Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years. Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Trade

Vilsack after being announced as ag secy pick

Biden, Vilsack emphasize racial equity

President-elect praises his picks for USDA and USTR
Tom Vilsack pledged to act quickly to tackle racial issues at the Agriculture Department and joined President-elect Joe Biden in promising that climate change would be a top policy priority for USDA.
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Katherine Tai

Biden taps China trade expert as USTR

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped a China expert to be his U.S. Trade Representative, reflecting the most pressing trade issue his administration will face on day one – the ongoing trade war with the Asian economic powerhouse.
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Canadian Flag

US challenges Canada’s dairy quotas under USMCA

After months of complaints from U.S. dairy farmers, the Trump administration took the first step Wednesday in challenging Canada’s implementation of new tariff rate quotas. The two countries will now begin consultations under dispute rules laid out in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which could lead to the formation of an official dispute panel.
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Joe Biden and Tom Vilsack

Farm groups welcome return of Vilsack to USDA

Joe Biden's decision to nominate Tom Vilsack to run the Agriculture Department for a second time will give Biden a policy veteran who shares his passion for addressing climate change and already has relationships with critical lawmakers and farm groups.
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Farmer harvesting cotton

US farmers count on environmental practices to get edge in foreign markets

U.S. farmers have watched for years as Brazil has become an agricultural powerhouse by converting its vast rainforests and savanna into cropland, with plans to expand even more over the coming decade. Now, American producers are hoping the progress they are making on sustainability will pay off in a competitive advantage for U.S. ag exports in the lucrative European and Asian markets. This is the fifth and final installment of our series,“Agriculture’s sustainable future: Feeding more while using less.”  Part Four looked at the potential for technological innovations to make a significant impact on U.S. agriculture's environmental footprint.
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