The Biden administration’s recent decision to increase tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, solar cells, and other products could have significant impacts on California agriculture, according to U.C. Davis and North Dakota State University economists. If the U.S. revokes China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations status, analysts say that could lead to a 9.5% increase in China’s ag import tariffs, resulting in $1 billion in trade losses for California farmers and ranchers.
In another development related to sustainability, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has announced that the FDA has approved Elanco’s Bovaer (boe-vair), a new technology that reduces enteric emissions from dairy cows. This is an important step toward a net-zero future, as it will help U.S. farmers get rewarded for participating in voluntary, producer-led sustainability initiatives. NMPF President Gregg Doud says innovations like Bovaer will help American dairy farmers remain globally competitive and maintain their role as leaders in more sustainable dairy production.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) closed its spring conference with a session focused on the red meat industry’s efforts to build international demand for domestically underutilized beef and pork cuts. Jessica Spreitzer, USMEF Director of Trade Analysis, talked about strategies to develop demand for pork loin and beef rounds cuts, pointing to estimates that loin exports now account for about 20% of U.S
