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Oliver Ward

@oliward

Trade editor at Agri-Pulse Brit in the U.S. Into graphs Tips & coffee invites welcome at oliver@agri-pulse.com

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08.01.2024
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Latest posts by Oliver Ward @oliward

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Nutrien in favor of removing phosphate tariffs As a five-year review of countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer from Russia and Morocco gets underway, one of the largest U.S. producers says it is time to lift the tariffs.

Nutrien in favor of removing phosphate tariffs
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/243...

05.03.2026 13:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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US dairy sees Indonesian school meals program as model for exports Indonesia’s crusade to provide every student with a daily free school meal should drive fresh demand for U.S. dairy and could serve as a model to boost exports to other emerging markets, the sector sa...

US dairy sees Indonesian school meals program as model for exports
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/243...

04.03.2026 12:48 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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EU to provisionally apply Mercosur trade agreement: how and when - Borderlex - European trade policy The European Commission said it will provisionally apply the trade elements of the EU-Mercosur partnership agreement in the coming months, even though the European Parliament has yet to approve the de...

Trade policy really is the gift that keeps on giving for us trade hacks. If it's not the US or China, it's Mercosur. EC "launched" provisional application today, but this won't happen overnight - plan for a few months time, maybe longer. borderlex.net/2026/02/27/e...

27.02.2026 14:06 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Senate Ag also planning to mark up farm bill The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up a farm bill of its own in the coming months, with the timing depending in part on how debate over a House version proceeds next week, Chairman John Boozma...

Senate Ag Committee also planning to mark up farm bill
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/242...

27.02.2026 13:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Brazil's Ag Powerhouse: Soy industry goes on sustainability offensive The soybean industry in Mato Grosso is on a mission to highlight its sustainability work and shift its reputation as a climate villain. But analysts fear the collapse of a key effort to curb deforesta...

Brazil's Ag Powerhouse: Soy industry goes on sustainability offensive
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/242...

26.02.2026 14:23 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Global cotton trade flows are shifting. The US is gaining in Vietnam, as China clearly prefers Australia's product. From Southern Ag Today based on USDA data.

25.02.2026 14:04 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

House Ways & Means Chair Jason Smith tells me he's not anticipating congressional votes on Sec. 122 tariffs. "We won't have to worry about that, because the president is going to do enough 301s, 232s to implement his [trade] strategy by then."

24.02.2026 21:48 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Note the pushback from Lange as well.

24.02.2026 16:06 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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BASH: Let's start with the big question -- will you refund the roughly $134 billion taken by these tariffs?

BESSENT: That's not the big question. That's bad framing

BASH: Refunds are clearly gonna be up to you

BESSENT: No no no. It's not up to me or the administration. It's up to the lower court

22.02.2026 14:09 πŸ‘ 1965 πŸ” 485 πŸ’¬ 457 πŸ“Œ 142
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Looks like the new 10% tariff will have similar ag input & food product carveouts as the reciprocal tariffs, as well as exempt USMCA-covered goods.

21.02.2026 00:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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There is a lot for US ag to digest in this Indonesia deal, with some longstanding trade barriers that have been addressed. But the minimum purchase commitments may not be as robust as they seem. This says as long as Indonesia isn't erecting trade barriers, it won't be held to those quantities.

20.02.2026 02:17 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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USDA chief economist: Economic headwinds to ease slightly in 2026 The Agriculture Department is anticipating a slightly easier 2026 for U.S. ag producers, with prices for major commodities nudging higher and input and labor costs moderating, according to the new Chi...

USDA chief economist: Economic headwinds to ease slightly in 2026
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/242...

19.02.2026 19:21 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
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Brazil's Ag Powerhouse: Farmers hope to finally unlock their infrastructure ambitions Underdeveloped infrastructure in Brazil's corn and soybean heartland keeps transportation costs high. But producers are hopeful that this could be about to change.

Read more: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/242...

18.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The bottom line: There is no quick fix. Best-case scenario, Mato Grosso is years away from significantly reducing its soybean & corn export costs. But the US can't afford to be complacent. Investment interest is there. If Brazil can address the issue, shipping costs could fall by 30%, some say. 5/6

18.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Farmers that want to take their own actions to lower transportation costs by increasing on-farm storage & avoid transporting & selling during peak times face borrowing rates of more than 15%. Low global commodity prices are also reducing lending in the country. 4/6

18.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

There are efforts underway to expand a rail network in the south of the state -- set for completion in 2031. But the real prize is a proposed 600-mile-plus rail line connecting producers to a barge network to the north. The project remains mired in the courts amid opposition from climate groups 3/6

18.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Without an extensive rail network, producers in Mato Grosso are forced to load commodities onto trucks & send them hundreds of miles to the nearest rail or barge terminal -- or directly to the port for export. 2/6

18.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Part 2 of my Brazil series is up, with a focus on the country's infrastructure challenges. Brazilian ag producers face high transportation costs for exports that prevent them from being even more competitive in global markets. 1/6

18.02.2026 16:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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UK overseas aid cuts to outstrip those of Trump administration Spending will drop 27% this year from 2024 levels to help fund higher defence budget

Cuts to overseas aid by the UK are set to go further and faster than those made by the Trump administration in the US, as Sir Keir Starmer’s government wrestles with funding pressures

www.ft.com/content/ad52...

16.02.2026 07:51 πŸ‘ 180 πŸ” 102 πŸ’¬ 20 πŸ“Œ 34
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Donald Trump plans to roll back tariffs on metal and aluminium goods Latest softening of levies comes amid persistent voter anxiety about affordability in the US

These tariffs were absolutely vast in scope, covering many downstream products made with steel and aluminum. It will be very interesting to see if this materializes and what the rollback looks like.

www.ft.com/content/f2ef...

13.02.2026 14:59 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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GOP senators affirm USMCA ag benefits in face of Trump’s indifference A parade of Republican senators espoused the benefits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement during a hearing on Wednesday, countering President Donald Trump’s public indifference.

GOP senators affirm USMCA ag benefits in face of Trump’s indifference
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/242...

12.02.2026 20:37 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Brazil's Ag Powerhouse: What’s next for US-Brazil competition in exports? Industry analysts and representatives in both countries tell Agri-PulseΒ that competition is set to intensify as new fronts open and Brazil continues to lift its export potential in established commodi...

Businesses are betting big on Brazil increasing its soybean exports, with planned port and rail upgrades focused on facilitating international sales. 4/4

Read more: www.agri-pulse.com/articles/241...

11.02.2026 15:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Mato Grosso still clearly has plenty of additional corn and soybean acres to add in the coming years, even without converting any forest land to agriculture. There is plenty of pasture that can be converted as cattle is moved onto feedlots or are integrated with eucalyptus crops. 3/4

11.02.2026 15:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Dried distillers' grains, sorghum & soybean meal are set to become intense new competitive fronts as Brazil ramps up its corn ethanol & biodiesel production to meet new blending mandates. The other side of this is that competition in corn markets could ease temporarily as more stays in-country. 2/4

11.02.2026 15:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Back in the US after more than a week reporting from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime reporting experience. Some thoughts on the future of U.S.-Brazilian ag competition based on what I saw and conversations I had:
1/4

11.02.2026 15:03 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
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A note on Trump suggesting China is weighing another 8 million tons of soybean buys this season: Brazil’s soybean harvest is now well underway & their beans have a discount in the Chinese market.
(I took these photos on a soybean farm in Brazil’s Mato Grosso yesterday!)

05.02.2026 12:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Peanut Butter Is American Marmite

30.01.2026 13:31 πŸ‘ 14 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 1
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Keir Starmer’s softly-softly approach ushers in new era of UK-China trade relations Britain’s haul from the trip may be modest, but ministers insist there’s more to come.

It’s a far cry from the ice age of U.K.-China relations that characterized Rishi Sunak’s leadership β€” and it’s not exactly David Cameron’s β€œgolden era,” either.

www.politico.eu/article/keir...

29.01.2026 19:48 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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USDA eyes more than 200,000 tons of Food for Peace purchases by March The Agriculture Department said Wednesday that it will partner with the World Food Program to move an initial $452 million worth of international food aid, with purchases anticipated by March.

USDA eyes more than 200,000 tons of Food for Peace purchases by March
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/241...

29.01.2026 14:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Officials ready bird flu vaccine framework amid thawing global attitudes Officials have collected feedback from states and industry on a bird flu vaccination strategy document – part of an administration effort to weigh its benefits and pitfalls. The probe comes as one of ...

Officials ready bird flu vaccine framework amid thawing global attitudes
www.agri-pulse.com/articles/240...

28.01.2026 15:53 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0