Agribusiness Update for Wednesday 12/16/15

The World Trade organization will officially authorize Canada and Mexico to retaliate against the United States County-of-Origin meat labeling later this week.  Following a WTO meeting, retaliations could come as early as Friday, but appear more likely to start next week at the earliest. Both countries plan to use the carousel process in that products can be added and removed for tariffs as needed to cause the most political pain, according to a Washington D.C. lobbying firm. Work continues, with little time left, on the omnibus spending bill in Congress that could include a repeal of COOL.

Sales from horticulture operations increased to $13.8 billion in 2014, according to USDA. The National Agricultural Statistics Service released the 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties report Monday, which shows an 18 percent increase in sales since 2009. California led the nation followed by Florida and Oregon. The report also found that family or individually owned operations made up the largest number operations, accounting for 53 percent, but corporately owned operations accounted for 76 percent of sales.

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