Under Priced, Lesser Quality Flour a Source of Problems for Haiti’s Milling Industry
By Elizabeth Westendorf, USW Assistant Director of Policy Dumping in international trade is the export by a country or company of a product at a price that is lower in the foreign market than the price charged in the domestic market. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) for many years has raised concerns about the Turkish […]
Montana Wheat Farmer Testifies on the Impact of Tariffs on Agriculture and Rural Communities
Overall, U.S. wheat farmers are certain they produce some of the highest quality milling wheat in the world and want to compete on that basis freely and fairly. That desire is being challenged in unique ways right now by trade policies and global reactions that have never been a part of the world wheat market. […]
A Decade Lost: Give Farmers the Freedom to Compete
This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement and the Korea-U.S. (KORUS) Free Trade Agreement. These were the last free trade agreements completed by the United States. In the decade since, there has been plenty of negotiating, but nothing to show for it. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is […]
Wheat Exports on the Line in U.S.-China Tariff Dispute
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy Tomorrow, June 15, 2018, marks the next step in the accelerating U.S.-China trade dispute as the Trump Administration plans to reveal its final tariff list on up to $50 billion in Chinese exports. China is expected to retaliate immediately, an outcome that could further erode the incomes […]
Delinquency, Obfuscation and Transparency at the World Trade Organization
In an ominous, smoke-filled room, the black wings of a hundred crows scatter to the rafters at the sound of a fist pounding at the head of an ancient table. A menacing voice demands to know how the poor soul cowering at the other end has failed to submit notifications on Current Total Aggregate Measurement […]
Hoping for New Opportunities as Castro Steps Down in Cuba
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy Cuban President Raúl Castro stepped down this week, closing a six-decade chapter in Cuban history with a Castro leading the communist island nation. During Raúl Castro’s tenure, Cuba’s government has very slowly transitioned to authorize some private sector activity and taken modest steps towards improving relations with the […]
Importance of International Trade and Agriculture to North Dakota
By Neal Fisher, Administrator, North Dakota Wheat Commission; Reprinted from “Dakota Gold” [Editor’s Note: While Mr. Fisher’s article focuses on North Dakota’s agricultural products, the key points are relevant to every state that produces wheat for export.] International trade and those affected by it have become a prominent main street topic in recent weeks as the […]
How Trade Affects U.S. Farmers
Excerpts from “How Does Trade Affect Me?,” the March 13, 2018, blog entry in “Big Sky Farm Her. Navigating Life as a Montana Farmer” by Michelle Erickson-Jones. Trade has become an area I am increasingly interested in studying as well as advocating for. In order to advocate for trade, a notoriously complex, slow moving, and […]
Full USTR Team Finally in Place
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy After more than a year, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) finally has its full leadership team in place as Deputy USTR Jeffrey Gerrish was sworn in this week to join Deputy USTRs Dennis Shea and C. J. Mahoney, Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud, and […]
U.S. Wheat Trade: A Farmer’s Perspective
By Gary Baily, Washington Grain Commission Chairman, USW Director and a wheat farmer from St. John, Wash. As Washington Grain Commissioners, trade has consumed a great deal of our time this past year. Relationships with our international partners are critical to the survival of our trade with countries such as Japan. Most of us have […]
