Trade

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The Senate is moving ahead with the procedures needed to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement despite uncertainty over whether the impeachment process will bring the process to a halt.

Trade remains the top concern for American agriculture heading into 2020, with looming uncertainty about whether the Chinese will make promised increases in commodity purchases, and whether President Donald Trump will provide another round of trade assistance to U.S. producers. 

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is headed for easy approval on the Senate floor, but the uncertainty surrounding the impeachment process could mean farmers and ranchers will have to wait several more weeks for that final congressional vote.

It remains unclear if recent Chinese moves will translate into major gains for the biotech and farming sectors there and in the U.S.

The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday easily approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with a bipartisan 25-to-3 vote, potentially setting the trade pact up for a speedy floor vote.

A Senate committee will take up the House-passed implementing bill for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement this week and the trade pact could advance quickly to the president's desk.

In a wide-ranging year-end interview, USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud offered more details about the "Phase One" deal with China, a long list of export accomplishments, and what to expect on trade in 2020.

In 2019, the attention of farm country was keenly focused on international trade developments, and the Trump administration’s efforts to lessen their blow on producers, according to an analysis of Agri-Pulse's website traffic throughout the year.

The first shipment of U.S. chicken to be sent to China in years will be arriving in January, marking the resumption in trade after China lifted its ban just a little over a month ago, USA Poultry and Egg Export Council President Jim Sumner tells Agri-Pulse.

China has agreed to make significant policy changes to tear down non-tariff barriers to U.S. farm commodities under the trade deal expected to be signed early next year, according to industry sources who were briefed on the pact and government officials with knowledge of the briefing.