Agribusiness Update for Monday 04/7/14

Last month - Ecuador and Sri Lanka agreed to resume U.S. beef imports for the first time in more than 10-years - after the first U.S. case of BSE. There are very few restrictions on exports to Ecuador - which U.S. Meat Export Federation Technical Services Manager Cheyenne Dixon says is a huge bonus in a market where the U.S. expects to export a significant volume of offal products. The one significant restriction involves beef from cattle imported from Canada - and Dixon says the U.S. and Ecuadorian governments continue to negotiate on that point.

The Senate Finance Committee approved the wind energy and biodiesel provisions as part of a tax extenders package last Thursday. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says renewable energy supports thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in investment across the country. Public policy continues to help renewable energy develop and generate electricity and fuel from natural resources - and Grassley says it's good news for the economy and energy diversity to restore these provisions.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.