By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media During the 47th annual Country Elevator Conference and Trade Show conducted on Dec 2-4, 622 attendees gathered in St. Louis, Mo., where they discussed the economic outlook for the grain elevator sector, as well as opportunities for leadership and growth in their companies. In addition, more than 100 exhibitors filled the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, where they met with NGFA members. Learn more about their experience in this video completed by Grain Journal. Will Secor, CoBank Knowledge Exchange economist, ... Read More
Newsletter
NGFA Hill Briefing: Farm bill vote possible next week
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy On the legislative front, this week was supposed to feature a critical vote over government funding and potential action on a farm bill compromise. However, the death of America’s 41st president, George H. W. Bush, left Congress eager to pay its respects and avoid a partisan showdown. Congress on Dec. 5 quietly passed a two-week continuing resolution that keeps federal government agencies open through Dec. 21. Both the House and Senate are in session next week and a vote on the farm bill is possible if not likely. The ... Read More
NGFA and NAEGA recommend USDA make no changes to corn, canola standards
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media In a joint statement submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the NGFA and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) said the agency should make no changes to the current U.S. grain standards for corn and canola. “Changes to the U.S. grain standards create confusion and uncertainty for market participants and should be avoided unless they can be shown to demonstrably improve or correct significant flaws in the existing standards,” the Dec. 3 joint statement ... Read More
Trump administration hails WTO reform provisions included in G20 economic summit communiqué
By Randy Gordon, President Trump administration offcials hailed the inclusion of language in the final communiqué of the G20 economic forum that pledges leaders to work toward reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO). One of the communiqué’s provisions commits the leaders to “work together to improve a rules-based international order that is capable of effectively responding to a rapidly changing world.” The second declares that the WTO currently is “falling short of its objectives and there is room for improvement. We therefore support the necessary reform of the WTO to improve its ... Read More
Trade outcomes awaited from Trump-Xi meeting at G20 summit
By Randy Gordon, President There was uncertainty at week’s end about how quickly, and to what extent, China will begin what the White House maintained would be “very substantial” imports of U.S. agricultural, energy, industrial and other products following the working dinner on Dec. 1 between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the 13th annual G20 economic summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Specifically, the statement issued Dec. 1 by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said China had “agreed to start purchasing agricultural product (sic) from ... Read More
National Grain and Feed Foundation – Why We Give
…Support the Foundation that Supports the Industry… Over the past two years, the National Grain and Feed Foundation has built a higher profile at NGFA events and throughout the year. The Foundation is the 501(c)(3) sister organization to the NGFA and fills an important research and public education role for the grain, feed, processing and export industry. Why support this particular non-profit? Two major donors discuss their support below: Mark Avery is publisher of the well-known trade publication Grain Journal, which last year became the first corporate donor at the new “Gleaner” ... Read More
STB chairman queries UP RR on tariff, accessorial charges, NS RR on implementation of precision scheduled railroad plan and tariffs
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Ann Begeman this month sent a pair of letters to two Class I railroads, questioning the lack of reciprocity in Union Pacific Railroad’s (UP) recent tariff changes and alerting the Norfolk Southern Corp. that the agency’s staff will expect to engage in weekly conference calls to monitor the rail carrier’s implementation of aspects of a “precision scheduled railroading” operating plan. In a Nov. 20 letter to UP, Begeman urged the railroad to review tariff changes it announced on Nov. 1 (and which are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1) “from the standpoint ... Read More
NGFA and other soy organizations ask USDA to withdraw rulemaking on potential changes to official soybean standards
In a letter submitted Nov. 21, the NGFA urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to withdraw its information request and suspend further rulemaking on potential changes to the official U.S. grain standards for soybeans. The American Soybean Association, North American Export Grain Association, National Oilseed Processors Association and U.S. Soybean Export Council all joined in signing the statement. AMS made its request for information regarding the official U.S. standards for soybeans on June 29. The letter cited “the atypical ... Read More
NGFA and NAEGA submit recommendations to U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council
The NGFA and North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) submitted a joint statement Nov. 26 in response to a request for information on how the federal government, through the United States-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC), could reduce or eliminate unnecessary regulatory differences between the United States and Canada to facilitate trade between the two countries. The United States and Canada have a symbiotic trading relationship with ongoing market and regulatory cooperation that has allowed North America to become a leader and supplier of choice for customers throughout ... Read More
NGFA Hill Briefing: Where things stand halfway through the lame-duck session of the 115th Congress
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy Build the Wall or Shut It Down? A partial federal government shutdown will commence one week from today if Congress is unable to strike a deal on the remaining seven appropriations bills. The biggest sticking point is funding for a wall along the United States’ southern border. President Trump wants $5 billion while congressional Democrats have signaled they would support a level of $1.6 billion. With Democrats retaking control of the House beginning on Jan. 3, 2019, this is the most leverage the administration will ... Read More
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