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Wheat organizations from The U.S., Canada and Mexico urged negotiators to reach a successful North American Free Trade Agreement, yesterday.

In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump and his Mexican and Canadian counter-parts, President Peña Nieto and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as the lead negotiators from each country including Ambassador Lighthizer, Minister Guajardo and Minister Freeland, 

several wheat-based groups from the three nations detailed the importance of the trade agreement to wheat growers and their associated industries.

"The fact that wheat producers and end users from all three countries would speak with one voice about the importance of NAFTA should speak volumes to our leaders," said National Association of Wheat Growers President Gordon Stoner. 

The groups emphasized that an updated trade deal is critical to ensure that all stakeholders can work together to provide the highest quality products at the greatest value for both the supply chain and consumers. Further, the letter stated that an integrated supply chain between the three countries is only effective with NAFTA in place.

Click here to read more about this story and the actual letter that was sent from this wheat industry collective, shared with us by NAWG.

Yet another round of NAFTA renegotiations is underway this week in Montreal, Canada. Trade Specialist for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Kent Bacus is there attending the event, representing the beef industry and keeping an eye on these proceedings for cattle producers back home.


"I think it's important for the beef industry to have a presence at this negotiation round. A lot of the previous rounds have been technical and this will actually be a ministerial round. The trade ministers will be there including Ambassador Lighthizer," Bacus said. "It's important for us to show our support for these negotiations and also for the benefits that NAFTA has given the industry."


Bacus says the US beef industry simply cannot afford to lose market access to either Canada and Mexico, let alone both, which he says are each a billion-dollar market for American producers. Participating in this event, he hopes to help in moving talks forward with a positive message. So far, he says negotiators have done a good job at keeping agricultural trade out of the crosshairs, instead with most of the focus targeting manufacturing, specifically on automotive. But while the ag sector has remained relatively unscathed at this point, Bacus says we are still at a disadvantage in these talks, referring to the absence of a chief agriculture negotiator. Greg Doud has been appointed to the post by President Trump, but the Senate has yet to confirm him - held up by Jeff Flake, a senator from Arizona with a bone to pick.


"That sends a message to the people across the table that maybe we're not being as serious as we should. This is something that the Senate has to resolve," he asserted. "We cannot afford to go another month, another NAFTA negotiation round without full representation at the table. We have to get that hold lifted."


Listen to Kent Bacus of NCBA report from Montreal on this week's NAFTA negotiations, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.

Probably the biggest threat to a successful harvest right now, says Kim Anderson, Extension grain market economist, is the ongoing and worsening drought conditions here in the state.

In an interview with SUNUP Host Lyndall Stout this week, Anderson reported that many of the farmers he has talked with recently, say that if moisture doesn't arrive within the next few weeks, they may not have a crop to harvest this year.


Not only does moisture, or lack thereof, impact farmers' yields and production at harvest time, Anderson says it also is affecting their production decisions.


The thing the market needs and wants the most right now, is quality. Anderson insists that if producers can deliver quality grain with high levels of protein and a good test weight, then he expects premiums to go up. However, in order for farmers to guarantee their wheat develops the desired protein levels, they need to top-dress their crop and get nitrogen in the ground. However, the drought is forecasted to continue for the next couple months at least. In order to get nitrogen in the ground, Anderson says you need moisture prior to the application and immediately after. Finding that window may prove impossible this year. If it does happen, though, that could cause another issue with logistics as fertilizers will be hard-pressed to coordinate the sudden demand for their equipment.


You can hear Kim's full remarks from his interview this week with Stout by clicking here. Note that Anderson will not be featured on this weekend's episode of SUNUP which is instead airing a special report on wildfire and how Oklahoma prepares, responds and recovers.