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In October 2023, Arkansas became the first state to ban foreign-owned farmland. More states look to adopt similar laws, but one policy expert says the issue is rooted in politics and warns of unintended consequences.

From the election to world trade, as well as geopolitical factors that have the potential to shape agriculture in 2024, the December Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor shows the possibility of several economic surprises.

With support from the USDA, the National Pork Board and the Beef Checkoff Program, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has embarked on a mission to enhance the merchandising of U.S. red meat in Colombia.

JBS announced construction is underway in Brazil on a cultivated protein research and development center.

China's GDP growth could possibly drop lower than the U.S. this year. In fact, fewer and fewer sectors are healthy, and only then by direct government intervention.

“Mexico’s decree, which runs counter to scientific findings and is in direct violation of USMCA, is negatively impacting American corn growers,” said Tom Haag, NCGA president.

Roughly 37.6 million acres of U.S. ag land is foreign owned, according to USDA. However, select purchases of U.S. land could come to an end following a Senate vote this week.

The July Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor showed several key changes from June including a bigger cut to corn and soybean yields, a drop in corn and soybean prices and more bullish cattle and hog prices.

The leaders also drafted a proposed legislation earlier this month that promises treaty-like benefits for businesses seeking cross-border investment opportunities via the tax code.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) introduced an act to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting U.S. land near security sites, and would push a review of current ownership in these areas.

This slump, deeper than May's 7.5% drop, represents the largest decline since February 2020.

During a bilateral meeting on Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed with Mexico's Secretary of Economy Tatiana Clouthier various issues concerning energy and biotech corn.

Representatives from the U.S., Mexico and Canada will meet in Cancun, Mexico this week to discuss a series of disputes, including Mexican energy and biotech policies and Canadian dairy barriers.

Beijing on Monday announced export controls on gallium and germanium. Now the Biden administration is set to restrict Chinese companies’ access to U.S. cloud-computing services that use AI chips.

According to USDA, Russian-speaking hackers are the likely suspects. The Office of Personnel Management and two organizations within the Department of Energy also were apparently targeted or breached.

Over the 29 years of free trade, U.S. ag exports to Mexico increased both in terms of volume and value, although there were some years where growth was not positive.

Ireland's Agriculture Minister has been looking into various ways to reduce methane emissions, including culling 200,000 cows over the next three years.

“We fundamentally disagree with the position Mexico has taken on the issue of biotechnology, which has been proven to be safe for decades,” said Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary.

China's exports to Russia reached a record high in April, amounting to $9.6 billion.

The Office of Investment Security proposed a rule on Friday that would require foreign entities to garner U.S. government approval before they are able to purchase land within 100 miles of eight military bases.

Currently, foreign meat that is processed in U.S. plants can be labeled “Product of USA.”  Arun Alexander, Canada’s deputy ambassador, isn't convinced this is a good practice.

The Missouri Senate on Wednesday backed a plan to amend the state's foreign land ownership threshold. The bill also includes a provision that would limit foreign countries from acquiring farmland in Missouri by Sept. 1.

Kansas typically accounts for 25% of the nation's winter wheat production, but ongoing drought is weighing on overall crop conditions. Farmers are now facing the possibility of increased abandonment this year.

NCBA asks Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack to continue blocking Paraguay from importing beef to the U.S. in response to USDA releasing a proposed rule that would grant access to Paraguayan beef imports.

Former President Donald Trump placed tariffs on more than $300 billion in Chinese goods during his presidency, raising costs for American companies, according to the ITC.

"In this current situation, the traditional approach to free trade agreements — which isn't just tariff cuts, but that they do tariff cuts on a fully comprehensive basis — isn't what we need right now,” Tai says.

A team of 15 U.S. industry leaders participated in a local food show, visited a processing facility and saw the broad range of food retail offered in Monterrey, says Gerardo Rodriquez of USMEF.

A case of Atypical BSE, or mad cow disease, was confirmed in the northern state of Para, Brazil on Wednesday. However, the real question is—when did this case actually occur? USCA and NCBA leaders share their thoughts.

Brazil's beef exports to China will be halted starting Thursday after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed in the northern state of Para, the country's agriculture and livestock ministry said on Wednesday.

After easing China’s COVID restrictions and a wave of COVID moved through its residents, Chinese consumers are quickly returning with an excess of cash in hand, the U.S. Meat Export Federation reports.

Denmark should aim to reduce beef and dairy production by levying an emissions tax on farming of $108 per metric ton in order to reach its ambitious climate targets, the government's independent advisor says.

The price surge comes as Europe announced a ban on Russian diesel fuel and G7 countries vowed to price-cap Russian oil products.

With the opportunity to visit a number of cattle feeding operations and learn a bit about how cattle feeding works in this unique environment, Dr. Derrell Peel of OSU shares his experience from his recent trip to Canada.

If the nation’s debt hits $31.4 trillion—it’s on track to do so by this Thurs.—the Treasury will need to take “extraordinary measures” to help pay the government's operations and ward off a historic default.

Mexican President López Obrador hosted President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau this week to discuss everything from methane reduction to the U.S./Mexico border wall.

Export tariffs on aluminum and aluminum alloys will be raised. The current import tariff will stay on seven types of coal until March 31, with tariffs adopted for most favored nations from April 1.

The prospect of Title 42 ending prompted crowds to form on the Mexican side of the border of the U.S. as they awaited to cross the border.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said China sent 71 warplanes and seven naval vessels on “strike drills”⁠ — rehearsals for conflict ⁠— into its air-defense zones.

Minister Victor Villalobos said U.S. officials were satisfied with a proposal to delay a ban on the import of GMO corn until 2025, according to a published report.

Government officials asked U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai to capitalize on the success of the USMCA and expand relations in the Western Hemisphere. 

Vilsack urged Mexico to "find a way forward" and said that if Mexico's plans went unchanged, the U.S. government would be forced to consider all options, including legal action under the USMCA.

The change will reduce the probability that U.S. beef could be hit with higher Japanese tariffs, according to the Office of the USTR.

China moved to close parks, malls and museums on Tues. as COVID-19 cases hit near-record levels. Lockdowns follow reports that, days before COP27, Xi sent policy and business advisers to New York to meet U.S. executives.

“In the last 2,500 years, every Chinese government that has fallen, has fallen over food,” says Kuehl, Armada chief economist. “They need those import markets—be it from the U.S, Canada, Brazil or Australia."

U.S. red meat suppliers met face-to-face with buyers from the Philippines and Vietnam, adding a personal connection between USMEF members and exporters with importers and processors.

Brazilian meatpackers continue to procure cattle from inside the country’s protected areas more than a decade after zero-deforestation cattle agreements were signed to reform the sector.

In recent years, Mexican beef production has continued to grow while total domestic consumption has been relatively stable leading to growing beef exports from the country.

Global inflation will likely decrease to 6.5% in 2023 and to 4.1% by 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast.

A new study from the University of Illinois looks at how cattle ranchers in Brazil respond to climate change in the Amazon.

Voters in Switzerland will decide on a referendum that would ban "factory farming" and tighten its already strict animal welfare regulations.