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News articles and reports on food and agricultural trade issues

As Coronavirus Fears Calm, Trade Tensions Remain
May 27, 2020
Grain Markets were slightly higher overnight on bargain-buying, short covering, and a decrease in the U.S. dollar, but U.S.-China Trade tensions capped gains over the weekend.  Trade will continue to focus on Chinese ag purchases and planting weather throughout this week.
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U.S., U.K, Launch Trade Talks, Pledge Quick Deal as Virus Ravages Global Economy
May 5, 2020
The United States and Britain launched formal negotiations on a free trade agreement on Tuesday, vowing to work quickly to seal a deal that could counter the massive drag of the coronavirus pandemic on trade flows and the two allies’ economies.
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COVID-19: Trade Restrictions are Worst Possible Response to SafeGuard Food Security
March 27, 2020
As COVID-19 spreads around the globe, fears of a deep global recession are mounting. Some also fear that food supplies may start running short, especially if supply chains are disrupted. Others fear that agricultural production may be disrupted by containment measures that restrict workers from harvesting and handling crops.
https://www.ifpri.org/blog/covid-19-trade-restrictions-are-worst-possible-response-safeguard-food-security

Impact of Retaliatory Tariffs on the U.S. Pork Sector
2019
This AAEA Choices article is an analysis that examines how retaliatory tariffs affected U.S. and global pork trade over the past year and how other market developments–most notably the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in China and other Asian countries–may have altered the impacts of retaliation on the U.S. pork sector.
http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-economic-impacts-of-trade-retaliation-on-us-agriculture-a-one-year-review/impact-of-retaliatory-tariffs-on-the-us-pork-sector

Ag Barometer Drops Sharply on Concerns About Weak Farm Income
October 2, 2018
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell to a reading of 114 in September, 15 points below its August reading of 129 and its lowest reading since October 2016.  The barometer, a sentiment index based upon a nationwide monthly survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, has been unusually volatile in recent months.
https://ag.purdue.edu/commercialag/ageconomybarometer/ag-barometer-drops-sharply-on-concerns-about-weak-farm-income/

Major Changes in Export Flows Over the Last Decade Show the U.S. Is Losing Market Share in Global Grain Trade
October 1, 2018
In Amber Waves, USDA’s Economic Research Service examines how the emergence of new low-cost producers and exporters in the global wheat and corn markets has reduced the U.S. share of grain exports and transformed global grain trade.
https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2018/october/major-changes-in-export-flows-over-the-last-decade-show-the-us-is-losing-market-share-in-global-grain-trade/

The Impact of the 2018 Trade Disruptions on the Iowa Economy
September 2018
A study by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University shows the impact of trade disruptions due to tariffs and estimated losses to Iowa’s gross state product in the range of $1 billion to $2 billion.
https://www.card.iastate.edu/products/publications/pdf/18pb25.pdf


Evaluating Potential Long-Run Impacts of Chinese Tariff on US Soybeans
September 26, 2018
In farmdoc daily, economists from the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois examine the initial economic consequences of the tariff dispute with China and how it can be seen in recent soybean prices.
https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2018/09/evaluating-potential-long-run-impacts-of-chinese-tariff-on-us-soybeans.html


Trade Damage Estimation for the Market Facilitation Program and Food Purchase and Distribution Program
September 13, 2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Chief Economist outlines the methodology used to estimate the level of damage caused by retaliatory tariffs to U.S. agricultural exports by commodity, which were used to determine the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payment rates and the value of commodities to be purchased under the Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), as part of the administration’s trade mitigation package.
https://www.usda.gov/oce/trade/USDA_Trade_Methodology_Report.pdf


The Tariff Conflict and Change in Value of Production of U.S. Field Crops
In farmdoc daily, economists from the Ohio State University and University of Illinois examines the changes in quantity of exports and market value of production that coincide with the U.S.-China tariff conflict, specifically examining barley, corn, cotton, oats, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat.
https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2018/08/tariff-conflict-change-value-field-crops.html


Fair Trade and the World Trade Organization
May 1, 2018
Article by Jason Hafemeister, Trade Counsel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, discussing the importance of global trade, particularly fair trade, and the value of the World Trade Organization.
https://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/fair-trade-and-world-trade-organization

How China’s Proposed Tariffs Could Affect U.S. Workers and Industries
April 20, 2018
The Brookings Institute analyses the exposure of U.S. industries and places to potential disruption from the two rounds of Chinese retaliatory tariffs.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2018/04/09/how-chinas-tariffs-could-affect-u-s-workers-and-industries/


Impacts of Possible Chinese 25% Tariff on U.S. Soybeans and Other Agricultural Commodities
2nd Quarter 2018
In this Choices article, economists from Purdue University examined the economic consequences of a possible Chinese 25% tariff on U.S. soybeans, wheat, corn, sorghum, and beef.
http://www.choicesmagazine.org/UserFiles/file/cmsarticle_638.pdf