Ag News: China’s New ASF Cases and Vilsack Talks Trade with China

**China has reported a new outbreak of African swine fever in its Xinjiang region.

According to www.agrimarketing.com, the farm involved had 466 pigs, 280 which died due to the virus. The remainder will be culled.

After a hiatus of several months, China reported only a handful of new ASF cases this year.

Industry reports signal new strains of the virus are causing more trouble for China's herd rebuilding efforts.

www.agrimarketing.com/s/135591

**Although China has yet to fulfill its “phase one” promises of mammoth purchases of U.S. farm exports, “the fact is, they need us,” according to Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack.

www.agriculture.com reports, the U.S. share of China’s food and agricultural imports is around 15% at present, down from 25% before the trade war.

China imported $8.7 billion of U.S. food, ag, and seafood products during January and February, 77% of the volume needed under traditional trade flows to meet this year’s target of $43.6 billion.

www.agriculture.com/news/business/vilsack-on-ag-trade-with-china-they-need-us

**Drought concerns surfaced frequently during the California Farm Bureau Capitol AG Day event, held via video conference last Tuesday.

Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson expressed disappointment with the slow progress of projects funded through a 2014 water bond, and urged movement on voluntary river-flow agreements intended to head off further water cuts.

The conference featured discussions with legislative and administration leaders on a variety of topics.