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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Friday, April 19, 2024
This week's guest on Open Mic is Philip Seng, President and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. A shift in global markets has brought a rebound to U.S. red meat exports in 2016. In this week's interview, Seng talks about the year ahead for meat trade and how the protectionist rhetoric from the campaign trail is already impacting our trading partners. He also addresses the risks and potential rewards from trading with China and the strong dollar's effect on U.S. meat export sales.
Jeff Nalley
Philip Seng, President and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation
This week's guest on Open Mic is Carrie Calvert, Director of Tax and Commodity Policy at Feeding America. The United States is said to be the best fed nation on the planet, but one in seven of its residents is considered food insecure. Calvert outlines how her organization, often in partnership with public and private programs, helps bring food to those in need. Calvert discusses potential nutrition program cuts through budget reconciliation and the important links between farm and nutrition programs in a new farm bill. She also shares more ways for farmers and concerned citizens to get involved with addressing hunger in America.
Jeff Nalley
Carrie Calvert, Director of Tax & Commodity Policy, Feeding America
This week's guest on Open Mic is Ambassador Michael Froman. The Obama administration stands ready to ratify the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, but following this month's elections, congressional leaders appear unwilling to take up the multi-lateral trade deal. In this week's interview Ambassador Froman responds to critics of the plan who see trade agreements as a scapegoat for job losses instead of a stimulus for economic growth and job creation. Froman discusses the Chinese led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and outlines trade talks this week with Chinese leaders.
This week's guest on Open Mic is Donnell Rehagen, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. The renewable biodiesel industry has seen much growth in production capacity and market demand, but is still short of its 2022 goal of a tenth of domestic diesel volume. This exclusive interview reveals a need for legislative attention to tax extenders, a continued call for a shift of tax benefits from producers to blenders and a desire for predictable volume standards from the EPA for biodiesel.
Jeff Nalley
Donnell Rehagen, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board
This week's guest on Open Mic is Jim Farrell, President and CEO of Farmers National Company.
With declining commodity prices, land values, and net farm income some fear a repeat of the 1980's farm crisis. In this week's interview, Farrell discusses the similarities and differences to the last great bear market, steeper declines for land prices, the potential effects of larger enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program and the growing percentage of land controlled by investors and absentee owners
This week's guest on Open Mic is Jim Blome, President and CEO of Bayer CropScience LP and Head of Crop Protection for the North American region. Much attention has been given to Bayer's proposed acquisition of seed giant Monsanto. In this interview, Blome shares how the company's combined individual strengths can lead to future innovation and a structure better suited to withstand global regulatory headwinds. Blome speaks to the broader view of an industry structure, including companies both large and small, focused on developing innovation farmers need to survive and sustainably provide food for a growing planet.
