Expectations for U.S. beef exports to China this year are being tempered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but shipments have already begun and they’re expected to continue strong despite the spread of the virus.

It’s been less than a month since the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement kicked off on Jan. 1 and the outlook for U.S. beef and pork exports is already rosier.

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.

Congress must pass a new stopgap spending bill this week to avoid a government shutdown ahead of the Thanksgiving break, while House Democrats look to nail down a deal with the White House to clear the way for approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.

For U.S. red meat exporters, it's been touch and go with their major markets for two to three years, yet their foreign sales keep growing robustly, and they hope to set records again in 2020.

Beef and pork stole much of the spotlight when President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed off on a trade pact last week, but many of the U.S. winners will be American specialty crop farmers.

American agriculture is facing numerous challenges and unfortunately, an overwhelming share is being shouldered by U.S. pork producers like myself. However, the news earlier this week of a signed trade deal with Japan is significant and hopefully a catalyst for similar agreements in other countries.