U.S. Flag Flies Over New Cuban Embassy
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HAVANA, CUBA -- Today, the U.S. flag was raised over the newly established U.S. embassy here. Secretary of State John Kerry attended the ceremony heralding further diplomatic engagement with Cuba. The flag-raising follows a similar event in Washington, DC last month, where the Cuban flag now flies over their corresponding embassy.
Despite the symbolic nature of these two ceremonies, relations between the United States and Cuba have not been normalized, and while ending the embargo has the biggest potential to transform the relationship, it requires Congress to change the laws that put the embargo in place.
There has been a strong push by the U.S. agricultural community to normalize trade relations with Cuba, and give producers and businesses access to what is naturally a key export market. The U.S. rice industry is poised to benefit from re-engaging trade with Cuba, and USA Rice has joined a coalition of other agricultural organizations to urge congressional action on this front.
USA Rice is a founding member of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC), and CEO Betsy Ward spoke at the public launch of the group in January of this year. The coalition formed prior to the December 17, 2014, announcement by President Obama of a change in U.S. policy towards Cuba after half a century. Since that time, USA Rice and USACC have promoted the coalition's key goal: a return to normal commercial relations between the United States and Cuba.
"We are encouraged by this news and the Secretary's remarks at the flag-raising today in Havana," said Ward. "We will continue to engage with Congress and actively support the bills in both chambers, which take steps to normalize relations with Cuba."
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Interest in New Rice Varieties at USA Rice Seminar in Taiwan
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Bill Farmer (second from left) and
John Valpey (second from right)
get thumbs up for U.S. rice
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TAICHUNG, TAIWAN -- Despite the imminent arrival of Super Typhoon Soudelor, 93 rice importers, millers, food processors, and food service representatives turned out for a USA Rice trade seminar on August 7th in this city in the middle of Taiwan's rice country.
All types and forms of U.S. rice are routinely displayed and sampled as part of all USA Rice seminars, but with the first-time importation of southern medium grain and long grain rice into Taiwan in the fall of 2014, trade interest in these new U.S. rice imports is growing.
USA Rice coordinated with the Taiwan government in the fall of 2014 to have samples of southern medium grain and long grain rice sent for evaluation for possible importation. Based on that evaluation, Taiwan lifted its years-long ban on U.S. long grain imports and subsequently purchased an estimated 23,000 tons of the southern medium grain Jupiter and 11,000 tons of southern long grain that has recently arrived in the market.
USA Rice provided an overview of the U.S. rice industry and talked about the cooking qualities of the multiple rice varieties on display and sampled by the audience. Professional chefs from the Taichung Splendor Hotel created a total of fifteen dishes with the rice and some of the varieties were also featured in extruded, sushi, and frozen applications at the seminar.
Bill Farmer, director of Asia Programs for USA Rice, and John Valpey, chairman of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee, represented USA Rice at the seminar. Audiences and speakers had a good interaction during the three-hour event.
Contact: Jim Guinn (703) 236-1474
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U.S. rice varieties on display
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| CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures | CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for August 14
September 2015
| $11.820 |
- $0.080
| November 2015
| $12.095 |
- $0.080
| January 2016
| $12.390 |
| March 2016
| $12.625 |
- $0.060
| May 2016
| $12.865 |
- $0.065
| July 2016
| $12.865 |
- $0.065
| September 2016
| $11.885
| - $0.065 |
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| In the News | |
Around the Country
Three reports underline a continuing slowdown in the U.S. farm economy and for land values after prices soared for much of the past decade. Agricultural land values, which were buoyed by rising demand for grain and drought-stricken crops that shrunk supply, reached such lofty heights that some analysts cautioned a bubble was forming in the market.
Forecasters will have a better idea of the role that El Nino might - or might not - play in adding precipitation to California as the event develops into the winter months.
Video: USA Rice's Betsy Ward talked about the prospects for accomplishing those tasks during a presentation at the Mississippi Farm Bureau's Rice Committee meeting at the Delta Research and Extension Center.
Tariffs and Trade
A lot has been achieved in very little time, and it's easy to imagine that the change will only snowball. But so far the momentum has come almost entirely from the White House, and the newly opened embassies mark the final big step that Obama can take by himself. Now the most significant next steps are going to lie with Congress, and get tangled up in the 2016 presidential race. They won't be so easy.
Mr. Kerry is leading a delegation that includes eight American lawmakers who strongly back the White House policy to restore diplomatic and economic ties; more than a half-dozen Cuban-Americans; and senior officials from the Treasury Department, the Commerce Department and the White House.
If devaluation of the Chinese currency is a sign of more fundamental problems in that nation's slower-growing economy, California agriculture could take a big hit.
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USA Rice Daily Index of Articles, August 10-13
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Thursday, August 13
U.S. Rice and Wine in Japan - A Winning Combination
Wednesday, August 12
USA Rice Wants Consumers to Think Rice Online with New Consumer Website
WASDE Report Released
Tuesday, August 11
USA Rice Launches New Online Home
Monday, August 10
Rice Expo Salutes Arkansas Rice Industry
Crop Progress: 2015 Crop 81 Percent Headed
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| Upcoming Events | Events Calendar
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| Mission Statement | | USA Rice is the global advocate for all segments of the U.S. rice industry with a mission to promote and protect the interests of producers, millers, merchants and allied businesses. |
| About Us | Editor: Michael Klein
(703) 236-1458
mklein@usarice.com
Fax (703) 236-2301
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 610
Arlington, VA 22201
This report is time-sensitive, based on information available at press time. Content is derived from facts and sources believed to be reliable. Reprinting and/or distribution may be done with permission of USA Rice.
Copyright © 2015. Please direct comments or questions to the editor or contact name listed for each story. |
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