Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission proposed measures on Wednesday to support farmers hit by the coronavirus restrictions, including aid to store surplus dairy and meat products. Under the proposals, the Commission will grant aid for private storage of milk powder, butter and cheese as well as beef, sheep and goat meat for a […] Read more
EU sets out COVID-19 support for farmers
Moves meant to stabilize markets
EU-Canada trade deal clears hurdle in Dutch parliament
Amsterdam | Reuters — The European Union’s free trade agreement with Canada cleared a political hurdle on Tuesday, when a slim majority of lawmakers in the Dutch lower house voted to ratify the contested deal. Votes by members of the country’s governing coalition were enough to approve the deal, which was rejected by opposition parties […] Read more
Namibia looks to import cattle as drought decimates herds
Windhoek | Reuters — Namibian state-owned meat processing and marketing firm Meatco is in talks with neighbour Botswana to import cattle, as severe drought decimates local herds and threatens beef export deals with China and European countries. The southern African desert nation moved closer to famine last month after dam levels fell below 20 per […] Read more
Britain launches farm bill as Brexit paves way for major reforms
London | Reuters — An agriculture bill will be introduced in Britain’s parliament on Thursday, with funding for the industry increasingly linked to tackling environmental challenges as the country develops its own farm policy for the first time in decades. Britain currently abides by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy but is set to leave the […] Read more
U.S. seals demise of WTO appeals bench, trade officials say
Geneva | Reuters — The fate of the World Trade Organization’s top court was effectively sealed on Monday after the United States said it would not back a proposal to allow it to continue, trade officials said, although the WTO chief vowed to find a solution. The Trump administration has been blocking appointments to the […] Read more
EU lawmakers clear U.S. beef imports but fault U.S. tariffs
Brussels | Reuters — European Union lawmakers approved an increase in U.S. beef imports to the EU on Thursday, a move likely to ease transatlantic tensions. But they also criticized tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on metal imports and a threat he has made to target EU cars and car parts. The European […] Read more
EU to ban Bayer’s Calypso insecticide
Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments on Tuesday widened the EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides after deciding not to renew their approval for Bayer’s thiacloprid. Farmers will not be allowed to use the neonic insecticide, sold under the brands Calypso and Biscaya, after April 30, 2020, when its current approval expires. A majority of […] Read more
Most oilseed estimates down in USDA’s October outlook
MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its monthly oil crops outlook on Tuesday featuring reductions in global rapeseed and sunflower production and U.S. soybeans. USDA estimated global rapeseed production at 68.6 million tonnes, a decline of one million, with the lion’s share of the losses in Canada. Canadian production for 2019-20 was […] Read more
U.S. set to widen trade war on EU front
London/Brussels/Washington | Reuters — The United States won approval on Wednesday to impose import tariffs on US$7.5 billion worth of European aircraft and agricultural goods over illegal EU subsidies handed to Airbus, threatening to trigger a tit-for-tat transatlantic trade war as the global economy falters. The decision by the World Trade Organization pushes a 15-year […] Read more
CCA sees potential for more beef sales to Europe
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada could be selling more beef to Europe if it increased the number of veterinarians trained to approve cattle for shipment there or secured approval for using Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) to meet European requirements, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says. Since the free trade agreement with Europe came into effect nearly two years ago, […] Read more
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