Cattle producers raise concerns over public data on New world screwworm (Progressive Farmer): Yesterday, the CDC confirmed the first human case of the New World screwworm in the U.S.—a Maryland resident who recently returned from El Salvador and has since recovered. Agencies have stated the public health risk is very low, but cattle producers are raising alarms, not over the parasite, but over how the news was handled.
Federal officials confirmed the case on August 4 but did not release the information publicly. The news only surfaced weeks later when Reuters broke the story—prompting industry backlash and calls for more transparent, timely communication from agencies. For producers, this isn’t just about a parasite—it’s about how, when faced with a potential outbreak, the flow of information can impact response readiness, market trust, and confidence in federal oversight.
Brazil to buy domestic products hit by Trump’s tariffs (Morning Ag Clips): Yesterday, Brazil announced it will purchase certain domestic goods hit by the new 50% U.S. tariffs — including açaí, coconut water, mangoes, nuts, honey, and fish — for use in schools and government stockpiles. Officials said coffee and beef were excluded from the program because they have other strong markets, despite also being impacted by the tariffs. Agrarian Development Minister Paulo Teixeira noted the government would not match exporters’ dollar-based prices but would pay what it called an “adequate” rate to support producers.
The move comes amid escalating trade tensions between Brazil and the Trump administration, which has linked tariffs to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil estimates the tariffs now cover over a third of its exports to the U.S., about 4% of total exports. In response, the Lula government has also rolled out a broader “Sovereign Brazil” package with $5.5 billion in credit to support affected companies, while signaling it will not negotiate directly with Trump on trade.