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agriculture | farmers | food

A profitable epidemic
19-May-2009 Mingas
The new swine flu epidemic that threatens to spread to more regions of the world is nothing new. It is part of an overall crisis, and it stems from industrial animal farming, which is dominated by transnational companies.
Canada-EU trade negotiations could signal significant new opportunities for Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector: CAFTA
12-May-2009
The Canadian Agri-food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) welcomes the news that Canada and the European Union will begin negotiating a new economic partnership agreement aimed at liberalizing trade and expanding market access between Canada and the EU.
US-EU accord ends beef import rift
7-May-2009 FT
The European Union and the US on Thursday settled a long-running dispute over hormone-treated beef in a deal both sides said demonstrated their determination to reduce bilateral friction amid plunging world trade.
Benguet farmers alerted on trade pacts
6-May-2009 MB
Associations of farmers and local government units in this vegetable-producing province and local governments were alerted on reports that the national government has entered into bilateral agreements and treaties on the trading of agricultural products.
China trade gets new push
28-Apr-2009 Bangkok Post
Thailand’s parliament has endorsed a framework for broadening the scope of cooperation and trade with China. But Democrat MP Kraisak Choonhavan said the new framework would only further affect farmers in the North who are already suffering under the FTA deal.
Removing the Korea-EU FTA beef imports provision
24-Apr-2009 Hankyoreh
As negotiations for the South Korea-European Union free trade agreement (Korea-EU FTA) race into their final stages, the inner workings are starting to come to light.
Dairy industry knocks China FTA
23-Apr-2009 SL Farmonline
The Australian dairy industry has backed the stance by Trade Minister Simon Crean in refusing to accept China’s exclusion of agricultural products from a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
China proves tough negotiator for Costa Rica
21-Apr-2009 Tico Times
During the second round of free trade negotiations last week, China’s negotiating team discussed allowing 94 percent of Costa Rican goods to access the Chinese market, but left out key products such as coffee, sugar, beef, pork and chicken.
Morocco/Canada FTA discussions hailed
21-Apr-2009 Country Guide
Talks that may lead to free trade negotiations between Canada and Morocco may help protect a major export market for Canadian durum and pulse crop exports, ag groups said this week.
Report: Plummeting profits drive tomato farmers to suicide
20-Apr-2009 Modern Ghana
With cross-border price-undercutting, mounting debt and a lack of buyers, many tomato farmers in Ghana’s Upper East Region are turning to suicide. Yet with European Union Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) currently being negotiated, West African markets are about to be flooded with heavily subsidised EU products
EU aims for 15% growth in food exports to China
20-Apr-2009 China Daily
A China-EU FTA is not in the cards, but new European Union initiatives aim to boost EU food exports to China by 15% over the next several years.
Without corn there is no country: Open Letter to the President of the United States
16-Apr-2009
We, the people of Mexico, also want to renegotiate NAFTA to protect our corn, the jobs of millions of farmers, and the way of life in the Mexican countryside
Mexican farm expert lobbies for NAFTA change
16-Apr-2009 Oregon Live
The goal is to reverse adverse effects of NAFTA: save and share traditional farming methods, restore food independence and halt the migration of Mexican farmers to the United States.
Minister heads to China in search of FTA and global food security agreement
15-Apr-2009 AFN
Australia is seeking undertakings from China to work collaboratively on supporting global food supplies and to accelerate negotiations to forge a free trade agreement that delivers benefits for Australia’s farming, fishing and forestry industries.
EU-Central America Association Agreement: Rejection by social movements of EU FTAs
12-Apr-2009 Via Campesina
With Nicaragua leaving the negotiation table, the 7th round of negotiations between the EU and Central America has been suspended. With this, the aggressive policies of he EU have been brought to a halt for the time being.
Day upset over South Korea’s Canadian beef ban
9-Apr-2009
Trade Minister Stockwell Day, in Asia on a 10-day mission, took steps Thursday to improve Canada’s trading partnerships in the region even as relations with South Korea worsened over that country’s "unjustified ban" of Canadian beef.
Food exporters attend Japanese trade fairs, earn millions of dollars
4-Apr-2009
Philippine food exporters were able to sell millions of dollars worth of their products after participating in a business mission and a trade fair in Japan, the country’s third-largest export market.
Will Dow challenge Quebec pesticide law?
3-Apr-2009
Dow AgroSciences is mulling over a NAFTA challenge to Quebec’s law banning the cosmetic use of pesticides, setting a spotlight on one of the most controversial clauses of the trade agreement among Canada, the United States and Mexico.
US farm exports at risk over Mexico truck dispute
17-Mar-2009 Reuters
US wheat, beef, rice and bean exports to Mexico face possible retaliatory duties in a dispute over whether Mexican trucks will be able to operate in the United States, Republican lawmakers said on Monday.
Govt gears up to limit free trade deal adversities
16-Mar-2009 Jakarta Post
Indonesia is preparing massive financial and technical support for meat and tropical fruit businesses in a bid to cash in on ASEAN’s free trade deals with Australia and New Zealand.