Some Positive News on Wheat Trade with Japan, Mexico and China
Headlines on the trade front this week have direct bearing on the U.S. wheat industry’s desire to reaffirm our trade relationship with long-standing customers in Japan and Mexico, and to renew our relationship with customers in China. For now, at least, the news is positive. U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Robert Lighthizer this week told […]
A Trade Policy Win for the U.S.-China Wheat Chain
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy It has been my pleasure these past four years to contribute content to this newsletter but, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, as this will be my last Wheat Letter article as a U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) colleague. I am grateful especially to the […]
U.S. Wheat Farmers Have Not Abandoned Customer Service in China
It is certainly true that the trade relations between the United States and China are in a difficult place. With the latest round of tariff increases announced and imposed, it is certainly possible to imagine that this conflict will not end soon. But we must all remember that negotiations are happening, and reworking the trading […]
The Long-Term Risks of “National Security” Tariffs Have Appeared
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy In June 2017, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) suggested that pursuing a strategy of import protection under the guise of national security would set a dangerous precedent. Then USW President Alan Tracy said “… if the United States undermines WTO national security exemptions, it would be handing a […]
Old Trading Friends Japan and USA are Talking Again
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy The United States and Japan kicked off negotiations this week on a potential trade agreement between these two Pacific Rim economic giants. While the path forward for these negotiations is not yet clear, the pace is likely to speed up with a schedule of additional meetings between […]
Mr. Bolsonaro Goes to Washington
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy Two weeks ago, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro visited President Trump in Washington, D.C., to help forge closer ties between the two largest countries in the Western Hemisphere. The joint statement published at the end of the visit highlighted several areas for cooperation and expanded commerce. One of […]
If Only This Were an April Fools’ Day Hoax
In much of the Western World, on April 1 people go sometimes to great lengths to create mostly harmless “April Fools’ Day” hoaxes. There are many theories about how this odd “celebration” came to be, including an association with the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, […]
An In-Depth Look at the WTO Panel Report on China’s Grain Subsidies
By Ben Conner, USW Vice President of Policy On February 19, 2019, the World Trade Organization (WTO) released the final report of the panel in the U.S. case alleging that China has not complied with its domestic support commitments on wheat and rice. While the panel disagreed with a few arguments, it agreed with the […]
Fighting for Fairness Through the Rules-Based Trading System
On Feb. 15, 2019, the United States submitted a counter notification, co-sponsored by Canada, in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Agriculture on India’s market price support for pulse crops – based on publicly available information. With this counter notification, the U.S. government continues to use the rules-based trading system established by the WTO as […]
Educating Government Leaders About the U.S. Wheat Value Chain
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is looking forward to joining 22 U.S. wheat production, handling, milling and food processing organizations at an event in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2019, to educate U.S. government officials about our industry. The event is sponsored by the National Wheat Foundation with a goal to demonstrate the breadth and influence of […]