USDA Food Box Contracts and USTR "Ready" for USMCA

USDA Food Box Contracts and USTR "Ready" for USMCA

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

**The California almond crop is so heavy that when high winds blew through the Central Valley this month, many trees toppled, but observers still expect a record crop.

Farmers and crop advisors credit the large crop to near-perfect weather when trees bloomed.

The Almond Board of California says both domestic and export shipments rose during the early weeks of the pandemic before declining in May.

**The USDA is offering contracts for its massive food box program to companies that were passed over in the first round of contracts for technical errors, such as a missed signature or unchecked box.

Other companies that received contracts through the end of June will receive extensions for July 1 – Aug. 30.

In all, the second round will be for up to $1.16 billion in fresh produce, dairy and cooked meat products.

https://www.agweb.com/article/usda-extends-food-box-contracts-adds-new-distributors?mkt/

**U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says the U.S. is "ready to go" for USMCA implementation on July 1, but stresses he’ll be keeping a close eye on Canada to make sure it lives up to its promise for dairy reforms.

Canada agreed in the deal to eliminate its Class 7 dairy pricing system, which U.S. producers say flooded the international market with skim milk powder.

But, Lighthizer says if there's any shading of the benefits of American farmers, we'll bring a case against them."

https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/131030

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