly been culled in China due to ASF (African Swine Fever). Despite potential boon for US pork producers, American vets fear ASF spreading to the …
Horns of a Dilemma #6
Thanks to the US-Sino trade war, there will be more humanitarian food aid. But wait—will it all go to Yemeni and Venezuelan refugees or will it be one shot deliveries …
Horns of a Dilemma #5
Horns of a dilemma #5: Worldwide demonstrations drawing attention to the need for bold action in confronting climate change but for farmers, the shepherds of a sustainable earth, weak support …
Rewards for Good Ag Practices?
How about crop insurers–public and private–discounting premiums for farmers observing good ag practices that result in the reduction of GHG emissions. Maybe this simple solution can work?
Bowing out of TPP
Remember TPP? We bowed out and here’s an example of what follows–Japan’s preferential tariffs for Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Japan-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement …