Record $108.5 Billion Agricultural Exports Forecast For 2008 (05/30/08)
— FAS Analysis
— Read Full Report (.pdf)
— USDA Raises Its Export Forecast Again (USDA Radio News; 05/29/08 - real, mp3, wave)

Schafer Announces Travel To Rome For FAO High-Level Conference On World Food Security
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer will lead the U.S. delegation to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations High-Level Conference on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy in Rome, Italy, June 3-5. (05/29/08)
— More on the FAO Conference

Schafer Says Korea To Take U.S. Beef Soon (USDA Radio News; 05/27/08 - real, mp3, wave)

Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook (Economic Research Service; 05/27/08)

FAS Administrator Discusses Increasing Ag Trade Between The United States And North Africa (USDA Radio News; 05/20/08 - real, mp3, wave)

Update on the Doha Development Agenda
— WTO Moves Forward With Review Of Doha Round Documents (USDA Radio News; 05/28/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— It Is Now Ministers’ Turn To Advance The Doha Round (USDA Radio News; 05/22/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Closer To A Doha Round Agreement, Says World Trade Officials (USDA Radio News; 05/21/08 - real, mp3)

Statement by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner on the President's Veto of the Farm Bill (05/21/08)
— TRANSCRIPT and VIDEO: Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner Holds Press Conference on Presidential Veto of The Farm Bill (05/21/08)
— Presidential Farm Bill Veto Message (White House; 05/21/08)

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer Announces Plan To End Exceptions To Animal Handling Rule (05/20/08)
— Schafer Proposes Total Downer Ban (USDA Radio News; 05/20/08 - real, mp3)

Food, Feed and Fuel: USDA Briefing (05/19/08)

News Updates on Livestock, Dairy Trade
— Dairy Prices Remain Strong in 2009 (USDA Radio News; 05/16/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— 2009 U.S. Meat Trade a Tale of Two Industries (USDA Radio News; 05/16/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— South Korea To Delay Full U.S. Beef Trade (USDA Radio News; 05/14/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— National Animal Identification System Plan Making Progress (USDA Radio News; 05/13/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Statement by USTR Schwab on Recent Developments in Korea (U.S. Trade Representative, 05/12/08)
— Schafer: South Korean Beef Deal Strong Despite Opposition (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Russia Allows for Importation of U.S. Livestock (05/07/08)

Farm Bill and Message on World Trade Reforms (USDA Radio News; 05/15/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— U.S. Ag Secretary Schafer on House Passage of the Farm Bill Conference Report: "A Farm Bill in Name Only" (05/14/08)
— House Passes Farm Bill (USDA Radio News; 05/14/08 - real, mp3, wave)— President Bush Says He Will Veto Congress' Proposed Farm Bill: "Falls Short" (White House, 05/13/08)
— Congress' Farm Bill Is Bad for American Taxpayers (White House Fact Sheet, 05/09/08)
— Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer and Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner Hold News Conference Call to Discuss Congress' Announcement of a New Farm Bill (transcript; 05/09/08)
— Hear the audio recording (05/09/08)
— Schafer Says Farm Bill Veto Faces Uphill Battle To Be Sustained (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Schafer Says Veto Override Vote Could Be Close (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Agriculture Secretary Schafer Comments on Congress' Announcement of a New Farm Bill (05/08/08)
— Schafer: President Will Veto Farm Bill (USDA Radio News; 05/08/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Questions About Farm Bill and What Could Happen Next (USDA Radio News; 05/08/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Farm Bill Battle Enters a New Stage (USDA Radio News; 05/08/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Schafer on the Farm Bill: Optimistic But Work To Be Done (05/07/08 - real, mp3, wave)

Doha Development Agenda Updates
— Available Soon: Revised World Trade Organization Draft Ag Modalities Text (USDA Radio News; 05/14/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— More on the Upcoming Revised Draft of WTO Negotiations (USDA Radio News; 05/14/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Doha Round Deal and Impacts to High Food Prices (05/07/08 - real, mp3, wave)

USDA Food Aid in Today's Economy
— Helping Hungry Nations Boost Food Production (USDA Radio News; 05/13/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— High Prices and Shortages Among Concerns in Food Aid Efforts (USDA Radio News; 05/13/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— President Asks Congress For An Additional $770 Million For Food Aid (05/01/08)
— Fact Sheet: Leading the Fight Against Hunger
— Statement of Joseph Glauber, USDA Chief Economist Before the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress on World Food Prices (05/01/08; .pdf)
— Several Factors Behind Increasing Food Prices (USDA Radio News; 05/01/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Global Agricultural Supply and Demand: Factors Contributing to the Recent Increase in Food Commodity Prices (Economic Research Service; 05/01/08)

Trade News: Crop Projections and Exports
— Potatoes
    — Improved Guidelines for Potato Pest Keeps Border Open to Trade (USDA Radio News; 05/14/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — USDA and CFIA Revise Guidelines for the Movement of Potatoes Between the United States and Canada (05/05/08)
— Corn
    — Corn Demand Remains Strong and Prices Remain High (USDA Radio News; 05/13/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — Corn Use Down For New Crop Year, But Ethanol Demand Up (USDA Radio News; 05/13/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — 2008-2009 Corn Crop Projections (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — 2008 Wheat Picture Includes Record Price, More Production (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Rice
    — Myammar Cyclone Has Little Impact on World Rice Market (USDA Radio News; 05/12/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — Export Restrictions Fueling Dramatic Rise in Rice Prices (USDA Radio News; 05/12/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — Dramatic Increase in Rice Price Predicted (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — Rice Fields in Burma Devastated by Cyclone (USDA Radio News; 05/07/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Oilseeds and Wheat
    — Wheat Price Set To Reach Another Record High (USDA Radio News; 05/13/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — U.S. Cotton Production Down Significantly This Crop Year (USDA Radio News; 05/12/08 - real, mp3, wave)
    — Demand Should Drive Soybean Price to Record in 2008–2009 (USDA Radio News; 05/12/08 - real, mp3, wave)
 

Ag Trade Data and Forecasts
— Exports Set New Records . . . Again (USDA Radio News; 05/12/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Latest U.S. Agricultural Trade Data (05/09/08)
— GMO Crops Gaining More Worldwide Acceptance (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— USDA Forecasting Higher Prices for 2008 Crops (USDA Radio News; 05/09/08 - real, mp3, wave)
— Ambassador Schwab Discusses 1Q08 Trade Deficit Report (.pdf; U.S. Trade Representative; 05/09/08)
— Agricultural Outlook: Statistical Indicators (.pdf; 05/08/08; download data [MS Excel])
— May Crop Report Traditionally Looked Upon With Anticipation (USDA Radio News; 05/07/08 - real, mp3, wave)

Finding FAS Staff in Washington, D.C., Just Got Easier!
FAS has launched a new search engine for finding experts in international agriculture and trade at our headquarters in Washington, D.C. Find experts by commodity, country, issue, and program, as well as administrative and support, civil rights, and external affairs staff. We invite you to try out the new search engine at http://www.fas.usda.gov/contactlookup/ContactLookup.asp  (05/08/08)
— Find contacts at FAS overseas offices

Schafer Recognizes Work Of USDA Advisors Who Served In Afghanistan And Iraq (05/02/08)
— USDA Video of the recognition ceremony (05/02/08)
— Rebuilding Agriculture and Food Security in Afghanistan
— Rebuilding Agriculture and Food Security in Iraq