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agriculture | farmers | food

Korean protests ’bad’ for Aussie beef
12-Jun-2008 The Age
Mass protests in South Korea against US beef are bad news for Australian exporters, costing millions of US dollars in lost sales and jeopardising a crucial free trade deal, the Cattle Council says.
US targets full opening of Asian beef market
7-Jun-2008 Korea Times
The Bush administration, whose major political funding sources allegedly involve ranchers, is likely to urge China and Japan to "fully" open their beef markets, citing the negotiation results with South Korea.
South Korean parties file suits to stop beef
30-May-2008 AFP
South Korea’s political opposition asked the Constitutional Court on Friday to block U.S. beef from entering the country after the government announced it would resume imports within days under an accord with Washington.
Future of food: Free trade with China
27-May-2008 Epoch Times
Many fruit and vegetable growers in New Zealand are concerned the free trade agreement (FTA) with China will mean a further blow to an industry already hit by imports and rising production costs.
Vegie growers ’sold out’ in trade deal: Greens
27-May-2008 Farm Online
It was revealed in Senate Estimates hearings today, that Australian vegetable growers will be ’sold out’ in negotiations with China over a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to Australian Greens Senator, Christine Milne.
Other trade talks speeded-up by NZ-China FTA
27-May-2008 Xinhua
The free trade deal with China and mounting concern about securing food supplies are helping New Zealand in its efforts to secure agreements with major Asian economies, Radio New Zealand reported on Tuesday.
Malaysia won’t compromise farmers in FTA with US: Minister
27-May-2008 AFP
Malaysia’s International trade minister Monday said his country would not compromise on its sensitive agricultural sector in the next round of free trade negotiations with the United States.
Group fasts to highlight food crisis
25-May-2008 Courrier Journal
A handful of local residents will wrap up a three-day fast tomorrow to draw attention to the global food crisis, saying Americans need to re-evaluate the food policies supported by their government and international financial organizations. They say free-trade agreements and related policies have decimated local farming in the United States and around the world and have contributed to the current food shortage.
Farmers in massive protests against FTA with US
23-May-2008 Chosun Ilbo
Downtown Seoul saw massive demonstrations by farmers against the Korea-US free trade agreement and import of US beef on Thursday with some 8,000 farmers from 42 groups nationwide including the Hanwoo Association
Agriculture potential barrier to closer trade ties with Japan
14-May-2008
Prime Minister Helen Clark will push for closer economic ties when she holds talks today with her Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda today.
Court Rules Fliers and Political Chants Do Not Make for a Cultural Event
10-May-2008
A court ruled on Friday that if fliers and large placards are involved or political slogans are chanted during an event, it cannot be seen purely as a “cultural event.”
Rethinking the FTA
9-May-2008
“At a remote ranch named Adams in Nebraska, there were some 80,000 cattle. About 3 kilometers away from the ranch, a nasty smell greeted my nose. Kept in corrals, the cattle tumbled about in their own excrement and urine. Still, the animals were given food containing animal parts. Antibiotics and growth hormone were essential for breeding them.”
Free to be poisoned
8-May-2008
Not everyone was disappointed when the Doha round of trade talks got bogged down in endless wrangling. After all, the United States and the European Union were pushing developing countries to liberalise their economies still further, while refusing to abolish their own agricultural subsidies. Better no trade deal than a bad one, or so we thought.
Lee accuses FTA opponents of spreading mad cow disease fears
8-May-2008
President Lee Myung-bak renewed Thursday his pledge to prioritize the health of the Korean people in his government’s policy to restart U.S. beef imports, accusing opponents of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement of spreading groundless fears of mad cow disease.
Banished Zimbabwe farmer to sue country
6-May-2008
South African taxpayers may have to pay millions of rands in compensation for the government’s failure to act in Zimbabwe when hundreds of white-owned farms belonging to South Africans were confiscated in 2000.
Tension mounts as S Koreans vow to protest over US beef despite police warning
6-May-2008 Yonhap
South Koreans opposing the government’s decision to import most US beef cuts vowed to continue candlelight vigils later Tuesday despite a police warning to stay away from political rallies.
Japan dictates the pace of trade talks with Canberra
3-May-2008
Australia’s free trade talks with Japan are moving forward on Japanese lines. Four days of talks in Canberra have ended with promising offers on services and investment, and progress in all areas - except agriculture.
Israel, EU agree on trade concessions
1-May-2008 Jerusalem Post
Once the agreement comes into effect, export volumes of Israeli processed foods to the EU are expected to more than double. "These concessions represent a major step forward in the integration of the EU and Israeli markets," the European Commission said.
USTR fact sheet on opening South Korea to US beef
19-Apr-2008 USTR
The United States and Korea concluded an agreement on April 18, 2008 to fully reopen South Korea’s market to all US beef and beef products irrespective of whether or not the FTA is ratified
South Korea relaxes US beef import rules
18-Apr-2008 Washington Post
South Korea on Friday agreed to open up to U.S. beef imports after Washington pledged to raise safety standards, boosting prospects for a sweeping trade deal ahead of a summit between leaders of the allies later in the day.