August 13, 2025
China Tariff Truce Extended
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday extending a deadline for higher tariffs on Chinese imports until November. Officials from the U.S. and China first ended tariff tit-for-tat in May after duty rates on both sides reached triple digits. The latest deadline was set to expire on Tuesday (today). The executive order sets the new deadline for higher duties on November 10. “The U.S. continues to have discussions with China to address the lack of trade reciprocity in our economic relationship and our resulting national and economic security concerns,” the order reads. “Through these discussions, China continues to take significant steps toward remedying non-reciprocal trade arrangements and addressing the concerns of the United States.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two sides are expected to meet later this year to continue discussions. Over the weekend, the president said he’s hopeful China will “quadruple” its U.S. soybean purchases.
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Legal Victory Protects Cattle Producers from Emissions Regulations
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association notched a legal victory affirming protections for cattle farmers and ranchers from onerous and unnecessary air emissions reporting requirements. NCBA and a coalition of farm groups have engaged in the litigation for years to ensure that family farmers and ranchers were not forced to file complex, overreaching reports with the federal government about emissions under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). “CERCLA and EPCRA were intended to address the worst industrial and toxic chemicals, not govern family farms and ranches,” said Kaitlynn Glover, executive director of the Public Lands Council. ‘The decision affirms that family cattle producers shouldn’t have to file reports for a natural, biological process under a law meant for significant chemical contaminants.” She also said NCBA and the other groups “stepped up” to protect family farms and ranches through this litigation.
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Mexico Sets Minimum Export Prices for Fresh Tomatoes
Mexico has set minimum export prices for its fresh tomatoes to protect its domestic production and ensure internal supply after a bilateral agreement with the U.S. expired. Mexico’s economy and agriculture ministries made the announcement in a joint statement after Washington withdrew from a 2019 deal between the two countries, which regulated Mexican tomato exports to the U.S. On July 14, the Trump administration announced a duty of about 17 percent on fresh tomato imports from Mexico. The new pricing rules apply exclusively to definitive exports, but they don’t restrict export volumes or impose maximum prices. The Mexican ministries said prices will be reviewed every year or sooner if market conditions suddenly demand it. “This action reinforces the government’s commitment to agricultural competitiveness, dignified rural employment, and food sovereignty,” the ministries said. Minimum export prices per kilogram include $1.70 for cherry and grape tomatoes and 88 cents for Roma tomatoes.
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Largest GPS Network for Drones in Agriculture Launches
FreshMiners Company in the Netherlands launched a GPS service that enables accurate positioning for agriculture, construction, and drone navigation. The Dutch Company launched a service for extra-accurate GPS. It’s intended for drone pilots, farmers, and others. With the new technology, users can correct their GPS positions down to the centimeter. Real-time correction signals are sent to the user’s GPS via a global network of base stations. This correction is essential for applications in agriculture, land surveying, and drone navigation, among other tasks. In the Netherlands, 60 percent of arable farmers now use precision technologies like RTK corrections for sowing, fertilizing, and harvesting. The number of commercial drone operators in the country is also growing by double digits every year. At the EU level, the market for precision agriculture is estimated at more than three billion euros in 2025. The expected annual growth rate is over ten percent until 2030.
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Corn for Export Inspections Rise Week-to-Week
Inspections of corn for overseas delivery rose in the seven days that ended on August 7, while wheat and soybean assessments declined. USDA data said corn inspections were reported at 1.49 million metric tons, topping the previous week’s total of 1.28 million tons. The agency said that was higher than the 986,000 tons examined during the same week last year. Wheat assessments dropped to 365,486 metric tons from almost 690,000 tons the prior week and 669,000 at the same point in 2024. Examinations of soybeans for export also fell, dropping to 518,000 metric tons from 628,110 tons. But last week’s total was higher than the 350,000 tons inspected during the same week last year. Since the start of the marketing year, the government has inspected 63.1 million metric tons of corn, soybean assessments are now at 48.4 million metric tons, and wheat inspections now stand at 4.37 million metric tons.
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USDA Predicting a Large 2025 Corn Crop
The USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and Crop Production reports say the 2025-2026 U.S. corn outlook shows sharply higher supplies, greater domestic use and exports, plus larger ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 16.7 billion bushels, with the yield at 188.8 bushels per acre. With supplies rising more than usage, ending stocks are up by 457 million bushels to 2.1 billion. The season-average corn price received by producers dropped 30 cents to $3.90 a bushel. The outlook for U.S. soybeans includes lower beginning stocks, production, and ending stocks. Soybean production is forecast at 4.3 billion bushels, with yield predicted to be 53.6 bushels per acre. Ending stocks are forecast at 290 million bushels, 20 million below last month. The season-average price is unchanged at $10.10 a bushel. The 2025-2026 wheat outlook is for slightly tighter supplies, reduced domestic use, higher exports, and smaller ending stocks. The season-average price dropped ten cents to $5.30.
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