The U.S. Trade Rep’s office is looking at making trade more fair. It comes after an investigation into China, and it directly targets their maritime industry.
The Office says China is dominating in areas like maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding, warning it places unreasonable burdens on U.S. commerce. They are hoping to use fees on Chinese ship operators and owners.
Not everyone is on board, though, with one U.S. shipping industry official calling the proposal “catastrophic.” Consultants with O’Neil Commodity Consulting say that in 2022, more than a third of all commercial ships were built in China, and that number is now closer to 22 percent.
Related Stories
Higher freight rates and potential service disruptions are key concerns for agriculture, which relies heavily on rail to move commodities.
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor joins us to discuss the uncertain path for year-round E15 sales and the next steps as the issue heads toward a standalone House vote after it was stripped from the Farm Bill.
Seasonal pricing strength is lining up with crop stress, giving wheat producers another weather-driven marketing window. Shaun Haney joins us to discuss concerns from ag bankers on farm profitability.
Corn and cotton gave the strongest signals this week, while soybean demand remained softer than in the previous report.
Reliance on vegetable imports remains uneven, with domestic production still anchoring several major categories.
StoneX’s Josh Linville discusses USDA’s efforts to boost domestic fertilizer production and his outlook on supply and prices.
