The Renewable Fuels Association announced Friday that China imported about 13 million gallons of U.S. ethanol in December, raising hopes that imports from the Asian powerhouse will continue in 2021.

The USDA Tuesday reported a daily export sale of 1.36 million metric tons of U.S. corn for delivery to China in the 2020-21 marketing year, a strong sign that the country’s demand remains robust as it rebuilds its swine herd.

U.S. ethanol and corn groups are irate over Brazil's issuance of a 20% tariff on American ethanol following a breakdown in talks between the two countries.

China is again promising that it has made structural changes to its tariff rate quota system to import corn, wheat and rice, but it’s still not clear if that’s the case as the new deadline approaches for the U.S. to tell the World Trade Organization if it agrees.

Mexico is the largest foreign market for U.S. corn and distiller’s grains and the U.S. Grains Council has chosen its top representative there, Ryan LeGrand, to take over as president and CEO next month.

You won’t find any tourists in the muddy, mosquito-ridden town of Barcarena in Brazil’s state of Pará, but you can’t miss the almost constant parade of trucks pulling in and out of port facilities under the scorching sun or torrential rainfall on the country’s northern coast.

Prospects for U.S. farm exports can change suddenly and dramatically. Breaking into foreign markets takes decades of persistent hard work and hefty investments in building infrastructure, relationships and, ultimately, sales.