China Continues Phase-One Mandates and Guest Worker Bill
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.**Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says China has continues progress on and taken several additional steps to meet ag-related commitments in the Phase-One trade agreement.
The most recent actions include allowing the import of fresh California nectarines, a conditional lift of the ban on beef and beef product imports from animals over 30 months of age, AND updating the list of facilities approved for exporting dairy, baby formula, seafood, and fish meal and oil.
Applications for China’s tariff exclusions went into effect March 2nd.
**Though unlikely to get much support from Democrats, a bill from Florida Representative Ted Yoho aims to establish a year-round ag guest-worker program run by the USDA.
The legislation also would require that each agricultural guest worker be issued a biometric card for identification purposes.
Yoho, a member of the House Ag Committee, introduced the “Labor Certainty for Food Security Act.”
The bill is an alternative to the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which already passed the House.
https://www.thepacker.com/article/labor-bill-seeks-year-round-program-run-usda?mkt/
**Fewer grapes were crushed for wine in California last year.
A new report shows wineries crushed about 4.1 million tons of grapes in 2019, down nearly 9% from a year earlier.
The average price earned by grape growers also declined, about 2.5%.
Some grapes went unharvested last year because of an oversupply. Chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon remained the most popular winegrape varieties.