Asia Pacific | China, ASEAN Discuss Free Trade Region IssuesThe First China-A...

Asia Pacific

China, ASEAN Discuss Free Trade Region Issues
The First China-ASEAN Seminar on Trade, Investment and Development Cooperation opened here Thursday,with over 400 government officials, academic and corporate representatives from China and the 10 ASEAN countries attending. Hong Kong's Transition Over Past Five Years Positive: U.S. Consul.
U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong Michael Klosson Thursday said the unfolding story of Hong Kong's transition over the past five years has been positive with the successful implementation of "One Country, Two Systems".

Americas

Argentina devaluation slams Uruguay meat exports
Uruguay's beef exports could tumble this year to half their normal level in value due to a steep devaluation in neighboring Argentina that has made it "absolutely impossible" to compete, a top industry official said on Wednesday.

Europe and Middle East

Poultry proves more popular than beef in France
According to recently-published studies by the French agricultural ministry, consumption of poultry in France surpassed consumption of beef last year, for the first time. Government assures public no cases of Mad Cow detected
A Ministry of Agriculture official on Wednesday assured the public that Jordan has experienced no cases of Mad Cow Disease, following the detection of the first case of the disease in Israel this week.

USA

Farmland Receives Approval of Bankruptcy Motions
Farmland Industries, Inc. announces it has received approval from the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for its first day pleadings under a voluntary petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. IBP Pays Neb. $1.85 M in Settlement
IBP Inc. paid Nebraska $1.85 million as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed over alleged environmental violations at its Dakota City plant. USDA Looks for Imported Tenrecs Due to Foot-And-Mouth Disease Fears
The tenrecs, as the animals are called, set off a flurry of alarms within the federal government, where agriculture officials fear they are potential carriers of the foot-and-mouth disease that devastated Britain's livestock last year. Pork Board names new VPs for producer relations, education services
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Mike Laughery has joined the National Pork Board as vice president of Producer and State Relations, according to a news release.

Farmers are getting more goats

LEITCHFIELD, Ky., Jo Escue and her husband, Nolan, have grown tobacco most of their lives. Farmland Receives Approval for Bankruptcy Motions
DIP financing secured to continue its business operations – AgWeb.com Editors Producer Group and Packing Company Join Forces
The joint venture is an opportunity to 'prevent the adversarial relationship which, historically, has occurred between producers and meat packers,' says one official. Suit Settled
IBP pays $1.85 million to settle an environmental lawsuit brought by Nebraska. Egyptian president claims to have warned U.S. of Sept. 11 attacks
CAIRO, Egypt - Egyptian intelligence warned American officials about a week before Sept. 11 that Osama bin Laden's network was in the advance stages of a significant operation against a U.S. target, Egypt's president said Sunday.