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agriculture | farmers | food


Chicken plant workers say chemicals sprayed on carcasses making them sick
The US poultry industry maintains that chemical solutions to prevent food poisoning, a major concern in the EU-EU FTA talk, are safe while the workers are getting sick.
Vietnam farmers, SMEs threatened by upcoming free trade deals: trade expert
Tran Huu Huynh of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry said given the outcome of FTAs already signed, some groups like farmers would suffer more from harsh competition right at home.
Rules for foreign investment in farmland ’won’t change’ despite free trade talks with China: Robb
Australian Trade Minister Andrew Robb has assured his Coalition colleagues there will be no changes to foreign investment rules on farmland as part of a trade deal with China.
We’ll block FTA plans, say Greens and Xenophon
The Greens and independent senator Nick Xenophon have said the government will face a tough battle if it seeks to ease foreign investment restrictions.
Colombia’s Breadbasket Feels the Pinch of Free Trade
Things are getting worse and worse,” Enrique Muñoz, a 67-year-old farmer from the municipality of Cajamarca in the central Colombian department of Tolima, once known as the country’s breadbasket, said sadly.
Rice growers slam Japan FTA
Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia President Les Gordon has slammed Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s landmark free trade agreement with Japan as a deal that punishes and ignores ricegrowers.
Few free trade favours from Fortress Japan
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Trade Minister Andrew Robb have hailed the freshly inked free trade agreement with Japan as “historic”. Yes, it is historic in a sense that it is a repeat of the much criticised 2004 free trade agreement with the United States that provide very limited commercial benefits to Australian farmers.
International Day of farmers’ struggles in defense of peasants’ and farmers’ seeds
This day of action is particularly important since on the 11th of March the European Parliament rejected the European Commissions’ regulation proposal for the marketing of seeds. This vote has taken place in the context of a Europe dominated by trade negotiations with the USA, known as TAFTA, and the European Parliament election campaign until May 2014.
The secret deal that threatens the food on your plate
Untangling the EU-US trade talks : What are the big concerns for food & farming? What might be the consequences for our food and farming? Friends of the Earth Europe and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy hosted a discussion in Brussels on 13 March 2014.
Japan FTA dairy concerns
The push by the Australian Government to have a hand-shake deal done by the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, when he visited Japan in April could see dairy miss out, Australian Dairy Farmers president Noel Campbell said.
Colombia: Farmers protest alleged violation of agriculture agreement
On Monday, representatives of indigenous communities, Afro-Colombians, and campesinos held demonstrations in Plaza Bolívar, Bogotá, to demand a new agriculture policy seeking solutions to the problem of land access and greater protection from free trade agreements.
CropLife America and the European Crop Protection Association discuss joint proposal during TTIP negotiations
CropLife America (CLA) and the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) called for a more harmonized risk assessment framework for pesticide regulations during the fourth round of negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
US Senators shocked by EU’s cheese-name claims
In a rare act of bipartisan unity, dozens of US senators have wheeled into action against what they call an "absurd" European initiative that would force name changes to common cheese varieties produced in the United States.
Give and take in the EU-US trade deal? Sure. We give, the corporations take
George Monbiot asks why businesses have got more access to the negociations than citizens and their representative organisations have and sets down some challenges to the architects of TTIP.
Farms, unis welcome FTA with Chinese
National Farmers Federation president Brent Finlay says he is "excited" at the prospect of a free trade agreement with China but has urged the government not to allow "carve-outs and exclusions" in any deal.
Europe tells US to lay off Brie and get its own cheese names
The European Union wants US food makers to stop using names with historical ties to Europe. But what else would you call, say, Parmesan or Brie?
Dairy groups ’running out of patience’ on TPP
The US Dairy Export Council and the National Milk Producers Federation suggest moving forward with Trans Pacific Partnership without Canada and Japan on the basis of the countries’ dairy policies
Japan willing to concede on agricultural products for free trade agreement
A key government official has said on Tuesday that Japan is willing to concede several points on crucial agricultural issues as they officially begin talks with the United States in preparation for the high-level multilateral negotiations next week in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.
The TTIP, corporatism, and GMOs
Opening up Europe to the full onslaught of US agricultural products and systems is the main goal of the US in pushing for TTIP in the first place.
EU ready to lift duties on most US goods for trade pact
EU shows it’s keenness for TTIP by offering to lift nearly all tariffs on goods imported from the US.