Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget on Monday proposed a 15 per cent cut for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, calling its subsidies to farmers “overly generous” at a time when they are going through the worst crisis in decades because of depressed commodity prices and Trump’s trade tariffs. The Republican […] Read more
Trump budget proposes steep subsidy cuts to U.S. farmers
U.S. wins WTO ruling on Chinese grains
Geneva | Reuters — The United States won a World Trade Organization ruling on China’s price support for grains, successfully challenging a calculation methodology that is also used by India. A WTO adjudication panel agreed on Thursday with the U.S. complaint that China had paid farmers too much for wheat, Indica rice and Japonica rice […] Read more
Brazil may raise farm subsidies despite belt-tightening
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazil could double spending on subsidized farm insurance in 2020 and may expand subsidized loans, the country’s agriculture policy secretary said on Thursday, even though the new government’s economic team has pledged to cut spending. The negotiations on next year’s farm subsidies highlight the powerful agribusiness lobby’s struggle to preserve benefits […] Read more
Soybean exports face stiff U.S. competition
CNS Canada — Although the ongoing trade war between China and the U.S. has been a good opportunity for Canada to increase its soybean exports to China, industry experts say there have been tradeoffs elsewhere. That trade war between the world’s two largest economies is expected to continue, or perhaps flare up, as the G-20 […] Read more
Swiss voters reject more aid for farmers
Zurich | Reuters — Swiss voters decisively rejected more help for farmers in two referendums on Sunday, heeding the government’s warnings that the measures would send food prices rocketing and hurt the economy, projections for broadcaster SRF showed. Opinion polls had shown early widespread support for more farm aid was fading as the vote neared […] Read more
Trump to offer U.S. farmers billions to ease trade pain
Washington/Kansas City | Reuters — The Trump administration on Tuesday said it would provide up to US$12 billion in aid for U.S. farmers to shield them from the repercussions felt by trade spats between the United States and China, the European Union and others. China has targeted U.S. agricultural exports with tariffs in retaliation to […] Read more
U.S. lawmakers skeptical of promises to shield farmers from trade dispute
Overland Park, Kan. | Reuters — U.S. lawmakers and the farm industry were skeptical of the Trump administration’s promise to shield farmers from the rapidly escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and China, concerned about the lack of details in protecting the agricultural export sector now embroiled in the back-and-forth. Major farming states supported U.S. […] Read more
Canada to probe claims of Turkish pasta dumping
Three Canadian makers of dry wheat pasta have got their wish for a probe into whether competing products from Turkey are being dumped into the Canadian market. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced Tuesday it has launched an investigation into whether certain pasta products originating in or exported from Turkey are being sold at […] Read more
Russia to boost grain transport subsidies in 2018
Moscow | Reuters — Russia will spend two billion roubles (C$43 million) in grain transportation subsidies to help to speed exports in 2018, the deputy agriculture minister said on Thursday. Already among the world’s largest wheat exporters, Russia is trying to step up a gear after this year’s record crop, which is keeping its grain […] Read more
Ahead of NAFTA talks, Canada says dispute mechanism essential
Ottawa | Reuters — An effective dispute settlement mechanism is essential in any trade agreement, Canada’s foreign affairs minister said on Friday, less than a week before the first round of negotiations on the North American trade pact. Canada’s desire to include a dispute settlement mechanism in a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
