 |
A Family Brew – Celebrating Mother-Daughter Coffee Farmers on International Women’s DayWhen people think of farmers or ranchers in rural America, what image comes to mind? It probably isn’t a mother-daughter duo in Hawaii. Lorie and Joan Obra exhibit the essence of women in agriculture. Together, they are continuing the dream of Rusty Obra, the late founder of Rusty’s Hawaiian — a specialty coffee farm, mill, and roastery in the Ka'u District of Hawaii Island. Their uniqueness in the world of American agriculture and exports is why the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is happy to celebrate Lorie and Joan on this year’s International Women’s Day. Celebrated on March 8th, International Women’s Day is dedicated to celebrating women’s global achievements, impacts, and contributions. Women in agriculture is a mainstay as old as agriculture itself. “I’m proud to be a female farmer around men,” responds Lorie when Joan asks her mom about an old photo. “Mom, whenever people ask you what it’s like to be a woman in agriculture, you show them this photograph of you from 2010 — the only woman among men,” said Joan. And Lorie responds, “Well, it validates the fact that I made it in agriculture, and I get emotional.” |
 |
Cotton: World Markets and TradeThis monthly report includes data on U.S. and global trade, production, consumption and stocks, as well as analysis of developments affecting world trade in cotton.
|
The following GAIN reports were released on March 05, 2024.
_______
Thailand: Thailand Eliminates Tariffs and Reduces Excise Taxes for Wine
From February 23, 2024, U.S. wines can access the Thai market duty-free and with lower excise taxes. Post estimates that this tariff/tax restructuring will reduce the retail price of U.S. wine by 35-40 percent. In 2023, Thailand imported $132 million worth of wine, of which 8 percent came from the United States.
For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/.
The following GAIN reports were released on March 06, 2024.
_______
Argentina: Livestock and Products Semi-annual
Argentine beef exports in 2024 are projected up at 920,000 tons carcass weight equivalent, 20,000 tons higher than USDA official. This is a result of larger beef output than earlier projected as the cattle herd is revised upwards because the 2023 calving season produced better results than estimated earlier. Cattle slaughter in 2024 is forecast at 13.5 million head, 500,000 more than USDA official estimates. China is expected to remain the top destination for Argentina’s beef exports in 2024 with over 70 percent of its exports destined there. Domestic consumption decreased 8 percent from 2023 as the economy continues to struggle with high inflation and eroded purchasing power of salaries.
European Union: Livestock and Products Semi-annual
While EU beef production is forecast to further decline in 2024 due to a structural unprofitability of the sector and mounting environmental regulations, the EU pork supply is projected to rebound in 2024. This forecast is based on the recent Eurostat December census which reports a significant expansion of the EU sow herd in 2023. The pork supply is anticipated to increase in Central Europe through improved self-sufficiency. In Western Europe, the increase will be reached by either displacing pork in the EU domestic market, building commercial stocks, or potentially increasing sales at the global market. In the short term, EU pork prices are not competitive on the world market. Nonetheless, the restructuring and improved profitability of EU swine sector is anticipated to support the sector’s potential to export to third countries.
Japan: Livestock and Products Semi-annual
FAS/Tokyo projects Japan’s beef production in 2024 will be almost flat from 2023 because fewer cows will be culled now that milk production has dropped enough to match demand. Lower conception rate among heifers and cows affected by heat in summer 2023 will yield lower birthrate of calves in 2024. Cattle inventory in 2024 will dip marginally. Inflation will still dampen beef consumption, but Japan’s pork production will be steady and imports up slightly to meet stable demand in both its retail and food service sectors.
For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/.
Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade
This monthly report includes data on U.S. and global trade, production, consumption and stocks, as well as analysis of developments affecting world trade in oilseeds. Covers oilseeds (copra, cottonseed, palm kernel, peanut, rapeseed, soybean and sunflower seed), meal (copra, cottonseed, fish, palm kernel, peanut, rapeseed, soybean and sunflower seed) and oil (coconut, cottonseed, olive, palm, palm kernel, peanut, rapeseed, soybean and sunflower seed).
- Current Report
- Past Reports (USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System)
Grain: World Markets and Trade
This monthly report includes data on U.S. and global trade, production, consumption and stocks, as well as analysis of developments affecting world trade in grains. Covers wheat, rice and coarse grains (corn, barley, sorghum, oats and rye).
- Current Report
- Past Reports (USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System)
World Agricultural Production
Monthly report on crop acreage, yield and production in major countries worldwide. Sources include reporting from FAS’s worldwide offices, official statistics of foreign governments, and analysis of economic data and satellite imagery. The report reflects official USDA estimates released in the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE).
- Current Report
- Past Reports (USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System)
