Biodiesel Trade Infractions and Trump Comments on NAFTA

Biodiesel Trade Infractions and Trump Comments on NAFTA

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**Members of the United Soybean Board have selected Polly Ruhland to serve as their next chief executive officer, succeeding John Becherer who plans to retire in December after more than 20 years of service to the checkoff.

Multiple sources confirmed the decision to Agri-Pulse. USB has yet to officially announce the news.

Ruhland currently serves as CEO of the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion & Research Board, where she's responsible for stewarding cattle farmer and rancher investments into the federal $1-per-head beef checkoff.

**The U.S. Commerce Department ruled Tuesday that subsidies provided for biodiesel production in Argentina and Indonesia run afoul of international trade rules, so both countries have been slapped with a countervailing duty on imports from their countries.

As a result, importers will have to pay cash deposits when bringing in biodiesel from the two countries; cash deposit rates range roughly from 50 to 64 percent for Argentine biodiesel and 41 to 68 percent for Indonesia.

In a statement, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said "even

friendly nations must play by the rules.

**President Trump's recent comments on NAFTA are bound to create some heartburn in the ag community.

According to Brownfield, speaking in Arizona Tuesday night, Trump expressed doubt that a new agreement can be reached, saying "Personally, I don't think we can make a deal, because we have been so badly taken advantage of," ... So, I think we'll end up probably terminating NAFTA at some point. Probably."

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