Paris | Reuters –– India has found two outbreaks of a highly contagious bird flu virus in the southern state of Kerala, prompting the authorities to cull more than 200,000 birds, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday. The virus itself killed about 15,000 infected ducks in Kottayam and another 500 in […] Read more
India orders culling after new bird flu outbreaks
Newly appointed Iraq grain board chief removed
London | Reuters — Iraq’s newly appointed Grain Board chief has been removed from his post after less than a week, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday, in another sign of turmoil in the body responsible for state imports of vital commodities. Muthanna Jabbar, appointed just last week, was replaced […] Read more
JBS to buy Australia’s Primo for $1.4B
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s largest beef exporter, has agreed to buy Australian processed foods producer Primo Smallgoods for A$1.45 billion (C$1.41 billion). The company will also buy food company Grupo Big Frango in Brazil for 430 million reais (C$192 million), stepping up the pace of acquisitions that have played […] Read more
Argentina sees wheat harvest of 12 million tonnes
Buenos Aires | Reuters –– Argentine farmers will harvest 12 million tonnes of wheat in the 2014-15 crop year, the agriculture ministry said in its monthly report Thursday, issuing its first wheat crop estimate of the season. Argentina’s 2013-14 wheat harvest was 9.2 million tonnes, according to official data. “Losses have been seen in parts […] Read more
Obama to offer deportation relief to 250,000 farm workers, union says
Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Barack Obama’s immigration reforms would lift the threat of deportation for at least 250,000 undocumented people who work on U.S. farms, Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers union, said Wednesday after meeting with Obama. “We were pleased to learn from the president today that at least 250,000 […] Read more
Germany to press EU for national right to ban GMOs before 2015 harvest
Berlin | Reuters — Germany is pressing the European Commission to allow individual EU countries to ban cultivation of crops with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) before the 2015 harvest. German farm minister minister Christian Schmidt said “social-economic reasons” should be taken into account to allow a European Union country to ban GMO crops even when […] Read more
WTO sees global trade pact within two weeks
Brisbane | Reuters –– The World Trade Organization said Friday there was a “high probability” that a major deal on streamlining global customs rules will be implemented within two weeks after India and the U.S. overcame a key impasse. “I would say that we have a high probability that the Bali package will be implemented […] Read more
Condo developer to ship canola oil to China, Canada says
Winnipeg | Reuters — A condominium developer has signed a $1 billion deal to export Canadian canola oil to China, according to the Canadian government. The deal was one of more than 20 commercial agreements signed during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit to China, which wrapped up this week. The government said on its website […] Read more
Australia, China on track to sign lucrative cattle deal
Sydney / Reuters – Australia will export up to 1 million head of cattle a year to China, worth around A$1 billion ($856 million), to meet booming demand for red meat under a long-awaited deal set to be signed shortly, Australian officials said on Friday. Shipping live animals from Australia to China has been discussed for many years. Official talks began […] Read more
U.S. weather forecaster slightly reduces El Nino outlook
New York / Reuters – The U.S. weather forecaster on Thursday projected a 58 percent chance of El Nino developing during the Northern Hemisphere winter, reducing its outlook for the likelihood of the weather phenomenon in its monthly report.The Climate Prediction Center, an agency of the National Weather Service, said the most recent atmosphere and ocean […] Read more
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