Ag News: DOT Urged to Action on Exports
**As the container shipping crisis cripples U.S. exporters, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance joined nearly 300 ag and forest product groups in a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, urging immediate intervention to remedy the situation, saying “We need action now,” “not additional studies.”
They’re requesting the Department of Transportation assist “in expediting its enforcement options” and “consider its existing authorities” to determine how it can assist U.S. exporters and the ag producers in their transportation needs.
**American ethanol exports accelerated in March to 133.0 million gallons, the second-largest volume in a year and up 31% from February’s dip.
Exports to China spiked from 4.7 to 48.3 million gallons, their second-largest monthly import of American ethanol on record.
Shipments to Canada accelerated 85% to a four-month high of 34.2 million gallons, and India’s imports were up 13% to 16.8 mg.
Those three countries received three-fourths of all March ethanol shipments.
**American farmers are becoming more optimistic about the ag economy, plan to buy more equipment, expect farmland values to continue to rise AND are more likely to get COVID vaccines.
That’s according to the Ag Economy Barometer sentiment index calculated each month.
www.agriculture.com reports April's barometer reading of 178 was virtually unchanged from a month earlier and just 5 points off October’s all-time high of 183.
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