Washington DC - April 9 - The World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report provides USDA’s comprehensive forecasts of supply and demand for major U.S. and global crops and U.S. livestock.

To read the entire report, CLICK HERE

Washington DC - April 8 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack helped commemorate the 50th anniversary of a 1959 “hog lift” in which Iowa farmers sent 36 hogs to Yamanashi Prefecture after Japan suffered major livestock losses caused by two destructive typhoons.

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Washington DC - March 29 - Democratic Members of the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to President Barack Obama renewing their call for immediate and effective action to address trade barriers which have exacerbated unsustainable trade deficits.

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Washington DC March 22 - The United States and China have reached an agreement to reopen the Chinese market to U.S. pork and pork products, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced.

To read the entire report, CLICK HERE

Washington DC - March 16 - With rumors that the Mexican government may update a trade retaliation list against U.S. products, the National Pork Producers Council and state pork producer organizations today urged the Obama administration to resolve a dispute with Mexico over allowing its trucks into the United States.

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Washington DC - March 12 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will expand guidance currently in place for loans to contract poultry operations meant to protect them from questionable business practices to include contract pork operations.

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Washington DC - March 9 - The fifth edition of the Power of Meat, a joint study by the American Meat Institute and the Food Marketing Institute, finds that the recession is continuing to impact food purchasing and consumption behavior, including the meat department.

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Washington DC - March 8 - The United States and Russia have reached an agreement to reopen the Russian market to U.S. pork and pork products, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced.

To read the entire report, CLICK HERE

Washington DC - March 2 - Pointing out that exports generate 8,000 U.S. jobs for every $1 billion of agricultural goods exported, an ad hoc coalition of food, feed and agricultural entities today urged Congress to promptly pass several pending free trade agreements.

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Washington DC - March 2 - A bipartisan group of nineteen Senators sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk urging the Administration to press China to live up to its commitments and allow the importation of American pork.

To read the entire report, CLICK HERE

Washington DC - January 15 - National Farmers Union and the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association submitted a joint letter to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, urging a vigorous defense of the country of origin labeling (COOL) law at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

To read the entire report, CLICK HERE

Washington DC - January 11 - The American Meat Institute (AMI) told the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) violates the United States’ international trade obligations for many reasons and that the U.S. must honor these obligations.

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Washington DC - January 11 - In 2009, weak profit margins for producers of beef, pork and poultry led to reductions in supply as 2010 begins which means a more favorable supply situation. However, questions still remain on the demand side of the equation, reports livestock economist John Anderson of Mississippi State University.

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Washington DC - January 8 - In comments submitted to the Department of Justice, The American Meat Institute (AMI) said that existing anti-trust and competition statutes are equally applicable and effective for the meat industry and all industries, and that efforts to regulate the meat industry in a unique way are ill-conceived.

To read their statement, CLICK HERE

Washington DC - December 21 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that it will solicit further public comments on the proposed rule, “Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products.”

To read the entire report, CLICK HERE