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Brazil's Bolsonaro put under police surveillance
Brazil's Bolsonaro put under police surveillance
Rio de Janeiro, 18 July (Argus) — Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been fitted with an ankle monitor after police raided his home in the capital Brasilia, the latest in a series of court-ordered measures that point to a worsening of his legal situation that could deepen tensions between Brazil and the US. Bolsonaro — who is on trial before the supreme court for an attempted coup — has been ordered to remain at home during certain hours and has been banned from social media and from communicating with foreign diplomats and other defendants. The new measures imposed by the court come in the wake of US President Donald Trump's threat to impose 50pc tariffs on imports from Brazil starting 1 August. Trump said the threat is linked to Bolsonaro's prosecution, calling the trial a "witch hunt". In a 47-page court filing, justice Alexandre de Moraes argued that Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo, a federal congressman, sought help from the US government to pressure Brazilian authorities to interfere in the legal process, calling it a "blatant assault on national sovereignty." Eduardo is in the US and has met with Trump several times to lobby in favor of his father. In response to the latest measure, Eduardo called Moraes a "political gangster in robes" who is "trying to criminalize Trump and the US government". In a televised address on Thursday, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the tariff threat "unacceptable blackmail in the form of threats to Brazilian institutions". His government has set up an inter-ministerial committee to seek a solution to the impending tariffs . Speaking to journalists on Friday morning, Bolsonaro offered to appeal to Trump directly to resolve the issue. He denied attempting a coup or having plans to flee the country. His passport was seized by authorities in February 2024. By Constance Malleret Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Queensland plans abattoir to boost cattle slaughter
Queensland plans abattoir to boost cattle slaughter
Singapore, 18 July (Argus) — The Queensland state government has announced plans for a new beef facility, dubbed Iona, which could process up to 200,000 cattle a year. Queensland slaughtered 3.7mn head of cattle last year, and the new facility could increase the state's annual slaughter by 5pc, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data show. The facility will boost Australia's annual slaughter of 8.3mn by 2pc once operational. The state government did not say when construction will begin or when it will start processing. Iona, which is based in the state's Central Highlands about seven hours north of Dalby, will include an abattoir, a rendering facility for tallow, a biogas facility and a feedlot. Australia's cattle slaughter numbers have grown consecutively every quarter since December 2022. The number of cattle slaughtered in Queensland in January-March has increased by 16pc from the same period last year, ABS data show. Investment bank Rabobank forecasts slaughter will continue to rise in 2025 because ideal weather conditions in the north have boosted herd numbers and made high turnover possible. By Grace Dudley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia northern feeder cattle: Demand increases
Australia northern feeder cattle: Demand increases
Sydney, 17 July (Argus) — The Argus Australian northern steer price rose by 9A¢/kg to 393A¢/kg this week. Feeder cattle supply is easing as graziers retain stock on winter forage to reach heavier weights, capitalizing on stronger returns and avoiding high replacement costs. Heightened demand from southern Australia feedlots is also intensifying competition. Crossbred saleyard and feedlot prices ranged between 380-412A¢/kg. Feedlots are contracting cattle for August, relying on backgrounded and company-owned stock to maintain throughput amid tightening supply. A major southern Queensland feedlot purchased 108 oat-finished Santa Gertrudis heavy feeder steers from the Dalby cattle sale on 16 July for 408A¢/kg. Brahman-infused cattle from northern pastoral properties are in plentiful supply and presenting in excellent forward condition, with southern Queensland feedlots offering 350A¢/kg. Pregnancy-tested empty heavy feeder heifers sold at the Dalby cattle sale for 371A¢/kg, while local feedlots are offering 350A¢/kg. A total of 1,214 head sold at a special feeder sale in Roma on 11 July, with prices averaging 412A¢/kg for crossbred steers and 331A¢/kg for crossbred heifers, with local and southern feedlots the highest bidders. The growth of winter forage and grain crops, which has stalled from dry, cold weather could be assisted by forecast rain of up to 15mm on 17-18 July in southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales (NSW). Further forecast precipitation across southern Queensland and most of NSW next week could also raise winter crop yields and encourage winter herbage growth in pastures. While forecast rainfall is largely excluding central Queensland, graziers have sufficient quality pasture available. The Argus Angus steer price rose by 13A¢/kg to 493A¢/kg this week. Saleyards and feedlots priced Angus cattle at 485-500A¢/kg. Feedlots are contracting cattle for August. Southern feedlots are continuing to purchase cattle in the paddock and at saleyards across northern NSW and southern Queensland because of drought. A pen of 63 Angus steers from Warialda, with an average weight of 445kg, sold online on 11 July for 496A¢/kg. A pen of Angus heavy feeder steers at the Dalby cattle sale on 16 July sold for 476A¢/kg. Feedlot offers for Angus feeder heifers are between 410-420A¢/kg. The Argus Angus steer price has risen by 34A¢/kg in the past three weeks because of tight supply as winter progresses. The price spread between the Argus Australian northern feeder steer and the Argus Australian northern feeder Angus steer is now 100A¢/kg. Many feedlots are reporting a 100A¢/kg difference between their offers for crossbred and Angus steers. The price spread is rarely seen, most market participants say, but the value difference is 23pc. While export demand is firm, the high prices being paid for Angus feeders are becoming unsustainable, meat traders said. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US refiners lobby to revive expired biofuel credits
US refiners lobby to revive expired biofuel credits
New York, 16 July (Argus) — A group of small oil refiners asked US officials at a recent meeting to not just grant exemptions from years-old biofuel blend mandates but to also provide lucrative program credits they can sell to other companies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed record-high biofuel blend mandates for the next two years, but farm groups fear that a backlog of exemption requests threaten those targets. There are more than 180 unresolved exemption requests stretching over 10 years after courts struck down various denials during former-president Joe Biden's term. Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, oil refiners and importers must annually blend biofuels or buy Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits from those that do. But refiners that process 75,000 b/d or less of crude and can prove "disproportionate economic hardship" are able to request full exemptions which can mean tens of millions of dollars in reduced compliance costs. In a 20 May meeting with EPA officials, a coalition of small refiners made the case that President Donald Trump's administration should not just grant broad relief from 2019-2022 mandates but also issue "replacement RINs" for any refiners that already complied. EPA should issue these RINs "with adequate lead time" before compliance deadlines and ensure they have "adequate shelf life", according to a proposal shared with EPA by a coalition lawyer and obtained by Argus through a Freedom of Information Act request. The agency should even consider giving companies more credits than they submitted if RINs are cheaper now, the group argued. RINs from those years are otherwise expired and would be useless if returned as is. "Hardship relief is more critical now than ever", the group of 14 companies argues, given rising biofuel quotas. The issue is politically tricky for EPA, since widespread waivers threaten biofuel and crop demand, and has been the subject of numerous court fights over the years. The first Trump administration handed out exemptions generously , but current officials have not yet staked out a clear position. EPA told Argus it is taking steps "to reduce the backlog as soon as possible". Living RIN the past EPA could potentially return credits on a staggered timeline or impose conditions on their use to avert market turmoil, according to lawyers and lobbyists experienced in waiver issues. The proposal alludes to this, noting however that "any conditions on RIN return that are intended to address potential market reactions must strike the appropriate balance to ensure flexibility to small refineries". Biofuel groups have lobbied against retroactive waivers but said that EPA could minimize the damage by making other oil companies blend more biofuels. The agency should ensure that any exemptions "will be made up in the market", said Emily Skor, president of ethanol lobby Growth Energy, at a hearing last week. But the refiners' proposal argues that EPA is not required to do so if it grants exemptions retroactively. The agency has estimated future exemptions when calculating the percentage of biofuels individual refiners must blend — frustrating large producers that then shoulder more of the burden of meeting high-level targets — but doing the same with past-year waivers is more legally risky. The small refiners float a less aggressive approach for other compliance years. The proposal notably makes no reference to petitions for relief from 2016-2018 quotas. EPA under Biden rejected 31 petitions for those years but did not require companies to surrender additional RINs, potentially making any push for extra relief a tougher sell despite courts' skepticism of the underlying denials. And for 2023 and beyond, the refiners say that EPA should rely on "merit-driven scoring". EPA already consults with the Department of Energy, which scores hardship for individual applicants, though the importance of this feedback has varied over the program's history. The coalition also wants EPA to rescind three 2023 compliance year denials issued during the final days of Biden's term, which affected two Calumet refineries and one CVR Energy refinery. RINto the future The coalition's proposal is notable since small refiners — apart from a handful recently calling for a "seat at the table" — have largely not publicized their asks of the Trump administration, leading traders to speculate wildly on policy shifts. RIN prices have been volatile as a result. The coalition includes 14 companies that submitted 41 petitions that courts have told EPA to reconsider as well as 37 requests for more recent years, the proposal says. They are represented by independent attorney Claudia O'Brien, who did not respond to a request for comment. The documents obtained by Argus do not list all companies involved in the effort, but lawyers for Calumet, Par Pacific and Placid Refining were scheduled to attend the May meeting in person with top EPA appointees Aaron Szabo and Alexander Dominguez, while others attended virtually. O'Brien said in a separate email that Hunt Refining, REH Company, and Ergon were part of the coalition. The policy requests represent the position of one group and not necessarily all 34 refineries EPA estimates are eligible for future waivers. It is not clear how officials responded at the meeting or what options they are weighing now. EPA wants to finalize new blend mandates before November and has said it plans to communicate its approach to exemptions beforehand. By Cole Martin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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