June 24, 2020 Volume 16, Number 25

USTR’s Doud says rising China purchases give credence to 'phase one' commitments

The Washington offices of the U.S. Trade Representative are buzzing as collaboration with China over the “phase one” deal continues and final preparations are made for the launch of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud said he expects both deals will lead to increased sales of U.S. farm products.

“We have been really busy,” Doud said in an exclusive Agri-Pulse interview. “Things in the last month have really been rocking and rolling around here.”

That’s because despite production and trade disruptions wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of USMCA is just days away, U.S. ag exports to China are on an upward trajectory, and Doud is optimistic the trade trends will continue.

CHINA

China agreed in the “phase one” deal with the U.S. to buy a lot more soybeans this year than it did in the banner year of 2017, and Doud tells Agri-Pulse he’s optimistic the country will meet that commitment despite complications from the COVID- 19 pandemic and rising doubt on Capitol Hill that it will be possible.

Gregg Doud Critics point to the physical shipments of U.S. soybeans in the first few months of 2020 and how far they lag behind 2017 — the baseline year set under “phase one.” From January through June 11, the U.S. has shipped about 3.6 million metric tons of soybeans to China, according to USDA data. That’s far below the roughly 9.5 million shipped during the same time frame three years ago.

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But that’s the wrong way of looking at it, says Doud. China is making massive purchase commitments with new contracts that are substantially outpacing sales activity in 2017.

“Look at the export sales reports,” he said. “One of the ways you could look at this is to compare the pace in 2020 versus the pace in the base year of 2017. Go back and look at the export sales reports in 2017 and compare that to what we’re doing now and I think that will be instructive.”

According to USDA sales reports, Chinese importers are significantly ramping up purchases, especially for the 2020-21 marketing year, which begins Sept. 1.

So far, in this calendar year, Chinese importers have contracted to buy 7,481,600 tons of soybeans, according to a compilation of USDA weekly trade data through June 11 — the latest available report. Of that total, 4,433,600 tons are old crop purchases and 3,048,000 tons are new crop purchases.

Compare that to 2017, when the total contracts for roughly the same time were 5,035,501 tons, composed of 4,488,501 tons of old crop (2016-17 marketing year) and just 547,000 tons of new crop (2017- 18 marketing year).

Nevertheless, it’s still going to take a lot to substantially increase sales to China, which purchased 32.8 million metric tons of soybeans in calendar year 2017, especially given the fact that the “phase one” deal did not go into effect until Feb. 14 and China did not start exempting U.S. soybeans from tariffs until early March.

Another complicating factor is the uncertainty of just how much more China will need to import this year after the country gorged on cheap Brazilian soybeans in the early months.

There’s no way to know for certain, but John Baize, an analyst for the U.S. Soybean Export Council, said he is optimistic sales to China will continue to rise as state-controlled companies like Sinograin plan to restock the country’s emergency reserves.

Sinograin, Baize said, has made it public that it wants to put at least 10 million tons of soybeans back into the reserves, and that could happen over the next few months.

The USDA reported Tuesday a daily export sales report showing China bought another 132,000 tons of soybeans for 2020-21, and that’s a small figure compared to what’s ahead in the coming weeks, said Baize. www.Agri-Pulse.com 2

“I’m fairly comfortable things are going in the right direction,” he said. “In July, I wouldn’t be surprised to see (China) buying 5 to 6 million tons for 2020-21 and they may still yet buy some more (for 2019-20).”

Doud is optimistic, too, and capped off the Agri-Pulse interview with a sales pitch to China: “At these price levels for U.S. agricultural commodities, China will never have a better buying opportunity than they have right now.”

USMCA

The USMCA launch is still scheduled for July 1 and it’s expected to go smoothly. But behind the scenes, officials up to the highest levels in the USTR and USDA are scrambling to address last- minute issues and make sure Canada and Mexico appear ready to deliver all that they have agreed to in the replacement to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

A primary area of concern is that Canada lives up to its promises to import more U.S. dairy and stop flooding the international market with skim milk powder.

“This is clearly something that we’re following very, very closely,” Doud said. “We’re days away from entry into force. We are still working to resolve these issues with Canada, particularly on the (tariff-rate quota) side of the equation, but (USTR Robert Lighthizer) has been pretty clear that if U.S. farmers are not given the full benefits that were negotiated, we’re prepared to use the dispute settlement.”

Another area of concern that for Doud and his boss, USTR Lighthizer, is Mexico’s prolonged failure to approve any new biotech seed traits.

A key element of USMCA that’s widely viewed as a new standard for future trade agreements is the biotechnology chapter; Mexico has not approved a new ag trait since May 2018.

“Even though Mexico has regulatory systems in place to evaluate biotechnology products and is one of the countries with the most authorizations for food and feed use in the world, the regulatory agency responsible for authorizing food and feed events is seemingly no longer processing applications,” according to a recent report from USDA officials stationed in Mexico City.

There are 18 biotech traits in the queue for Mexican approval, many of which have been waiting for more than two years. Companies like Monsanto and Syngenta are still waiting for Mexico to approve seven corn traits, five cotton traits, two apple traits, two potato traits, one soybean trait and one canola trait. Mexico is statutorily required to take six months for an approval.

Industry officials tell Agri-Pulse Mexico’s halt in approvals was first simply viewed as a lull during the transition to a new administration under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), but that’s no longer the case. The dearth in approvals, combined with anti-biotech rhetoric coming from within the AMLO administration, has the U.S. ag sector worried.

Doud tells Agri-Pulse that Lighthizer and Ag Secretary are working to resolve this with their Mexican counterparts.

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“We have been and continue to be engaged with Mexican officials at the highest levels. … This is something we are very closely coordinating with USDA,” Doud said. “There continue to be a lot of conversations between the U.S. and Mexico on this topic.”

That’s because what is at stake is the sanctity of USMCA and biotechnology agreements in this deal and deals to come.

“USMCA is really the gold standard for ag biotech in the context of free trade agreements, so given the commitments in there, it’s certainly concerning what we are seeing,” said Andrew Conner, senior manager for international affairs at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. “But we’re optimistic the governments are going to work through it.”

Another fire that USTR is hoping to put out is Mexico’s increasingly hostile attitude towards pesticides. Mexico effectively banned the popular glyphosate herbicide last November, and the country’s regulatory review for registration and reregistration has effectively halted, according to industry sources.

Mexican Environment Secretary Victor Toledo recently wrote a column claiming the “immediate suppression of dozens of pesticides is urgent, starting with glyphosate, the most dangerous poison in the world” and that goes against the spirit of USMCA and threatens the future of registration and trade in hundreds of products, U.S. industry sources say.

House run-off pits Trump against farm groups

An upcoming run-off election in one of the nation’s largest agricultural districts has produced a confrontation, with Texas’ colorful and controversial ag commissioner, Sid Miller, and President on one side, and some of the state’s most influential farm groups on the other.

Miller and Trump are backing Ronny Jackson, a former White House physician and retired Navy admiral whom President Donald Trump nominated as secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Jackson withdrew from consideration for the VA job in 2018 amid accusations of misconduct and mismanagement in the White House and later got into the race to succeed the retiring Rep. Mac Thornberry in Texas’ sprawling 13th District, which stretches across 41 counties from the Panhandle east to near Fort Worth.

Trump tweeted his support of Jackson ahead of the March 3 primary, appealing to voters to help him make the runoff, which wound up being delayed until July 14 because of the coronavirus.

But the Texas Farm Bureau and other major ag groups, as well as the top Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, Mike Conaway, are all backing Josh Winegarner, who is director of industry affairs for the Amarillo-based Texas Cattle Feeders Association and a former agricultural policy adviser to Texas Sen. . Winegarner also is on the board and executive committee of the influential Southwest Council of Agribusiness, which represents ag interests in west Texas and the broader region.

Farm groups backing Winegarner formed a political action committee, Ag Together, that has spent $265,878 on Winegarner's campaign so far, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks federal campaign spending.

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The Texas Farm Bureau PAC spent $50,000 ahead of the primary and plans to spend another $50,000 ahead of the runoff, said Billy Howe, associate director of government relations for the group. The PAC endorsed Winegarner after county Farm Bureau representatives in the district interviewed the candidates last December.

The district ranks seventh nationally in the value of its agricultural production, according to USDA’s most recent census. It’s also one of the most Republican districts in the country, so the winner of the GOP primary will likely be the next House member. Trump won 80% of the vote in 2016.

Winegarner won 39% of the vote in the March primary, compared to 20% for Jackson. But the third-place finisher, businessman Chris Ekstorm, who got 15% of the vote, has endorsed Jackson, and Trump confirmed his support of Jackson in May, tweeting that Jackson was “Strong on Crime, the Border and Agriculture - and he loves our Vets! Ronny has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

The Club for Growth, which promotes free-market policies, and a similar state-based conservative group, Empower Texans, also are backing Jackson. An independent PAC formed to support Jackson, the Miles of Greatness Fund, has spent $215,283 on his behalf.

Winegarner’s group endorsed Miller’s race for re-election as ag commissioner in 2018 when the Texas Farm Bureau did not. But now, Miller is bitterly critical of Winegarner, accusing him of repeatedly deserting Trump on issues such as border security and immigration and criticizing his organization’s support for animal ID requirements.

“Josh is anti-Trump, always has been,” Miller told Agri- Pulse in an interview this week from his Lubbock regional office. Miller was headed north to Hereford, southwest of Amarillo in the 13th District, to campaign with Jackson.

Miller also describes Winegarner as the “moderate” in the race. “If you look at Josh’s page, about the only thing you’ll find pro-Trump is that he wished him a happy birthday.” Miller said. Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller and After the event in Hereford - a town so synonymous with U.S. House Candidate Ronny Jackson cattle feeding that the high school mascot is the “Whitefaces,” for the cattle breed - Jackson posted on Facebook that “Texas farmers and ranchers feed the world! In Congress, I will never waver when it comes to defending and growing agricultural production, innovation and dominance in our district!”

Jackson has criticized Winegarner for lobbying against mandatory country of origin labeling for meat, an issue that’s long controversial in Texas because of the industry’s reliance on importing Mexican cattle. Jackson also argues that he, unlike Winegarner, has Trump's ear and he also has criticized the Texas Cattle Feeders' past support for some Democratic candidates.

Jackson isn’t originally from the district, and Winegarner has worked to make that an issue, referring to Jackson as his “move-in opponent." Jackson grew up in Levelland, near Lubbock in the 19th District, which became an issue recently in the campaign when Winegarner chided

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Jackson for claiming to have grown up in the Panhandle. (In Texas, Lubbock and Levelland are considered to be part of the South Plains, rather than the Panhandle.)

Winegarner grew up in Spearman, which is so far north in the Panhandle that it’s closer to Liberal, Kan., than to Amarillo. He defends his support for Trump, says Miller “is disconnected” from his agricultural constituency and that Jackson doesn’t adequately understand farm policy.

“The difference is that I also support the president, but I know the district, I know agricultural issues, and I will be able to provide that information to the president, whereas I’m not sure my opponent can do anything but listen to the president and tell us what the president thinks,” Winegarner said.

Dee Vaughn, a former president of the National Corn Growers Association who farms near Dumas, north of Amarillo, is backing Winegarner and thinks he will be a crucial ally on ag issues. As a Senate aide, Winegarner helped farm groups understand what they needed to do to advance their policy priorities, Vaughn said.

Because of that experience in Washington and his Panhandle background, “he’s the kind of guy who will do very well representing us,” Vaughn said.

Winegarner is supported by the political action committees of U.S. House candidate Josh National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Sorghum Winegarner Producers, National Turkey Federation as well as leaders representing Texas dairy, cotton, corn and wheat producers.

As of March 31, Winegarner had raised more money than Jackson and had $158,967 on hand, compared to $129,484 for Jackson.

There also is a runoff for the Democratic nomination as well, but one of the candidates, Greg Sagan, has withdrawn from the race, citing health issues. The other candidate is Gus Trujillo, an office manager who says his priorities include bringing more jobs to the district and providing Americans with a public option for health care coverage.

Advocates for farmworkers say COVID issues need to be addressed

Farmworker advocates are sounding the alarm about the growing threat of COVID-19 to the more than 2 million people who harvest a wide variety of crops grown in the U.S.

Cases have been sprouting up all over the country, including at a Tennessee farm where nearly all 200 workers tested positive, but only three were showing symptoms.

“This is a problem that’s just beginning,” says Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, which has been tracking the situation. “We’re seeing the first cases of COVID among farmworkers.”

EWG and Farmworker Justice have been working together on a map showing COVID-19 cases among farmworkers and are planning to release soon a breakdown of which states are taking action for farmworkers, and which are not. www.Agri-Pulse.com 6

“The evidence shows pretty clearly that farmworkers aren’t being protected. You can’t blame the growers — ultimately it’s the government’s job to set and enforce safety standards” and provide the resources to meet them, Faber said, adding that if Congress agrees to raise the Commodity Credit Corp. cap to aid farmers, “the first priority should be to test workers.”

In Immokalee, Fla., which has about 25,000 residents — many of them farmworkers or other low-wage earners — the positive testing rate for COVID-19 has been 36%, and one in every 25 people (over 1,200 residents) are infected. Judge Laura Safer Espinoza, a retired New York Supreme Court Justice who heads the Fair Food Standards Council in Florida, says testing came late to the community despite warnings in March and April from groups such as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), which runs the Fair Food Program.

“Immokalee is like the canary in the coal mine,” she says. “You’re going to repeat that situation all the way up the migrant stream,” as workers move north along the coast.

Asked about whether those workers are being tracked, she says “there’s not even good contact tracing in the Immokalee community. I can’t imagine they’re doing it up there.”

The situation in Immokalee was such that Doctors Without Borders came in to supplement local testing efforts and help with education. The organization “usually goes to war-torn areas and very rarely works in the U.S.,” Safer Espinoza said.

She praised the growers who are part of the Fair Food Program, saying they had gone “above and beyond” to provide PPE and sanitation for workers during the pandemic, as well as food delivery in some cases, to avoid exposure at stores.

The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association is urging members “to take stringent steps now to safeguard their workplaces and workers’ health as workers return” for the fall and winter growing seasons, spokesperson Lisa Lochridge says. “It’s the right thing to do to protect our workforce and our ability to continue to grow food for Americans.” She also said, “the vast majority of Florida’s harvest season had concluded” before the testing in Immokalee, “and guest workers had returned home or moved on to other regions.”

Shortages of personal protective equipment have eased up some since the beginning of the health crisis, but they may crop up again soon. Michael Marsh, president and CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, says increases in COVID cases in some states, such as Arizona and Florida, could mean renewed competition between the ag sector and first responders for necessary PPE such as masks, gloves and sanitizer. Michael Marsh, NCAE “Twenty-nine states and U.S. territories showed an increase in their seven-day average of new reported cases on Monday, with nine states reporting record average highs,” The Washington Post reported June 22. The states with the biggest increases over the last week are Arizona, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Arkansas.

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“We’re keeping our eyes on that,” Marsh said.

In Washington, which has a large worker population due to the fruits and vegetables grown there, it was difficult in the early weeks of the virus in March and April to get PPE and alcohol- based sanitizer and equipment, says Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.

“PPE delays in shipments were pretty significant,” he said. “For the most part, now people have what they need to meet their requirements.”

Washington has taken a tough approach to health in the farm industry. On May 28, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee issued a detailed set of requirements covering workers in field and orchard operations and packing houses, and when they are on employer-provided transportation. They include providing hand-washing stations and PPE at no cost.

As for testing, “To the extent feasible, employers must ensure timely access to COVID-19 tests for symptomatic employees and must provide transportation as needed,” the requirements say.

Farmworkers were pleased, with United Farm Workers vice president Erik Nicholson telling the Tacoma News Tribune they were particularly happy with getting clean PPE daily.

DeVaney says some growers are struggling to meet the new requirements, but “overall the compliance level is pretty good.” Nevertheless, “in some cases employers report that they have to use their disciplinary policies to ensure compliance.”

Face mask requirements will become more difficult to enforce as temperatures climb, he says. Both he and Bre Elsey, associate director of government relations at the Washington State Farm Bureau, say growers had no warning the requirements were coming.

Elsey says some farmers “can’t acquire the equipment they need to comply,” which includes hard-to-find parts for hand-washing stations that need to be within 110 yards of workers at all times.

One problem with the standards is that in some ways they conflict with GlobalG.A.P. requirements on which some grower contracts are based, Elsey says. That program has "created voluntary benchmarks for the certification of agricultural products worldwide," according to GlobalG.A.P. For example, when it comes to hand washing stations, Elsey says Global GAP requires they not be inside orchard blocks.

"Compare that with the requirement from the state that it be within 110 yards [of employees] and you have a conflicting standard," she says. "One requires you to violate the terms of Erik Nicholson, United Farm your GlobalG.A.P. contract, the other would require you to Workers violate new state rules. It’s a no-win situation."

In the absence of the rules, “Farmers were successfully implementing additional safety procedures on their farms," Elsey said. "Grower representatives haven’t seen a shred of evidence to suggest these are based in science, like the governor claims." www.Agri-Pulse.com 8

NCAE’s Marsh says growers have been doing a good job following newly released guidelines for ag workers from the Centers for Disease Control. “I’m very proud of our members,” he says. “They’re doing yeoman’s work.”

NCAE members employ about 80% of the 2-million-plus farmworkers in the country, including about 85% of the H-2A workers.

Faber, however, says there needs to be enforceable standards. CDC guidance “is voluntary. What we need is a ‘shall,’ not a ‘should’,” he says. He criticized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for not issuing an infectious disease standard, a decision upheld recently by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Safer Espinoza says the CDC guidelines are not being consistently followed in the state and that testing, while crucial, “only works if there are facilities for people to quarantine.” She and Faber also said sick leave with pay is essential.

The CDC guidance says, “If a worker is in employer-furnished housing, consider providing a dedicated space for the worker to recover away from others.”

Faber says the problem of COVID in the farmworker population needs to be addressed soon. One potential impact of not having enough workers to harvest fruits and vegetables would be rising food prices, he said.

“The important point here is we have a chance to act before things get really bad. We still have time to get this right,” he said.

Ag shippers navigate around lock and dam repairs

Agricultural shippers who use one of America’s inland waterways to move grain, fertilizer, chemicals, and other products through the nation’s midsection say they are ready for lock and dam project closures this summer.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to start five lock and dam improvement projects on the Illinois River beginning July 1. Some projects will last until the end of October before they are completed.

Many agricultural commodities rely heavily on the river as a major transportation route to connect Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River.

In 2018, grains (wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, sorghum, and oilseed) represented 31%, or 11.5 million tons, of the total tonnage sent down the river, according to Inland Rivers, Ports, and Terminals Inc., an association pushing for federal legislation and policy affecting ports and terminals.

Deb Calhoun, interim president of the Waterways Council, told Agri-Pulse the Army Corps chose to close the river during the summer months with harvest in mind.

“Particularly for ag shippers, that is really important that they will have this maintenance work completed and more efficient infrastructure will be there and available to ship their

www.Agri-Pulse.com 9 goods,” she said. Calhoun did not expect COVID-19 to delay projects and said high water would be the biggest threat.

Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, said the closures will likely force some producers to sell grain to a different terminal away from the river through the summer.

“You’re seeing that (terminals) are not offering bids at their location during those summer months because they don’t anticipate being able to ship anything out their back door,” Steenhoek told Agri-Pulse.

Steenhoek said the transportation cost for changing sales locations where a farmer hauls grain could easily be between $1 and $2 per mile.

“Now all of a sudden if the distance is no longer 10 miles, but 45 miles, that’s real money that will come out of a farmer’s bottom Mike Steenhoek, Soy Transportation Coalition line,” he said.

Scott Sigman, transportation and infrastructure lead at the Illinois Soybean Association, told Agri-Pulse a “number of terminals” gave notice that June 15 was the last day they would be receiving grain for loading and transport through the locks.

But Scott Strickland, General Manager at Consolidated Grain and Barge Company in Hennepin, Ill., told Agri-Pulse he will still be buying grain; it just may not be as feasible.

“It will be against what space might be here or when we are able to ship, or if we have to put it back into a truck and ship it to another marketplace,” he said.

Strickland noted the company would not handle the same amount of grain it normally handles during the summer months, but he will continue to move grain between supply and demand points.

“We’ll continue to do that via rail loaders, ethanol plants, and other local feeders in the area and also connect to the Mississippi River, which will remain open,” he said.

CGB is one of 129 facilities along the Illinois River, including fertilizer companies. Kathy Mathers, vice president of public affairs at The Fertilizer Institute, said the Army Corps provided members enough time in advance to plan for the closures.

“Although the river is by far and away the most efficient way to move a lot of fertilizer, we do have alternatives,” she said. Mathers said most of the fertilizer will be transported via truck. Since they were able to plan for the closures, Mathers thinks companies should have been able to negotiate decent transportation rates.

“But of course, you are talking about how they are not moving as much fertilizer in one fell swoop, and you have to factor that in as well,” she noted.

According to IRPT, fertilizer accounted for 1.9 million tons transported on the river in 2018 and 2.05 million tons in 2017.

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ADM is another company who uses the river frequently to ship grain and other products. Chris Boerm, president of transportation for ADM told Agri-Pulse in an email the company is in a unique position because it can leverage their vast transportation network during this time to keep crops, products and supplies moving while the locks are down.

“For example, instead of loading DDGs on the Illinois River in Peoria, we can move it via rail to Mound City, Illinois, and load barges further south on the Ohio River,” he said. Boerm also said because the repairs have been well-coordinated, the company has been able to plan accordingly.

Allen Marshall, spokesperson at the Rock Island District for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told Agri-Pulse as of Tuesday, repairs were still on schedule with no delays, but COVID-19 has changed communication methods with project managers.

“Most of them have gone into a virtual environment, but they’ve overcome those challenges and have been able to keep things on schedule,” he said, adding that he does not expect COVID-19 to delay projects.

He said one of the biggest improvements will be made to the LaGrange Lock and Dam, which is the southernmost lock and dam on the river.

Steenhoek expects that project to cost more than $70-$80 million. He said it “arguably is the poster child for a degraded lock and dam” that needs major rehabilitation.

While the lock and dam closures are a temporary inconvenience to the companies who transport goods through them daily, Steenhoek said it's better to do the repairs now than to have an unexpected failure in the future.

“It’s not a matter of if you are going to have a significant failure, it’s a matter of when,” he said.

COVID-19 pandemic presents opportunities, challenges for agritourism operations

Helena Hollow, a 160-acre Alabama “entertainment farm” that features a petting zoo, party barn and zip line, was booked to hold nearly six birthday parties every weekend from March 15 to May 16. But the arrival of COVID-19 and the stay-at-home orders that followed forced owners Jamie and Amy Griffin to temporarily close the company’s doors and cancel or reschedule the parties.

Over 2,000 miles away in Oregon, Bella Organic Farm has seen more summer foot traffic than it ever has, according to marketing director Sofia Kondilis. The Sauvie Island farm allows visitors to pick their own blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries and corn and grows over a hundred types of crops in its fields and greenhouses that it sells in its farm store.

Agritourism operations around the nation have seen differing levels of success dealing with stay- at-home orders and visitor restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Some farms, notably U-pick operations, are finding it easier to adapt. Others aren’t.

“Some of the operations with which I have spoken are actually seeing increases in revenue because their operations are seen as being open,” Suzi Spahr, the executive director of the

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International Agritourism Association (which goes by the acronym NAFDMA), told Agri- Pulse. “And then by regulations put in place, some of our operations cannot be open at all.”

States have been vague about agritourism operations when issuing guidelines for business closures. A large number of these operations serve as grocery stores and farmers markets, which are deemed essential nationwide. But many also have entertainment components, which are often seen as nonessential. The mixed status of the agritourism industry created confusion for many operations, which had to decide whether or not to remain open — and if it was legal to do so.

“At least in Alabama, when the guidelines came out for what needed to stay closed and what needed to open, entertainment venues was a category that was not allowed to open, even in Phase 1,” Amy Griffin of Helena Hollow told Agri-Pulse. “But when you go down the list of what's included in an entertainment venue, none of it really applies to us.”

With no clear instructions on what to do, Griffin said the Helena Hollow staff made the decision to reopen for private parties in mid-May after determining it would be safe for small groups to gather on an open-air farm. They brought three extra portable toilets and hand-washing stations onto the property and placed bottles of hand sanitizer on every table. All employees wore face masks, and extra masks were on hand to distribute to guests as needed. She said masks for guests were not required, as most of the customers were already comfortable around one another and were merely renting the venue.

“I feel like we were overlooked in the time that it was nice to be overlooked, because then we were able to kind of make our own way and to open when we felt it was safe for our employees, animals and customers,” Griffin said.

Skelly’s Farm Market, a three-season operation located in Wisconsin, had a clearer understanding of its status. On May 13, the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the governor’s stay-at-home order; since then, restrictions have been made on a county-by-county basis.

“I think the good thing for Wisconsin is, or at least in our county, is that most of them are guidelines and not hard and fast rules,” Tom Skelly told Agri-Pulse. “So, we have the ability for our business to adapt those as we see the best way possible.”

The farm — which grows strawberries in June, sweet corn and summer produce in July and August, and a pumpkin patch in September and October — has put several rules in place for guests. The business added hand-washing stations to the U-pick strawberry field, and customers are being encouraged to wash their hands and wear masks while picking. A drive-through component has been added to the farmers market that allows customers to pull up, place an order with an employee on a tablet and then wait for the employee to gather the food.

“Things are going to be a little bit different, but for the most part, Amy Griffin, Helena Hollow we're still trying to offer a similar experience,” Skelly said.

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Bella Organic’s U-pick and grocery services remained open through Oregon’s stay-at-home order, falling under the essential business category. Multnomah County, where the farm is located, entered Phase 1 of reopening on June 19. Before that, the farm was unsure of what the law would allow for.

“To be honest, we don't even know for sure what's allowed,” Kondilis said. “So, we're not offering things because we don't want to get in trouble.”

Because of state law, guests are not allowed to sit in chairs or consume any food or beverages while at Bella Organic Farm. They are allowed to wander around the farm, shop at the store with masks on and pick berries in the fields using gloves and masks. The farm has taken several mitigation steps such as hiring a manager to enforce safety guidelines, requiring masks and gloves for employees, encouraging visitors to wash their hands, and offering curbside pickup and delivery options for customers.

“Honestly, we were afraid people wouldn't come because of us being strict,” Kondilis said. “But so many people are like, 'we're so thankful that you're doing this.’”

Kondilis says that last year, the farm would see about 50 people on a typical weekday and about 200 on the weekends. This year, she has seen up to 200 visitors on the weekdays and even more on the weekends. Despite the increase in summer visitors, she said the staff is worried about what will happen in October.

In a normal year, thousands of customers would crowd the farm on the weekends, visiting the pumpkin patch and corn maze. This year, however, fewer people will be able to gather, and it is likely that the farm will lose a large amount of its profit. Typically, visitors pay at the gate, but if restrictions on the number of people allowed in are put in place, traffic on the island can get backed up for miles. The staff has thought about selling tickets ahead of time or allowing people to register for time slots, but there will be no easy solution.

“I think we're going to have to really think about what we're going to do,” Kondilis said. “And if there are restrictions on how many people go onto the farm, I think that's going to be complicated for a lot of people.”

News Briefs:

USDA to provide $1.6B in loans for improving electric lines. USDA will provide $1.6 billion in loans and loan guarantees to rural electric cooperatives and utilities in 21 states, the Trump administration announced Monday. The loans, part of USDA Rural Development’s Electric Loan Program, will go toward building and upgrading 9,128 miles of electric “transmission and distribution line.” According to a release, USDA will use $386 million of the loans to invest in smart grid technology, which “uses digital communications to detect and react to local changes in electricity usage.” “Reliable and modern 21st century infrastructure, including electric infrastructure and smart grid technologies, is a cornerstone for prosperity in rural America,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in the release. “USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities in building their futures.” The loans will go to rural electrical cooperatives and utilities in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. The funding is expected to impact the service of 1 million rural residents and businesses. www.Agri-Pulse.com 13

EPA announces additional funding for Hypoxia Task Force. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it will supply the 12 state members of the Hypoxia Task Force (HTF) with an additional $840,000 to go toward “improving water quality” and “reducing excess nutrients” in the Mississippi River/Atchafalaya River Basin. This is the latest round of funding for the project. The EPA previously announced that $1.2 million would go to the task force last August. “By providing this new round of funding, EPA is further empowering our state partners to build on their ongoing efforts to update nutrient management plans, develop water quality trading programs, and demonstrate best practices in high-priority watersheds,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water David Ross said in a release. An overabundance of nutrients can lead to algae blooms, hypoxic zones, and other water quality concerns, the release said. The money will fund state strategies to reduce nutrient loads throughout the basin. “As states continue implementing their nutrient reduction plans, they need additional funding to build upon the successful water quality projects underway," Iowa Secretary of Agriculture said in the release. "I am very grateful that the EPA is doubling down on its water quality investment in the HTF states."

CBP seizes nearly 20,000 pounds of prohibited meat from China. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agricultural specialists seized 19,555 pounds of prohibited meats entering the country at a California port between April 6 and June 6. According to a release, specialists found prohibited pork, chicken, beef and duck products that were being smuggled in boxes of headphones, door locks, kitchenware, LCD tablets, trash bags, swim fins, cell phone covers, plastic cases and household goods. The products, arriving from China, were intercepted at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport. “Our close collaboration with our USDA strategic partners has resulted in an increased number of prohibited food products interceptions in a relatively short period of time,” Carlos C. Martel, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles, said in the release. “CBP agriculture specialists remain committed and vigilant of foreign animal disease threats.” China is currently seeing the effects of Classical Swine Fever, Newcastle Disease, Foot and Mouth Disease, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Swine Vesicular Disease and African Swine Fever. African Swine Fever, which is spread through bodily fluids of infected animals and has decimated China’s hog herds, has not yet entered the U.S. According to the CBP, 70% more prohibited meats were intercepted during the first five months of the fiscal year than the same period last year. Once the prohibited meats are captured, CBP reports the products to the USDA and then destroys them.

Brazil releases new COVID-19 guidelines for meatpacking plants. The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture released updated guidelines for meatpackers Friday after the country’s meatpacking plants saw a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases. The guidelines call for at least 1 meter of space between workers, according to a release. If that is not possible, workers must wear surgical masks and be divided by “impermeable partitions” and given plastic visors or goggles to wear. According to a Reuters article, labor prosecutors said the guidelines “ignored key recommendations made by the office that specified minimum distancing of 1.5 meters between workers in common areas of the plant, as well as mass testing.” The guidelines also call for companies to monitor employees for any symptoms of COVID-19 and to remove workers immediately if they are suspected of having the virus. Workers who are sent home should not be allowed to return for 14 days, it said. Almost 24% of cases found in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, were workers in the local meat industry, Reuters noted. As of Monday evening, The New York Times reported that Brazil had about 1.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 50,617 deaths.

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Farm Hands on the Potomac…

President Donald Trump has notified Congress that he has designated Jason Kearns as chairman and Randolph Stayin as vice chairman of the United States International Trade Commission, effective June 17, 2020.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler has announced the appointment of 33 members to the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee (FRRCC). William Thomas (Tom) McDonald of Five Rivers Cattle Feeding was selected as the incoming committee chair and Lauren Lurkins, Illinois Farm Bureau, was chosen as the incoming committee vice chair. Davie Stephens, American Soybean Association chairman, was also selected to serve on the committee. To view the other members appointed to the committee, click here.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has made staff changes in the management of the FCC’s Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force. Nathan Eagan, who has been the chief of the staff of the Task Force since 2018, has moved to the Office of General Counsel, and Audra Hale-Maddox will become the new chief of staff for the Task Force. Since 2012, Hale-Maddox served in the Auctions Division of the FCC's Office of Economics and Analytics.

John Deere has appointed new individuals to lead redesigned or newly created business units. Cory Reed has been appointed to the new role of president, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division for Production & Precision Agriculture Equipment and for the Sales & Marketing Regions of the Americas and Australia. Markwart von Pentz has been appointed to the new role of president, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division for Small Ag & Turf and for the Sales & Marketing Regions of Europe, CIS, Asia and Africa. Jahmy Hindman has been named the new chief technology officer overseeing the Intelligent Solutions Group. Marc Howze, currently serving as chief administrative officer, will continue in that role while also assuming the new role of group president of Lifecycle Solutions. These promotions went into effect June 16. Additionally, John Stone will assume his new role as president, Worldwide Construction & Forestry and Power Systems, on July 1.

Tony Thelan has added the title of chief product officer at John Deere Financial. He will also continue to serve as the vice president of global strategy.

Syngenta Group Co. has officially launched the Syngenta Group, a new entity that brings together Syngenta AG, ADAMA and agricultural activities of Sinochem. The organization encompasses four business units: Syngenta Crop Protection led by Jon Parr, based in Basel, Switzerland; Syngenta Seeds led by Jeff Rowe and based in Chicago; ADAMA led by Ignacio Dominguez, based in Airport City, Israel; and Syngenta Group China, led by Hengde Qin and based in Shanghai. Erik Fyrwald, formerly CEO of Syngenta AG, becomes CEO of Syngenta Erik Fyrwald Group; Chen Lichtenstein, formerly CEO of ADAMA, becomes CFO of Syngenta Group; Steve Landsman becomes general counsel, and Laure Roberts becomes chief human resources officer. www.Agri-Pulse.com 15

Tyson Foods has tapped Dan Turton to lead the global government affairs team as its senior vice president, effective June 29. He will be based in Washington, D.C., and report to Amy Tu, executive vice president and general counsel. Turton most recently served as a senior adviser to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rules. He also previously served as vice president for North American public policy at General Motors.

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has brought on Fan-Li Chou to be the new vice president of scientific affairs and policy. Chou currently serves as the agricultural biotechnology adviser to Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and has held a number of different positions within the department. She will begin her new role with ASTA on Aug. 10.

ASTA also announced its new leadership team for the 2020 year: John Latham with Latham Hi-Tech Seeds has been selected as chair, Brad May with BASF is the first vice chair, and Jim Schweigert with Gro Alliance is second vice chair.

Tom Moore with HM. CLAUSE has announced his retirement after having served the seed industry for 24 years. He has been very active in ASTA, participating on the Phytosanitary Committee, the International Executive Committee and the Emerging Diseases Committee. He also served as ASTA representative to the International Seed Federation Phytosanitary Committee.

Bernice Slutsky is also retiring from the ASTA staff after being with the association for the past 15 years. She most recently served in the role of senior vice president for innovation. Before joining ASTA, Bernice held positions at USDA, in the Office of the Secretary and the Foreign Agricultural Service, as well as with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers (PhRMA).

Scott Gerlt has been hired by the American Soybean Association (ASA) as the first economist on staff. Starting July 20, Gerlt will be based out of ASA's St. Louis office. He brings over 10 years of experience in economics, previously working at the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI), where he worked with policymakers in drafting the 2014 and 2018 farm bills.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has added John Chapuis to his office as policy adviser for tax, trade, banking, and other economic policy issues. Chapuis previously worked in the office of Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, as a senior adviser and also previously was Cornyn's deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Majority Whip.

Marissa Dake has been tapped to lead distribution efforts for the Farmers to Families Food Box Program in northeast Kansas. She will oversee collaboration with regional nonprofits, municipalities, school districts, churches, and tribes to increase food access during the coronavirus crisis. Dake most recently served as a policy and communications coordinator at Michael Torrey Associates. She started her new role on Monday, June 22.

The National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board elected Chris Edgington to become the organization’s first vice president for the next fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1. Edgington raises corn and soybeans along with his dad, brother and son on their farm in Iowa. On the national level, Edgington chairs the Finance Committee. Also, on Oct. 1, Kevin Ross of Iowa becomes chairman, and the current first vice president, John Linder of Ohio, becomes NCGA president.

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Caitlin Cain has been tapped to oversee the day-to-day work of the Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Most recently, she led her own New Orleans-based social investment firm and was previously a Fulbright Scholar who also served as CEO of the World Trade Center of New Orleans.

U.S. Wheat Associates hired Wei-lin Chou as a Technical Specialist out of the Taipei, Taiwan, office. Chou earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in agriculture chemistry from National Taiwan University. He brings experience as an assistant researcher for the China Grain Products Research and Development Institute and in technical sales for Thailand-based company Starpro Starch Co.

Bob Scott has been named director of Arkansas’ Cooperative Extension Service, effective July 1. He will succeed Rick Cartwright, who retires June 30. In April 2018, Scott was appointed director of the Rice Research and Extension Center. He holds a doctoral degree in weed science from Mississippi State University Wei-lin Chou and he earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy and master’s degree in weed science from Oklahoma State University.

Crop Enhancement has appointed Jean Pougnier to serve in the role of CEO. Pougnier succeeds Kevin Chen, who led the company since 2015. Chen will remain an independent board director of the company. Pougnier brings 30 years of experience to the position, previously working for DuPont, FMC, and AMVAC.

Mark Stewart is the new president of Drexel Chemical Company. Stewart started in sales with Drexel in January 1999, and was later promoted to sales manager, then director of sales and marketing and now president. Before joining the Drexel Chemical Company, Stewart worked at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. He succeeds Ben Johnson, who will be retiring in September after 29 years with the organization.

The University of Wisconsin System regents’ leader has picked Tommy Thompson as the system’s interim president, replacing outgoing president Ray Cross, who announced his retirement last October.

Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and UPS chief diversity and inclusion officer, has been added to the World Food Program USA’s board of directors. As a board member, Martinez will support World Food Program USA’s mission around the world on behalf of the United Nations World Food Program.

Benson Hill has selected Jason Bull as the new chief technology officer. Bull will lead the company's R&D and Data Science capabilities across predictive breeding, genomics, product discovery, big data engineering and software development. He has been granted 30 patents in digital agriculture, molecular breeding and robotic seed chipping.

Yvonne Lesicko, Ohio Farm Bureau vice president of public policy, passed away June 18 from an unexpected medical issue. She was 48. Known for her energy, enthusiasm, humor and ability to connect with all types of people, Lesicko began her career at Farm Bureau in 1994. Since 2012, Lesicko has managed OFBF’s legislative and regulatory team, representing the interests of Farm Bureau members with federal and state regulatory agencies. A visitation will be held from www.Agri-Pulse.com 17

2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 25 at Schoedinger Funeral Home, 6699 N. High St, Worthington, OH 43085.

Tim Zurliene, the BASF Global Trait Management & Licensing Lead, died after a courageous fight with cancer. Zurliene started his career with his family's Zurliene Spray Service, and later took on sales roles with Rohm and Haas, Maritz Marketing Research and Agrevo USA. In 2002, he was named director of marketing services for Bayer CropScience and served in a variety of leadership roles. He was a lover of the outdoors, especially the North Carolina mountains. Due to COVID, there will be no immediate services.

Phil Thomas, known as "Mr. Canola," passed away on June 13 at the age of 76. He began working for Alberta Agriculture in the 1970s when a new version of rapeseed was developed: canola. Within a few years of the crop's introduction, Thomas had written the book on how to grow it, the Canola Grower's Manual, which was published in 1984. He set out to travel the world and show other farmers how to grow the crop, leading him to become an expert in this area.

Best Regards,

Sara Wyant

Editor

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