The US sugar market is under growing pressure as traditional supply controls become harder to maintain amid rising imports, inflation-weakened tariffs, and policy gaps.
At the same time, demand is set to decline for a fourth consecutive year in 2026/27, while mounting challenges in the white sugar market are squeezing margins across the supply chain and raising the risk of sugar forfeitures in the year ahead.
The US sugar market is in a tight spot. Smooth functioning of the market is predicated on supply control, but an influx of world sugar, tariffs made less effective by inflation, and blind spots in US sugar policy have made supply control increasingly difficult. On the demand side, the industry is staring down the prospect of the fourth year of declining demand in 2026/27 – an unenviable trend perpetuated by evolving dietary guidelines, cuts to federal nutrition programs, and the rise of GLP-1 medications. On the supply side, the challenges are most acutely reflected in the white sugar market, where a more competitive refining industry and high polarity global imports have depressed the white premium. Most immediately this has manifested as negative margins for beet growers and limited factory closures, but an increase in loan rates under the Big Beautiful Bill could lead to white sugar forfeitures in the year ahead.
Global dairy trade continues to expand along a steady long-term trajectory of 2% per year, but underlying dynamics are shifting. Cheese leads growth, but shifting demand – including weaker Chinese imports – is redirecting flows toward emerging export markets. At the same time, stronger supply growth in the US and Argentina is intensifying competition as Europe faces mounting constraints on milk production.
Global dairy trade continues to expand along a long‑term growth path of around 2% per year. The EU remains the largest exporter, but its global share is gradually declining as the US, Argentina, and Uruguay strengthen their positions, as can be seen when comparing our 2023 and 2026 maps.
China is still the largest importer, but its declining purchases are shifting exporters’ hopes toward markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.
Among dairy products, cheese stands out as the strongest growth engine, while milk powders show weaker momentum. Butter surged in 2025 due to a sharp rise in US exports, and whey is becoming increasingly valuable amid strong demand for protein-based applications.
Looking ahead, global dairy trade is expected to keep growing steadily, slightly accelerating its pace, with the US and Argentina best positioned to drive future supply expansion as Europe faces tighter production constraints.
Our new World Dairy Map 2026 visualizes the latest global dairy trade flows, offering a snapshot of the current patterns behind these shifting trends.
World Farming Agriculture and Commodity news - 6 July 2026
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has called on the UK government to adopt a supportive approach to its livestock sector after the European Commission published its new Livestock Strategy this week. The strategy positions farming as a strategic asset central to food security and economic resilience.
Accompanied by a Protein Strategy, which aims to reduce dependence on imported feed, the Livestock Strategy sets out a long-term vision covering competitiveness, innovation, animal welfare and international market promotion. The European Commission describes the sector as essential to strategic autonomy, noting it supports around seven million jobs and contributes approximately €400 billion annually to the European economy.
The BMPA noted that while the UK is no longer part of the EU, Europe remains its largest export market for many livestock products, and regulatory changes in Brussels carry consequences beyond the bloc's borders.
One development the BMPA flagged as particularly significant for pig producers is the Commission's confirmation that new animal welfare legislation for pigs will be brought forward next year. Imported products will be required to meet equivalent standards, meaning UK pig meat exporters will be watching the proposals closely. If changes to CO₂ stunning rules are included, as some in the industry anticipate, the implications for processors on both sides of the Channel could be substantial.
The BMPA said the strategy's broader tone marked a shift from years in which European livestock policy had been viewed primarily through an environmental lens, and called for a similar vision to be adopted for UK livestock.
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has called on the UK government to adopt a supportive approach to its livestock sector after the European Commission published its new Livestock Strategy this week. The strategy positions farming as a strategic asset central to food security and economic resilience.
Accompanied by a Protein Strategy, which aims to reduce dependence on imported feed, the Livestock Strategy sets out a long-term vision covering competitiveness, innovation, animal welfare and international market promotion. The European Commission describes the sector as essential to strategic autonomy, noting it supports around seven million jobs and contributes approximately €400 billion annually to the European economy.
The BMPA noted that while the UK is no longer part of the EU, Europe remains its largest export market for many livestock products, and regulatory changes in Brussels carry consequences beyond the bloc's borders.
One development the BMPA flagged as particularly significant for pig producers is the Commission's confirmation that new animal welfare legislation for pigs will be brought forward next year. Imported products will be required to meet equivalent standards, meaning UK pig meat exporters will be watching the proposals closely. If changes to CO₂ stunning rules are included, as some in the industry anticipate, the implications for processors on both sides of the Channel could be substantial.
The BMPA said the strategy's broader tone marked a shift from years in which European livestock policy had been viewed primarily through an environmental lens, and called for a similar vision to be adopted for UK livestock.
The European Union is launching an investigation into allegations that China is dumping Pekin duck products into the bloc,citing a notice published in the EU's Official Journal on Thursday.
Pekin duck is a popular breed of duck raised for meat production. EU producers filed the complaint in May, citing factors such as China's intervention in the poultry sector.
"The evidence provided by the complainants shows that the volume and the prices of the imported product under investigation have had, among other consequences, a negative impact on the quantities sold, the level of prices charged and market share held by the Union industry," the notice said.
This had resulted in "substantial adverse effects on the overall performance of the Union industry", it added.
