The Senate overwhelmingly approves a stopgap bill to keep the government funded through Nov. 21 and replenish the account that USDA relies on to make trade-assistance and commodity program payments.

Japan agreed Wednesday to cut or eliminate tariffs on $7.2 billion worth of U.S. ag commodities and erect new quotas under a trade deal that U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed Wednesday.

Deputy Ag Secretary Steve Censky says last week’s preliminary trade conversations with Chinese officials were “positive, productive” talks.

The Senate is expected to clear a stopgap spending bill this week that will keep the government operating and trade-aid payments flowing to farmers after the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

China cancels plans to send a goodwill delegation to Montana and Nebraska after U.S. and Chinese negotiators wrapped up talks this week in Washington, a precursor to high-level negotiations planned for early October.

Former USDA chiefs and current Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue are uniting to put more pressure on Congress to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

High-level U.S. and Chinese agricultural trade officials are prominent in the bilateral trade talks this week as Gregg Doud, the top ag negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative, and Han Jun, China’s vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs, met together with others at USTR's Washington headquarters Thursday.

A House stopgap spending bill aimed at avoiding an Oct. 1 government shutdown would ensure that trade assistance to farmers continues and also would bolster specialty crop research and fund USDA’s coming hemp program.