Asia Pacific | Japan praises EU offer to end farm export aidTOKYO, May 11 (Re...

Asia Pacific

Japan praises EU offer to end farm export aid
TOKYO, May 11 (Reuters) - Japanese Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei praised the European Union's (EU) offer to end subsidies for agricultural exports, saying on Tuesday it could help revitalise stalled world trade talks. EU trade and agriculture Commissioners Pascal Lamy and Franz Fischler made the offer, which depends on other countries such as the United States doing the same, in a letter sent to their counterparts in the World Trade Organization. "Overall it shows consideration for developing countries. They showed something headed in a positive direction. I think it will be a factor to make discussions more active," Kamei told reporters.

Australia cautiously welcomes EU farm aid offer
SYDNEY, May 11 (Reuters) - The Australian government, a strong campaigner for world agricultural trade reform, on Tuesday cautiously welcomed signs that the European Union (EU) may move to end aid for farm exports.

Pork Potential in Asia
A delegation of British pig industry professionals lays the foundations for opening China to pork exports.

Beef Export Tide Rises
Australia’s exports of grain-fed beef to Japan increased 16 percent in April.

Europe

EU move puts pressure on Japan in WTO
The European Union's decision to drop its demand for negotiations on global competition and investment rules puts pressure on Japan to follow suit, a top Malaysian official says. | Howe...

USA

Trade Commission finds Canada's U.S. hog trade unfair
The U.S. International Trade Commission has voted 6-0 that there is a reasonable indication of injury to U.S. pork producers from unfairly government-subsidized traded hog imports from Canada.

Creekstone renews call for BSE testing approval
Speaking at Friday's Consumer Federation of America food policy conference in Washington, D.C., Creekstone CEO John Stewart said U.S. consumers should be "outraged" that the Agricultute Department is planning to spend $70 million to test 220,000 cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy this year, while denying Creekstone a license to voluntarily test all of the cattle it processes at its Arkansas City, Kan. plant.

Mesquite Organic Beef seeks additional producer partners
Liveweight broiler production in the United States in 2003 was less than the previous year, the first time that's happened since 1973.

Creekstone CEO Lobbies in Washington
The CEO of Creekstone, the Kansas beef processor that wants to test 100 percent of its cattle for BSE so it can re-enter the Japanese market, said in Washington May 7 that the American people should be "outraged" that the Agriculture Department is planning to spend $70 million in government money to test 220,000 cows on a spot basis, denying a license to his firm to test 100 percent of its cows, which would cost only $20 per head.

Asia Pacific

Japan praises EU offer to end farm export aid
TOKYO, May 11 (Reuters) - Japanese Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei praised the European Union's (EU) offer to end subsidies for agricultural exports, saying on Tuesday it could help revitalise stalled world trade talks. EU trade and agriculture Commissioners Pascal Lamy and Franz Fischler made the offer, which depends on other countries such as the United States doing the same, in a letter sent to their counterparts in the World Trade Organization. "Overall it shows consideration for developing countries. They showed something headed in a positive direction. I think it will be a factor to make discussions more active," Kamei told reporters.

Australia cautiously welcomes EU farm aid offer
SYDNEY, May 11 (Reuters) - The Australian government, a strong campaigner for world agricultural trade reform, on Tuesday cautiously welcomed signs that the European Union (EU) may move to end aid for farm exports.

Pork Potential in Asia
A delegation of British pig industry professionals lays the foundations for opening China to pork exports.

Beef Export Tide Rises
Australia’s exports of grain-fed beef to Japan increased 16 percent in April.

Europe

EU move puts pressure on Japan in WTO
The European Union's decision to drop its demand for negotiations on global competition and investment rules puts pressure on Japan to follow suit, a top Malaysian official says. | Howe...

USA

Trade Commission finds Canada's U.S. hog trade unfair
The U.S. International Trade Commission has voted 6-0 that there is a reasonable indication of injury to U.S. pork producers from unfairly government-subsidized traded hog imports from Canada.

Creekstone renews call for BSE testing approval
Speaking at Friday's Consumer Federation of America food policy conference in Washington, D.C., Creekstone CEO John Stewart said U.S. consumers should be "outraged" that the Agricultute Department is planning to spend $70 million to test 220,000 cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy this year, while denying Creekstone a license to voluntarily test all of the cattle it processes at its Arkansas City, Kan. plant.

Mesquite Organic Beef seeks additional producer partners
Liveweight broiler production in the United States in 2003 was less than the previous year, the first time that's happened since 1973.

Creekstone CEO Lobbies in Washington
The CEO of Creekstone, the Kansas beef processor that wants to test 100 percent of its cattle for BSE so it can re-enter the Japanese market, said in Washington May 7 that the American people should be "outraged" that the Agriculture Department is planning to spend $70 million in government money to test 220,000 cows on a spot basis, denying a license to his firm to test 100 percent of its cows, which would cost only $20 per head.