Into the Dalgona Coffee Trend? Mmm, Thanks Trade.

Whipping up a Trade Trend The “cloud coffee” phenomenon making the rounds on Instagram and TikTok is a prime example of how ingenious people leverage global trade to bring us ideas and products we never knew we needed, but that we now love. I’m talking about dalgona coffee, sweet caffeinated happiness in a cup. It is made of equal parts instant coffee, sugar and hot water whipped together into a beautiful froth and then spooned on top of your favorite hot or cold milk. This delightful and photogenic confection is *everywhere* on social media. In the spirit of inquiring into the global origins of the products we love, here’s what we found out. Dalgona’s “Honeycomb Toffee” Origins Dalgona coffee isn’t […]

TradeVistas | COVID-19 is adding to the concerns about America’s shortage of farm guest workers

A Shortage of Farm Guest Workers Could Threaten America’s Harvest

Immigrants play an increasingly crucial role in our food system. Travel restrictions and government closures due to COVID-19 are adding to the concerns about America’s shortage of farm workers who use the H-2A visa.

TradeVistas | history of Iran and U.S. pistachio trade

Pistachios: The Quirks of Agricultural Trade in a Nutshell

The history of pistachio trade reveals quirks in the broader world of global agricultural trade. The growth of America’s pistachio industry came after the U.S. imposed trade sanctions against Iran in response to the Iran Hostage Crisis and the two countries have a complicated trade history. But global global demand for pistachios is higher than production, leaving room for both American and Iranian producers.

TradeVistas | baking is a favorite home activity for many during Covid-19

The Great Distances Traveled So You Can Stay At Home

Social distancing means people suddenly have a lot of free time. International trade makes home activities during Covid-19 – from baking to yoga – possible. Trade can help us learn a new skill, create something, or better ourselves.

TradeVistas | livestock trade in goat farming

The Global Travels of Live Animals

Trade in live animals is listed in Chapter 1 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Livestock trade (from bees to goat farming) provides extra income and improves nutrition in developing countries.

TradeVistas | european wine tariffs hurt U.S. wine industry

U.S. Wine Industry is Drowning its Sorrows Over Transatlantic Trade Spat

European wine is getting caught in a decades old trade dispute. But tariffs on imported wines from France, Germany, or Spain are a lose-lose for the U.S. wine industry. European winemakers may just shift their exports to avoid U.S. tariff pain and grow their market share in emerging economies like China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs | TradeVistas

From A to Qi: The Global Rise of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Dating back thousands of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is now an economic driver for China. But as TCM is traded globally in the modern age, the industry will need to find a balanced approach to quality, safety, and the sustainability of precious resources. Dig into the ethics surrounding TCM trade.

Port of Virginia drives coffee trade in Suffolk VA

Port of Virginia Put Suffolk on the Coffee Map

Suffolk is the most caffeinated city east of the Mississippi thanks to booming coffee trade through the nearby Port of Virginia. Here’s a look at how trade drives economic development in this flourishing coffee cluster.

Salt refinery, Saline from Janubio, Lanzarote, Spain

Grains of Global Salt Trade

Considered precious and therefore a source of great power, ancient civilizations invested enormous symbolism, prevented famine, waged wars, built and lost empires over salt for thousands of years. But now that salt is readily available almost everywhere on Earth – why do we still trade so much of it?

Extra virgin olive oil shot from above

Spanish Olives in the Pits Over U.S.-EU Trade Tensions

Ripe olives are a critical ingredient for olive oil. They’ve also been ripe with trade tension over the past two years. Spanish black olives, green olives and olive oil have all been embroiled in two recent trade disputes between the United States and the European Union (EU), resulting in higher tariffs and increased prices of Spanish olives and olive oils for U.S. consumers.