STB Chairman Expresses Concern Over Container Supply Chain Issues
/in Markets, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm NetworkThe global container-based supply chain serving U.S. exporters and importers is continuing to experience unprecedented challenges, congestion, delays and cost increases at virtually every step in the system: overseas and North American ports, railroads, shipping lines, inland rail terminals, trucking and warehousing, noted Specialty Soya & Grains Alliance (SSGA) in a recent transportation update.
Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chairman Martin J. Oberman, on July 22, sent a letter to all Class I railroads expressing his concern over persistent problems with congestion in the international intermodal supply chain and significant container storage fees that some shippers are being required to pay in order to receive their containers.
Shortly before the start of the pandemic there was a slowdown in the container industry, and still today the biggest losers continue to be the shippers. There were major reductions in container shipping in February 2020 due to quarantines of port operations and manufacturing in China was halted.
“That was followed by a rash of canceled blank sailings in March and April as severe cutbacks in import demand emerged, as the economic impact on global business operations due to the virus came to fruition,” said Bruce Abbe, strategic adviser for trade and transportation. (A blank sailing refers to a sailing skipping one specific port while still traversing the rest of the scheduled route or the entire sailing being canceled.)
(Source: https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/market-matters-blog/blog-post/2021/08/02/stb-chairman-expresses-concern-chain)
FACG Summer Meeting Reveals New Food Assistance Priorities
/in Ag Business, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm NetworkUSDBC Board Meets in Denver
/in Ag Business, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm Network- Legislative priorities
- Beans in food aid
- Trade teams and trade shows in 2022
- Upcoming bean innovation showcase at Worlds of Flavor with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
- Dues and budgets for the coming year
- BeanCon22
- New critical initiatives regarding global MRLs and sustainability
Northarvest Bean Growers Association Directors Kevin Regan of Devils Lake, North Dakota and Roger Carignan of Cavalier, North Dakota attended the summer meeting. Regan serves as the USDBC secretary/treasurer.
Dry Bean Scene
/in Crops, Dry Bean Scene, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm NetworkDuring a stop at a Crookston farm, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz got a firsthand look at drought conditions in Polk County. The governor spoke with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack twice in the past week and said USDA understands the urgency of the situation. Area farmer Eric Samuelson, who serves as the Northarvest Bean Growers Association President, was in attendance and shared comments with Governor Walz.
Get the full story in the latest Dry Bean Scene made possible, in part, by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.
Emergency Procedures Announced to Streamline Crop Insurance Claims
/in Crops, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm NetworkRMA Strengthens Dry Bean Insurance Policy
/in Crops, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm Network- Allow enterprise and optional units by type for dry beans and dry peas, preventing a gain on one type of crop from impacting an indemnity for a loss on another type. Enterprise units by type allow a producer to insure all acres of a type in a county as one unit, as opposed to basic and optional units which may base insurance on a portion of the acreage. Enterprise units are attractive to producers due to additional premium discounts provided given risk is diversified across the county.
- Also, allow enterprise and optional units for dry beans to be insured by written agreement, which is consistent with current provisions for dry peas.
- Clarify that if no insurable fall planted acreage exists, the later spring sales closing date would apply in counties that have offers for both the fall and spring-planted types.
USDBC Submits Unified Export Strategy
/in Markets, Policy, Promotion, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm Network- The lingering impact of COVID and the desire for shelf stable healthy food.
- Increasing popularity of plant slant and plant based diets.
- A desire to eat foods that are sustainably produced.
- A growing interest in bean ingredients such as flours.
- An optimistic outlook regarding the resolution of long standing tariff disputes that have limited U.S. dry bean exports to certain markets.
- The lack of harmonization and missing global tolerances for pesticides (MRLs), ongoing retaliatory tariffs in critical markets.
- Lack of compliance with existing trade agreements that allow zero duty.
- Zero quota imports of U.S. dry beans.
- The need to produce evidence of the U.S. dry bean industry’s sustainable farming practices.
USDA Officials Review Drought Conditions in North Dakota
/in Crops, Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm Network- Emergency Grazing – Producers in 50 North Dakota counties are currently eligible for emergency grazing of CRP acres at limited capacity.
- Livestock Forage Program – Provides payments to livestock owners for feed costs, up to 60 percent of the total monthly cost. Producers in 50 North Dakota counties are currently eligible.
- Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) – Provides assistance to livestock producers for losses not covered by other disaster programs, including assistance for the cost of hauling water to livestock.
- Urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to allow both emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in North Dakota before August 1.
- CRP acres in 50 North Dakota counties are currently eligible to be grazed at limited capacity, they are not eligible to be hayed.
- In a recent letter to Vilsack, Hoeven led the delegation in stressing the risk of poor forage conditions if producers wait until the required date to hay.
- Pressing RMA to work with approved insurance providers to ensure quick and fair crop adjustments and payments.
Minnesota Legislative Session Comes to a Close
/in Policy, Weekly E-News /by Red River Farm NetworkNortharvest Bean Grower – Our Mission:
NHBGA, growers representing growers through the check-off system, is North America’s largest supplier of quality dry beans. Working together to better the industry through promotion, research, market development, education of consumers and monitoring of governmental policy. Our future goals must be continued market exposure and careful monitoring of new ideas, consumer choices, and producer needs.
4844 Rocking Horse Circle S, Suite 2 Fargo, ND 58104