In The News

Sep 17, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), joined by 25 other agriculture groups, sent a letter this week to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee encouraging them to reauthorize a lapsed trade program, called the Generalized System of Preference. Reauthorizing GSP will help cultivate new foreign markets for growers while providing an economic boost for developing countries. “American food and agriculture enterprises are continuously looking to diversify export opportunities, and the GSP program offers a starting point to broaden and deepen trading relationships with countries,” the letter said. “Our nation’s farmers and ranchers depend on an ongoing dialogue with our partners to compete on a global stage. With challenges emerging in key markets, exploring market access opportunities in new regions of the world will be imperative to keep American agriculture as a leader in global exports.” The GSP program, one of the...

Sep 12, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) expressed frustration today with a recently released recommendation by the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose preliminary countervailing duty rates on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D. The decision comes at the behest of domestic herbicide producer Corteva Agriscience, which filed a petition earlier this year calling for antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of herbicide 2,4-D from certain foreign suppliers. Farmers have said that their demand exceeds the domestic supply of the product, and foreign sources help fill this gap. “Access to this herbicide is critical for corn growers. Because there is only one domestic supplier manufacturing 2,4-D, growers in the U.S. must look to foreign suppliers to help meet our needs,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We would welcome ideas from Corteva on how to ensure that this herbicide is available and affordable for...

Aug 20, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association today urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resolve a dispute between his nation’s railways executives and union leaders that could result in a strike interrupting rail service into the U.S.   “If a strike shuts down rail service from Canada into the U.S., it will adversely impact America’s farmers who rely on rail to ship goods between the two countries,” said NCGA President Harold Wolle. “We encourage Prime Minister Trudeau, the Teamsters and Canadian rail workers to do everything possible to avoid such a strike.”   Canada is the third-largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports and the second-largest source of agricultural imports. Of great concern to corn growers, a strike could interrupt shipments of fertilizer imports and exports of ethanol, corn and byproducts used as animal feed.   The Teamsters have been at an impasse with the Canadian National Railways and the National Pacific Kansas City over labor contracts....

Aug 6, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

Eighteen members of Congress sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo yesterday saying they are concerned that tariffs on imports of a widely used herbicide – called 2,4-D – could compromise reliable, affordable access to agricultural inputs. The effort was led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Reps. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).   “Agricultural producers already face record high input costs while competing in a volatile market and prices for all crops are forecasted to decline over the next several years,” the representatives said.  “Without careful consideration of the facts during these preliminary investigations, new tariffs will result in difficulties for producers who rely on this critical input. This will only exacerbate their economic challenges.” The National Corn Growers Association supported the congressional effort. “Duties on 2,4-D imports would intensify what is already a difficult period for many growers as key input costs...

Jul 24, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Dusty Weis

Industry experts are trying to return to science in the conversation around biotech corn.   Ever since Mexico issued a decree that banned genetically modified corn, there's been confusion and concerns from growers and policymakers alike here in the United States.   Mexico is the number one market for U.S. corn growers by a wide margin, and over 90% of the corn that's planted in the United States is biotech. Accordingly, Mexico's decree threatens market access and adds a great deal of legal uncertainty for our corn growers.   And ever since the decree was announced, organizations like the National Corn Growers Association, the Corn Refiners Association and the U.S. Grains Council have been leveraging every opportunity to push back.   Recently, those efforts resulted in a trade dispute settlement hearing under the USMCA, which represents the best opportunity to reverse this destructive trade policy.   So in this episode, we're going to revisit the history of the ban,...

Jul 19, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The U.S. has made a strong case in the dispute with Mexico over genetically engineered corn under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a top official in the Biden administration told farmers this week during remarks at the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Congress meeting in Washington, D.C.   “This is something we will not rest until we get done,” said Ambassador Doug McKalip who serves as the chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. “I know this is critically important, not just for corn growers, but frankly, farmers of all kinds. They say ‘we cannot allow trading partners to play loose with the science. If they can do it with corn, they can do it with anything.’”   McKalip said both U.S. and Mexican officials were given questions in writing by the panel considering the matter and both have responded. He said a decision is expected this fall.   McKalip said USTR is working on addressing unfair trade practices with Brazil and,...

Jul 15, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The National Corn Growers Association, joined by five other commodity groups, sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo asking her to consider the impacts on farmers as she reviews a petition by the agricultural chemical company Corteva that would place duties on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D. “Restricting imports of 2,4-D will have wide-ranging consequences for farmers,” the letter said. “American farmers cannot solely rely on Corteva, which is the only domestic supplier of 2,4-D, because there is not enough supply to meet demand.”   The letter also said that, if granted, the petition would cause availability shortages and hamper the ability of growers to be successful. “Restricting the availability of 2,4-D will be very harmful at a time when farmers are grappling with rising input costs and low commodity prices,” the letter said.   The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects total farm production cash expenses for 2024 at a record-high level....

Jun 28, 2024

Key Issues: TradeBiotechnology

Author: Bryan Goodman

Officials from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative hammered arguments made by Mexican representatives this week during oral arguments over Mexico’s ban on imports of genetically modified corn used in some food products. The ban was issued in early 2023. USTR filed a dispute settlement under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement over the issue in August of that year after the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and state corn groups spent months pushing for action. “The science overwhelmingly shows that genetically modified corn is safe for consumers and does not harm native plants,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “U.S. officials did an excellent job of making their case, and more importantly they successfully argued that the Mexican government does not have the scientific evidence to support its actions or claims.” During the hearing, which was held on Wednesday and Thursday in Mexico City, U.S. officials made several convincing arguments,...

May 17, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

The U.S. International Trade Commission today agreed to advance a petition by Corteva Agribusiness to place anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D shipped from China and India. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said the decision will impact farmers. “We are disappointed that ITC did not listen to the feedback from farmers about how harmful these tariffs could be to rural America,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “Corn prices are already low and input costs have been rising. This decision will only compound our problems.” Six of the nation’s major commodity groups, including the National Corn Growers Association, sent a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission in April encouraging it to vote against advancing a petition.   Growers have said the imports covered by this case are the major sources of supply other than Corteva, which is the only U.S. manufacturer, and that America’s farmers cannot rely...

May 3, 2024

Key Issues: Trade

Author: Bryan Goodman

Leaders at the National Corn Growers Association said today that they are worried about the availability and price of inputs after the Commerce Department announced plans to raise tariffs on phosphorous fertilizers imported from Morocco from 2.12% to 14.21%.   Commerce’s actions come after the domestic fertilizer company Mosaic requested action from the agency in 2023 over an import dispute with another multi-national company. “The price of corn has dropped, and input costs are already high, so the Commerce Department’s decision is the last thing farmers need,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “If fertilizers continue to go up in price and are hard to secure, farmers will only have Mosaic and the Commerce Department to thank.”   The proposed new rate would be the final retroactive tariff for 2022 imports and serve as the new provisional rate required to be deposited with U.S. Customs for imports from November 2024 and onward until the conclusion of the...