April 14, 2025
China Raises Tariffs on US Imports to 125%
China will increase its tariff on U.S. imports to 125% on Saturday, the country’s Ministry of Finance announced Friday. The move is in response to the U.S. increasing its duties on goods from China to 125%, according to the Ministry of Finance, which said the U.S. government’s actions violate trade rules. The two countries have rapidly raised tariffs against each other since President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 34% duty for imports from China last week. When China responded in kind, the U.S. increased its tariffs by 50%. China countered the hike by announcing an 84% tariff on U.S. imports. The tit-for-tat trade exchange escalated further when Trump on Wednesday increased tariffs on imports from China again despite pausing most other country-specific duties.
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Trump Floats Plan to Legalize Undocumented Farm Workers
President Trump on Thursday suggested a new program will be set up to help legalize farmworkers and reduce the risk of farmers losing undocumented workers to mass deportations. Trump discussed easing restrictions around undocumented farm labor during a Cabinet meeting Thursday. It was the first time the president had signaled a willingness to temper his mass deportation plans to help protect the labor pool for industries such as agriculture. Undocumented workers will be given a chance to self-deport and return to the country legally, he said. That should be an incentive for people in the country illegally to identify themselves under the Alien Registration Act with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Trump said, “We’re going to work with people so that if they go out in a nice way and go back to their country, we’re going to work them right from the beginning on trying to get them back legally.”
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Senate Measure Would End California’s Animal-Welfare Law Created by Prop 12
Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Senate introduced legislation Tuesday that would strike down California’s animal-welfare law created as a result of Proposition 12, drawing support from the nation’s largest pork interest group. The Food Security and Farm Protection Act introduced by Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, would prevent any state or local government from passing laws that interfere with commerce and agricultural practices outside their jurisdictions. Proposition 12 makes it a criminal offense and civil violation to sell whole pork meat in California unless the pig it comes from is born to a sow that was housed within 24 square feet of space and in conditions that allow a sow to turn around without touching an enclosure. Proposition 12 applies to any uncooked pork sold in the state, regardless of whether it was raised in California.
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USDA Prepares for ‘Reduction in Force’
USDA has warned its 100,000-plus employees that major staff cuts are coming, offices will be closed, and people will be forced to relocate if they want to keep their jobs. USDA employees have been given the option to quit with up to six months in pay if they choose to take it. Citing the president’s executive order in February implementing the “Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative,” the memo warned of more cuts to come. “While final plans are still under development, USDA aims to be transparent about what employees can expect.” USDA plans to further reduce the size of the workforce and consolidate offices. That includes moving more people out of Washington, D.C., or the “National Capital Region,” so staff can be “closer to the farmers, ranchers, foresters, and consumers we serve.”
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Export Sales of Corn, Beans, Wheat Decline
Sales of corn, beans and wheat all plunged week to week in the seven days that ended on April 3, according to data from the Ag Department. Corn sales in the week through April 10 dropped to 785,600 metric tons, down 33% from both the previous week and the prior four-week average, the agency said. Korea was the big buyer at 204,200 tons, Colombia was in for 196,700 tons, Japan took 180,800 tons, Mexico bought 151,000 tons and Vietnam purchased 59,800 tons of U.S. corn. The total would’ve been higher but an unnamed destination canceled orders for 57,200 tons and Panama nixed shipments of 37,600 tons. Corn exports for the week dropped 32% to 339,100 tons. Soybean sales last week totaled 172,300 metric tons, USDA said. That’s down 58% from the week prior and 63% from the average. An unnamed country canceled shipments of 256,700 tons.
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Demand Rages Ahead of U.S. Pistachio Supply
This year’s pistachio crop is estimated at 1.1 billion pounds. As world pistachio supply continues to climb, the U.S. is the largest contributor to this, producing over half the global supply. Jim Zion with Meridian Growers said in late March that this year’s U.S. crop of over one billion pounds is largely sold out because of growing demand for the high-quality crop and that most processors are probably at 90% sold right now. The U.S. pistachio industry struggles with predicting what the upcoming harvest yield will be; early estimates can vary widely. Last year’s off-year crop was initially estimated at 1.1 billion pounds, but Zion added, “then we dropped it to 800 million pounds, then back up to 1.2 (billion pounds) and 1.3 (billion pounds). We ended up right at 1.1 billion pounds.”
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