Trade
Outlook for U.S. poultry is strong if bird flu doesn’t spread
The outlook for U.S. poultry producers for 2015 is strong, says Rabobank in a report on the industry around the world. Producers in the United States and Brazil "could benefit from ongoing bullish market conditions such as...
Russia wheat exports second-highest ever despite duty
Russia's newly announced duty on wheat exports will discourage sales but exports still would be the second-highest ever, says USDA's Grain: World Markets and Trade report.
Canada more recalcitrant than Japan on trade, says Vilsack
Canada "has not stepped up" in negotiations for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He singled out Ottawa when asked if Japan should be dropped from the discussions because of unwillingness to open its agricultural markets to imports. The question, during a meeting of the CFTC's agricultural advisory committee, came from Paul Penner of the National Association of Wheat Growers.
US farm groups, ag leaders form Cuba trade coalition
Nearly three dozen farm groups and agribusinesses announced a joint effort as the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba "that seeks the end of the U.S. embargo on Cuba and to advance trade relations between both nations.
US-EU trade pact could lower pesticide rules-Report
The Center for International Environmental Law says the proposed U.S.-EU trade agreement "would reduce protection compared to the more stringent pesticide standards already in place in the EU and in individual U.S. states," says the Guardian.
Food is the fight in US-Europe free-trade talks
In the drawn-out negotiation over a trans-Atlantic trade agree, "no single issue is inflaming the debate more than food — specifically U.S. calls for Europe to open its door to long-banned American foodstuffs that are hormone-treated, chemically sanitized or genetically modified," says the Washington Post.
World coffee crop falls for second year in a row
Global coffee production is forecast for 149.8 million bags weighing 60 kg apiece, down for the second year in a row, says USDA in its semi-annual Coffee: World Markets and Trade report.
Chief US negotiator says no TPP agreement during APEC
The chief U.S. trade official says there will be no major announcement in the next couple of days for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade group, says Reuters.
Prospects nil for TPP deal at early November meeting
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said "we do not expect to have a final agreement" on the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact during a meeting of U.S. and Asian leaders in early November, said Kyodo news agency.
Bakers protest, growers applaud US-Mexico sugar deal
The American Bakers Association says a tentative U.S.-Mexico agreement to control imports of sugar from Mexico "is not good for bakers or all other users of sugar," says Baking Business.
Stymie on Japan-US issues clouds TPP hopes
A face-to-face meeting of trade ministers from Japan and the United States "failed to reach a much-awaited breakthrough, seen as vital to advancing the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, at a three-day meeting on the...
Appeal and negotiate on COOL, don’t repeal it, say backers
The United States should appeal an adverse WTO ruling on country-of-origin labels on beef, pork and chicken meat, said four farm and consumer groups.
WTO again says U.S. meat-orgin labels distort world trade
For the second time, the World Trade Organization ruled U.S. meat-origin labels are a violation of global trade rules. The ruling, which can be appealed, opens the door to retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods if the regulations are not modified. Appeals generally are not successful at this stage at WTO but they can delay an adverse decision for a couple of months.
US urges Japan to take bold steps at trade talks
President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed by telephone to push for speedy agreement of a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership on trade, says the Xinhua news agency.
US decides to impose duties on sugar from Mexico
The Commerce Department says it will impose countervailing duties of 3-17 percent on sugar imported from Mexico following a preliminary ruling that Mexico unfairly subsidized its producers, said the Financial Times.
WTO rules against US meat-label rules for second time
The World Trade Organization has ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico in the six-year-old dispute over U.S. rules that require packages of beef, pork and poultry to carry labels saying where the meat was produced, says the Wall Street Journal.
USDA moving deliberatively on undersecretary for trade
USDA is giving a thorough examination of how to reorganize its international trade functions, including creation of a new senior-level position, undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a teleconference.
US says “some progress” on ag access to Japan
Japanese and U.S. negotiators "continued to make some progress in narrowing the gaps on treatment of a range of agricultural products," said the U.S. trade representative's office at the end of two days of discussions.