Oliver Ward

CBS News just gutted its climate team Paramount and Bari Weiss aren't off to a great start. Here's why David Ellison should change course.

NEWS: CBS News gutted its climate team as part of the big Paramount layoffs this week. These journalists had been doing incredible reporting on extreme heat, flooding, clean energy investments and more.

I've got details for Climate-Colored Goggles: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/cbs-news-g...

China to buy 25 million tons of soybeans annually, Bessent says Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that under the terms of a new U.S.-China deal, Beijing has pledged to continue buying soybeans in similar volumes to recent years.

Read more: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/236...

Hitting the 25 million-ton annual target, they said, depends on the final tariff rate US beans face. If Beijing only reduces its tariffs by 10%, in line with the US cut, it will still leave a 13% soybean tariff in place -- compared to Brazil's 3%. Private buyers, they said, would stick with Brazil.

One soybean market analyst tells me there simply isn't enough time between now and the end of January for China to make good on the 12 million-ton purchase target Bessent unveiled. The logistics aren't in place for December shipments, leaving too much volume to move in January.

Trump’s chief ag negotiator pick: US wants concessions for Argentinian beef access Trump's chief ag negotiatior pick, Julie Callahan, told senators on Wednesday that the administration is seeking concessions in return for expanding a tariff-rate quota for Argentinian beef.

Read more: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/236...

Trump's pick for USTR chief ag negotiator, Julie Callahan: "My intention in the negotiation with Argentina is this will not be a one-way conversation about beef. We would like to see beef access into Argentina as well."

Sen. Grassley urges Trump's USTR nominees at this morning's hearing to carry the message to Commerce to lower countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer.

The Japanese served Trump & the US delegation American rice and beef for their working lunch today. Some context: Japan has been boosting its imports of US rice since the two sides signed a tariff deal in July. Japan committed to buying 75% more US rice, & is already quietly implementing it.

Trump unveils Southeast Asian trade pacts at summit President Donald Trump announced trade pacts with Malaysia and Cambodia on Sunday during a trip to a regional summit in Malaysia, and provided fresh details on potential Thailand and Vietnam deals.

My writeup of the ag provisions in today's announcement here: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/236...

US dairy has to pretty pleased with this provision in the U.S.-Malaysia pact. Malaysia restarted FTA talks with the European Union earlier this year, and geographical indicators for iconic products are always a negotiating priority for the Europeans.

Ways & Means trade subcommittee Chair Adrian Smith on the admin plan to raise Argentina's beef tariff-rate quota.

Trump spars with cattle producers, claims credit for strong prices In a pair of social media posts Wednesday, President Donald Trump shot back at U.S. cattle producers, who have criticized his proposal to use Argentinian beef imports to lower U.S. consumer prices.

Some pretty strong statements opposing more Argentinian beef imports from Republicans & cattle groups that are normally supportive of Trump's policies. Latest from NCBA saying they cannot back POTUS "while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers."
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/236...

Tariffs are already shifting fertilizer supply chains, increasing costs, study finds U.S. fertilizer imports are responding to President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs adopted this summer, with buyers pivoting to lower-tariff sources, increasing costs for customers, a new analysis fi...

Tariffs are already shifting fertilizer supply chains, increasing costs, study finds
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/236...

Early in Trump's second term, the reduction in Canadian tourists visiting the US was mostly just foregone day trips. But now short-term excursions have stabilized, and Canadians are instead increasingly avoiding long-term vacations in the US

Sen. Kaine on possible timing for a floor vote on the Brazil tariffs: “it’s going to be before Oct. 31… likely to be next week.” Says another vote on the Canada tariffs could come the same day or “maybe one day apart.”

Brazil's 2025/26 soybean planting is outpacing recent years, suggesting further U.S. export challenges next year. From Karen Braun at Zaner Ag Hedge.
www.zaneraghedge.com/newsletter-r...

Farm-state senators raise tariff woes with admin in closed-door meeting Farm-state GOP lawmakers pushed back on the administration’s trade approach in a closed-door meeting with a top Trump trade official on Wednesday, according to multiple participants.

Senators raise tariff woes with admin in closed-door meeting
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/236...

Asked Sen. Moran as he was the leaving GOP meeting with Jamieson Greer, whether he’s encouraged by what he heard from the USTR. “Anxious,” he replied.

State Department could restart Feed the Future labs as soon as this year Funding for Feed the Future innovation labs emerged from this summer’s rescission blitz intact, but work remains in limbo following stop-work orders issued earlier this year.

SCOOP: State Department could restart Feed the Future labs as soon as this year
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/235...

US-China Trade War Tariffs: An Up-to-Date Chart Average US tariffs on Chinese exports now stand at 57.6 percent and cover 100 percent of all goods. China's average tariffs on US exports are at 32.6 percent and cover 100 percent of all goods. US tar...

US-China tariffs: where do they currently stand?

- US average tariff on imports from China: 57.6%
- China average tariff on imports from US: 32.6%

Note: We have been updating this chart since September 2019

Indonesian media reporting US deal has tariff carveouts for ag commodities not produced domestically. From @antara-poster.bsky.social
en.antaranews.com/news/385177/...

Confidence among farmers that Trump's tariffs will lead to long-term economic gains is slipping. New survey data from Purdue's Ag Economy Barometer shows just 51% think the increased use of tariffs will strengthen the ag economy in the long-run, down from 63% in June.
ag.purdue.edu/commercialag...

"Countries such as Tunisia are base hits, not a home run like China, Ewoldt said. Creating new markets helps over time, but if U.S. growers can’t sell their beans soon, Ewoldt worries about getting enough cash to finance his farm." From @wsj.com last night.
www.wsj.com/economy/trad...

EU deforestation rules shaping U.S. timber contracts, hitting ag land conversions Major timber exporters are quietly changing their contracts with timber suppliers to ensure their supply chains are complaint with forthcoming EU rules, despite lingering uncertainty over when and how...

US timber exporters are quietly adding language to procurement contracts to bring their supply chains in line with the EU's proposed deforestation rules, spurring tensions with southern landowners.

My latest: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/235...

Daybreak Oct. 7: Scoop: USDA quietly moves $13B as officials ready farm aid; senators offer new details The Trump administration has quietly moved some $13 billion from a fund used to deliver tariff assistance to farmers in President Trump’s first term to the Agriculture Secretary’s office.

SCOOP in this morning's Daybreak newsletter: USDA quietly moves $13B as officials ready farm aid; senators offer new details

Read more: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/235...

Impact of Trump tariffs is beginning to show in US consumer prices Trade levies are starting to drive up costs for goods from cans of soup to car parts

US prices behaving pretty much as you'd expect after tariffs, not least given time lags and the various mark-ups on top of import costs www.ft.com/content/f4bd...

Hoeven: Shutdown could delay tariff assistance announcement Top Senate Ag Committee appropriator Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters Friday that the ongoing government shutdown could force the administration to delay unveiling tariff support to farmers.

Sen. Hoeven: Shutdown could delay tariff assistance announcement

www.agri-pulse.com/articles/235...

As always, @steventdennis.bsky.social’s rule of deals in DC is correct. Deals happen like:
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
Maybe
NO
NO
*Framework reached*
NO
HELL NO
NO
YES

Lawmakers may expand USDA spending authority to enable farm aid package President Donald Trump wants to use tariff revenue to bail out farmers harmed by his trade policy,  but experts say he’ll need help from Congress to do that, and GOP lawmakers are working on lifting k...

Sen. Hoeven says lawmakers are working on changes to Section 32 to allow tariff revenues to fund assistance to farmers. The goal is “to make sure that we're ready to go when the president and secretary decide it's time to move forward,” he told me.

More here: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/235...

Senate Democrats write to Trump to insist he abandon plans to give financial support to Argentina. The move had rankled US soybean farmers, who face competition from Argentina in the Chinese market.

More context here: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/235...