Ag News: Trade War Not Ending Soon
**The Trump administration dispatched top trade officials to meet with farm groups in Washington D.C. last week and the message was straightforward: The trade war that’s generated tens of billions of dollars in tariffs on U.S. farm commodities isn’t likely to be over soon and the ag sector should prepare for a lot more pain.
According to Agri-Pulse, it was an unwelcome message that some farmer groups pushed back on, including the American Soybean Association, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the National Oilseed Processors Association and others.
**Biofuels advocates brought their concerns about damage to the industry caused by former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to a hearing on the proposed 2019 Renewablie Volume Obligation under the Renewable Fuel Standard last week in Michigan.
Agwired.com reports, the proposed rule raises the total 2019 RVO by 3 percent over the 2018 requirement and maintains a 15-billion-gallon requirement for conventional biofuels like corn ethanol.
But, it does nothing to address the 2.25 billion gallons worth of small refinery exemptions granted by EPA in the past year under Pruitt’s leadership.
**Arysta LifeScience is headed for new ownership.
West Palm Beach, FL-based Platform Specialty Products announced it has agreed to sell Arysta, its Ag Solutions segment, to crop protection supplier and producer UPL Corporation.
Growingproduce.com reports, the $4.2 billion all-cash deal, slated to close late this year or early next, will create what’s expected to be the fifth largest crop protection company in the world.