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agriculture | farmers | food


EU deal is dead if bad for ag
Agriculture will gain ground from a free trade agreement with the European Union or the deal is off, says Trade Minister Simon Birmingham.
In countdown to trade war talks, China ready to sweeten deal by buying American goods, source says
China has offered to buy American products in exchange for a delay in a series of US tariffs and easing of a supply ban against telecoms giant Huawei.
US farmers’ group says pharma, not dairy, is main obstacle to ratifying USMCA
The National Farmers Union says the new deal’s extended patent protection for new pharmaceuticals must be reduced so that less expensive generic versions of new drugs can be available to consumers sooner.
US hints at rice concession in Japan trade talks
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue suggested the US may make concessions in seeking greater access to Japan’s rice market, during ongoing bilateral trade talks.
Modernized free trade agreement lifts duties on Israeli imports of Canadian foodstuffs
The expanded Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement took effect, eliminating or reducing tariffs on the import into Israel of a wide range of foods from Canada.
USMCA pits rural people in each country against one another: Via Campesina North America
We see the revision of NAFTA – rebranded as the USMCA (or T-MEC) – as another failure to respect the dignity of farmworkers, family farmers, Indigenous people, and the communities and territories in which we live.
La Via Campesina issues call to mobilise against WTO and Free Trade Agreements
La Via Campesina is calling upon its members and allies to not be misled by the smokescreen of a ‘weakening WTO’ and be aware of the new age mega and bilateral free trade agreements are equally if not more harmful.
Quebec dairy farmers struggling with new open markets
Quebec dairy farmers continue to struggle as international trade agreements have hit their bottom line hard.
Seed patent protection in FTA castrated the farmers’ rights
The government of Indonesian is aggressively increasing the negotiation of international trade agreements governing seed patents for corporations.
Swiss release more details over EFTA - Mercosur deal
Concessions in the agricultural sector went too far. In the area of beef the Swiss had made more concessions than their EU counterparts, says Swiss Farmers’ Union.
Post-Brexit US trade deal: Chlorinated chicken could be the tip of the iceberg, warns UK union
Chlorinated chicken, as part of a post-Brexit free trade deal with the US, is “the thin end of the wedge” that could impact public health and threaten thousands of jobs in the UK food processing industry.
El Salvador’s sugar producers want to keep Taiwan free trade pact
In August 2018, El Salvador followed the Dominican Republic and Panama in switching diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China. But in March 2019, president-elect, cast doubt over whether his government would maintain that status.
US and Japan near free trade deal as high-level talks get underway in DC
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will meet with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegu in Washington for two days of discussions on a proposed bilateral free trade deal.
Britain should break with Europe on palm oil
Malaysia’s prime minister says the UK can expect better trade terms with Southeast Asia if it asserts its independence post-Brexit.
Aussie farmers dig in to save common food names
Farmers are fighting back calling the EU’s demands on geographical indicators ‘bad policy’.
European beef farmers struggle amid new US-EU beef trade deal
Yielding to aggressive US policy, the European Union signed a deal with the United States which allows US farmers to sell more beef to Europe and will lead to a meat surplus in the European market.
RCEP talks: New Zealand ready to ease work-visa rules for India
India’s demand for easier movement of workers and professionals is being considered seriously by New Zealand and could be met provided market barriers to the Country’s goods are eased
The Japan-US ‘mini-deal’ has big implications
As the US and Japan intensify trade negotiations, the push for a quick “mini-deal” on agriculture and autos will have far-reaching impact.
Europe seeking feta and scotch beef protection as Australia pushes back on prosecco claims
Europe’s bid to stop Australian cheesemakers using the name feta has advanced but its claim on the sparkling wine prosecco is facing growing opposition amid ongoing trade talks.
In Argentina’s wine country, vintners worry about recession - and trade deal
Argentine wineries are trying to figure out whether a trade deal with Europe will prove a boom or a bust to their vineyards, in face of highly-subsidized EU vineyards.