News Articles - Trade/Export Policy
USGC Pleased with Administration’s Submission of Trade Agreements
- Article Information
- Category: News Room
- Published on Tuesday, 04 October 2011 12:03
- Matching Keywords: free trade agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 4, 2011 – The U.S. Grains Council applauds the U.S. Administration in its renewed push for the passage of three pending bilateral trade agreements, including Colombia, Korea and Panama.
“We are encouraged by the Administration’s submission of the long-standing free trade agreements (FTAs) for ratification by Congress,” said Dr. Wendell Shauman, USGC chairman and Illinois corn farmer. “Passage of these agreements will help to immediately level the playing field and allow organizations like the Council to aggressively re-engage with our international partners and win back lost market share.”
White House Sees Value of Ag Export Programs
- Article Information
- Category: News Room
- Published on Friday, 23 September 2011 15:18
- Matching Keywords: trade policy
The U.S. Grains Council applauds the administration for recognizing the value of expanded agricultural exports in its proposal for mandatory spending cuts.
“It’s recognition for the benefits agricultural exports bring back to the U.S. economy,” said Floyd Gaibler, USGC director of trade policy. “It’s evidence that the work of joint government-industry groups like the Council is paying off for American farmers, for American business, and for our nation’s economy.”
Tunisia Makes Progress on Feed Testing Laboratory
- Article Information
- Category: Word from the Ground
- Published on Friday, 27 January 2012 15:45
- Matching Keywords: trade policy
Our cooperative efforts with Tunisia’s Ministry of Agriculture to set up a central feed analysis lab are well under way. The staff, including two technical engineers and five specialized technicians, is on board and we arranged for three of the technicians to train for two weeks in Cairo at the Egyptian central grain quality laboratory (one of the USGC’s earlier successes).
Council Promotes US DDGS Use to Colombian Livestock Industry
- Article Information
- Category: News Room
- Published on Thursday, 01 September 2011 05:00
- Matching Keywords: Free Trade Agreement
Earlier this month, the U.S. Grains Council conducted a series of workshops in Colombia to promote U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) use to the poultry and swine sectors in the country. In four days, the Council delegation visited four different cities to meet with importers, feed millers and livestock producers to promote the potential benefits of using DDGS. Participants included Dr. Phillip Smith, a poultry nutritionist with Tyson Food Inc., Gregorio Lanz, a swine nutritionist with Gowans Feed Consulting and Jose Artigas, director of business development for Poet Nutrition.
Colombia is the largest co-products market in South America, importing 140,000 metric tons in 2010 (74,000 tons of DDGS and 68,500 tons of corn gluten). According to USGC Regional Director in Latin America Kurt Shutlz, however, the market potential for DDGS could be as high as 750,000 tons.
US Corn Faces a New Competitor in Colombia
- Article Information
- Category: News Room
- Published on Thursday, 25 August 2011 05:00
- Matching Keywords: Free Trade Agreement
With the implementation of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Colombia and Canada on August 15, U.S. corn exports will be facing a new competitor – Canadian feed wheat. U.S. Grains Council trade sources indicate that Colombian buyers have placed orders for 125,000 mt of Canadian feed wheat in the 10 days since the agreement went into effect. These imports will further erode U.S. corn sales opportunities in this vital corn market.
According to Kurt Shultz, USGC regional director in Latin America, because the United States has not ratified the pending U.S.-Colombian FTA, U.S. corn, which is taxed at 15 percent duty, faces stiff competition from Brazilian and Argentine corn with a duty of 6.7 percent and from duty-free Canadian feed wheat. In 2007, Colombia imported 3 million tons (118.1 million bushel) of corn with the United States enjoying a 93 percent market share. In 2010, however, U.S. market share has shrunk to only 20 percent.
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