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Soybean Growers Unhappy with President Trump’s Comments on Keeping Tariffs in Place under a China Agreement

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is not pleased with recent comments from President Trump that he could leave tariffs in place under an agreement with China. ASA has always considered the lifting of the Section 301 tariffs by the U.S. in exchange for China removing its retaliatory 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybean imports as essential to any initial agreement between the two countries.
 
Davie Stephens, president of ASA and a soybean grower from Clinton, Kentucky, said, “The President’s statement that the tariffs should remain in place to ensure China’s compliance with the terms of a deal, rather than being rescinded as a part of that deal, is confounding. If reciprocal tariffs have generated current pressure to reach an agreement, why wouldn’t removing the tariffs and relieving that pressure be a necessary part of any initial deal? How can the U.S. and China reach any deal without doing so?”
 
Stephens continued, “We do understand the President’s concern regarding enforcement of other provisions of a deal, given China’s past record of walking back its commitments. And we would understand why the President would want to include a “snap back” mechanism to re-impose tariffs in the event other parts of any agreement were not honored, but we are tired of being collateral damage in this ongoing trade war and suffering because of these tariffs.”
 
ASA has gone on record in prior statements that it is has not been enough for China to make one-off “good will” purchases of U.S. soy over the last three months. Any longer-term plan to “manage” soybean trade under which China would guarantee to buy specified amounts of soybeans over an extended period of months or years—but still keep its 25 percent tariff in place—is not an acceptable alternative to full market access.
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Why SaskSeed is Rejuvenating its Annual Meeting

Video: Why SaskSeed is Rejuvenating its Annual Meeting

The Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association (SaskSeed) is switching things up for 2024.

In a recent interview, SaskSeed President Kurt Printz, the owner of Printz Family Seeds, shared some of the notable accomplishments and changes within his organization over the past 12 months, including switching venues for the SaskSeed annual meeting coming up in January.

The decision to move their meeting from a familiar venue to a downtown location is a refreshing change aimed at offering members more freedom and a change of scenery outside of meeting hours, he says. The shift is also an attempt to attract a younger crowd, tapping into the vibrant dining and social opportunities downtown.

“The goal is to inject some fresh energy into the proceedings while still paying homage to the heritage of our meetings. It’s about blending excitement with respect for our established traditions, ensuring that the change doesn’t compromise the essence of what makes our AGMs special,” he says.

One of his proudest accomplishments as SaskSeed president is getting new executive director Chris Barker up and running within the organization. Printz expressed excitement about the positive direction Barker is taking SaskSeed and the impact this has on SaskSeed’s overall goals.