Agribusiness Update for Friday 12/20/13

If Japan is included in a final Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement without agreeing to comprehensive trade liberalization - including elimination of tariffs on virtually all U.S. agricultural products - a coalition of agricultural organizations will likely oppose the deal. The 17 groups sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman saying the unwillingness of Japanese negotiators to present a comprehensive offer on agricultural products is threatening to undermine the talks.

A bipartisan group of Senators met with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy Wednesday to discuss the proposed reduction in the Renewable Fuel Standard. According to Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley - the Administrator heard a lot about the harm the proposal would do to the environment, national and energy security and rural economies.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has imposed costly regulatory burdens on small, family-owned farms. Nebraska U.S. Senator Mike Johanns intends to stop OSHA in their tracks and ask Labor Secretary Thomas Perez to direct OSHA to cease all actions contrary to Congressional direction regarding regulation of family-owned farms with less than 10 employees.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.