USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission Delegation Arrives in Chile

Sep 26, 2023

A U.S. agribusiness delegation arrived in Santiago, Chile, today, led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis M. Taylor. The delegation includes representatives from the U.S. food and agriculture sectors and state departments of agriculture.

“As we celebrate the 200^th anniversary of U.S.-Chile relations, I am honored to lead such an incredible group as we work with Chilean importers on expanding our bilateral trade even further,” said Taylor. “Customers in Chile are especially interested in U.S. consumer-oriented products, such as dairy, beef, poultry, pork, condiments and distilled spirits, providing U.S. exporters with many new and exciting opportunities.”

While in Santiago, the members of the delegation are looking to establish business relationships and explore opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports to the region. Buyers from Chile, as well as from neighboring Ecuador and Peru, have been invited to participate and meet with U.S. exporters. In addition, this trade mission will allow participants to learn about production and marketing practices throughout South America.

Source : usda.gov

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.