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agriculture | farmers | food

Project helps Guatemalans learn about international trade, agricultural marketing
17-Aug-2009
Through its Food for Progress efforts, the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture is helping farmers, agribusiness people and others in Guatemala make the most of producing, marketing and exporting a variety of agricultural products, said a project coordinator.
Farmer’s body slams signing of FTA with ASEAN
15-Aug-2009 Rediff
The All India Kisan Sabha has issued a statement criticising the centre for signing a Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN nations.
India-ASEAN pact detrimental to farmers, claims Achuthanandan
14-Aug-2009 IANS
Hours after the free trade agreement was signed with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations in Bangkok, Kerala’s Chief Minister told reporters that it would lead farmers in the state to commit suicide.
Following criticism, DPJ revises platform
14-Aug-2009 Japan Times
DPJ seeks to promote liberalization of trade and investment by promoting negotiations on an FTA with the United States — not by concluding the accord as was originally proposed. In so doing, the platform says, the party would ensure that food safety, the promotion of the domestic farm industry and boosting food self-sufficiency would not be compromised.
US trade deals open markets – GAO
13-Aug-2009 Feedstuffs
The US Government Accountability Office says bilateral free trade agreements signed by the United States work: they deliver new market opportunities for America’s agriculture sector.
Regardless of DPJ aspirations, FTA with US would be tall order
12-Aug-2009 Japan Times
The media have lashed out at the Democratic Party of Japan over its apparent backpedaling on wanting a free-trade agreement between Japan and the United States.
Kerala fights clock in ASEAN free-trade deal
11-Aug-2009 Asia Times
"If this FTA goes through, pepper may cease to be produced in Kerala, the land where it originated," says Thomas Verghese, a distinguished agricultural scientist and chairman of the Kerala State Prices Board
Asean FTA gives coffee growers sleepless nights
10-Aug-2009 DNAIndia
Leaders from Kerala have vociferously opposed the Asean free trade agreement that could impact its farmers in future. The same cannot be said about many coffee growers who have little political muscle. Karnataka produces 70% of coffee in India.
Apparently facing farmers’ ire, DPJ backpedals on US FTA
7-Aug-2009 Japan Times
The Democratic Party of Japan plans to revise its proposal for a free-trade agreement with the United States, apparently due to concern over a potential backlash from farmers, top DPJ official Naoto Kan said.
India to protect farmers in goods agreement with ASEAN: PM
4-Aug-2009 Xinhua
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has ensured that the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement would protect the interests of Indian farmers by yielding no tariff concession to ASEAN countries, said a senior Indian government official on Monday.
FTA with ASEAN will affect farm sector: Kisan Sabha
31-Jul-2009 Indopia
Maintaining that the agriculture sector would be hit hard if the country implemented the Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN, All India Kisan Sabha today urged the Opposition Congress in Kerala to oppose the proposed treaty in the interest of state farmers.
Study: Free trade spreading obesity
28-Jul-2009 UPI
An influx of US junk food into Central America as part of relaxed trade rules has led to Central American obesity and related illnesses, a study said Monday.
Nicaragua’s Peasant Movement achieves milestone on the road towards Food Sovereignty
21-Jul-2009 Grassroots International
tThe new law establishes a legal framework to regulate the participation of transnational companies and help local organizations and governments to restore local food culture and peasant agriculture despite the CAFTA-DR "free" trade agreement
Wheat growers counting on trade deal
20-Jul-2009 Agweek
US wheat growers may lose more than 50 percent of $165 million per year in sales to Colombia if Congress does not approve the US-Colombia free trade agreement, US Wheat Associates and Colombian millers said at a July 14 news conference.
Milk farmers plead for help before FTA
19-Jul-2009 Bangkok Post
The Milk For Thai Club forecasts dairy farming will be hit hard if the government does not seriously help farmers before signing free trade area (FTA) agreements on dairy products with Australia and other countries.
GCC, ASEAN eye new trade bloc based on food, oil
1-Jul-2009 Reuters
Gulf Arab states and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) moved toward building a trade bloc based on food and oil at a joint meeting of foreign ministers on Tuesday.
FICCI pushes for FTA with US sans agriculture
30-Jun-2009 The Hindu
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is pushing for a Free Trade Agreement with the United States without agriculture to bypass differences over farm subsidies.
FTAs intensify competition in imported beef market
25-Jun-2009 Korea Herald
The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada are all vying for Korea’s beef market through FTAs, with Australia currently gaining ground.
“India and Eu’s combined strategy for the free-trade pact worsen its position at WTO”
24-Jun-2009 Institute of International Trade
The most affected from the EU-India FTA will be India’s dairy farming sector, where regularly five million women and 15 million men work to meet their daily needs.
Canada/Peru FTA seen implemented by July 1
19-Jun-2009 Grainews.com
Canadian ag exports such as wheat, barley, lentils, peas and some boneless beef could get "immediate duty-free access" to the Peruvian market as early as July 1.