Statement on Change to Definition of ‘Agricultural Products’ in Reporting Trade Data

Feb 22, 2021

USDA and the Department of Commerce decided in December 2020 to change the way they define “agricultural products” when reporting international trade data. Beginning with the release of the January 2021 monthly trade data on March 5, USDA will adopt the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) internationally recognized definition of “agricultural products,” which includes ethanol, distilled spirits and manufactured tobacco products, three product groups not included in the current USDA definition. The change was first announced by Commerce in the Monthly U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services (PDF, 1.5 MB) report released on Feb. 5th. The change is meant to harmonize U.S. trade reporting practices with those of the international community. It will also ensure that USDA numbers align with those of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which already uses the WTO definition when negotiating WTO binding trade agreements. As a result, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service is updating historical datasets in preparation for the March 5 change and will make data available under both definitions in its Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS) database (apps.fas.usda.gov/gats).

Source : usda.gov

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.