Economy and Trade

Markets barely flinched when the U.S. skipped renewing USMCA — partly because agricultural goods between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico have stayed off the tariff list so far.

CME Group, which has been running futures markets since 1848, just introduced a broad agriculture price benchmark and two new beef trim contracts that reflect how processors blend cuts for retail ground beef.

Farmers from across the country are heading to Capitol Hill this season, making the case for an H-2A visa overhaul before Congress runs out of time to act.

The U.S. Cattlemen's Association is pushing for a 25% tariff on Brazilian beef, saying American ranchers follow strict rules that their Brazilian competitors simply don't.

Purdue University's latest farm economy survey paints a cautious picture — crop producers are especially pessimistic, with just 25 percent expecting good times ahead compared to 68 percent of livestock producers.

The Hermosa Critical Minerals Project in southern Arizona got the green light from the Forest Service — a $2.16 billion zinc and manganese operation expected to bring nearly 900 jobs to the area.

The U.S. just shifted USMCA to annual reviews instead of renewing it long-term — and for dairy farmers, that matters. Mexico alone bought 2.58 billion dollars worth of U.S. dairy last year.

Diesel prices dropped across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho this week, but refinery disruptions tied to the war in Ukraine are keeping fuel costs from falling as fast as oil prices.

Bayer wants the federal government to slap tariffs on glyphosate coming in from China, but farm organizations say that would cut competition and push herbicide prices higher for growers across the country.

The trade agreement that replaced NAFTA just triggered its built-in review clock, and U.S. farm groups are paying close attention as negotiations with Canada and Mexico move at very different speeds.