Bird Flu Found in Carolinas and Vilsack on Supply Chain Challenges
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed two additional findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza wild birds, one in South Carolina and the other in North Carolina.
The USDA tells www.agrimarketing.com, these findings are not unexpected because wild birds can be infected with the virus and show no signs of illness.
Because they can carry the disease to new areas when migrating, the USDA anticipates additional findings.
www.agrimarketing.com/s/139432
**Tariffs imposed on American ag exports in retaliation on Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from key trading partners cost agriculture a lot of export sales.
Combined that with the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports and China’s retaliatory actions, it led to an overall loss of $27 billion in U.S. ag exports from mid-2018 thru 2019.
Canada, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, and Turkey all responded to U.S. tariffs by imposing retaliatory duties on America’s ag exports.
**Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the USDA went to work early in 2021 on addressing supply chain disruptions during the pandemic.
He identified a wide range of improvements, which produced a more diversified food system that serves farmers, ranchers, and consumers.
Vilsack says it took several USDA steps, including providing $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds for expanding independent processing capacity.
