Asia Pacific | KFC booted out of BeijingLouisville, Ky.-based KFC has been ki...

Asia Pacific

 

KFC booted out of Beijing
Louisville, Ky.-based KFC has been kicked out of Beijing's former imperial Beihai Park after complaints about its "encroachment" into China's cultural heritage sites, according to Agence France Presse.

Americas

 

Mexico says renegotiation of NAFTA farm issues not ruled out

(01/08, EFE) Mexican President Vicente Fox said Wednesday that his administration has opened the door to an eventual renegotiation of NAFTA farm issues, but he warned that such a possibility carries major risks.

 

Castaneda to resign secretary post

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- Battered by critics at home and frustrated by stalled migration talks with the United States, Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castaneda is leaving his post, government officials said Wednesday. Castaneda is one of President Vicente Fox's closest allies and his most controversial Cabinet member. He has been credited with increasing Mexico's stature abroad, while irking lawmakers at home.

  Mexico divided over agricultural agreements
Mexico's government appears divided over calls from the nation's farmers to declare a "state of emergency" in the farm sector and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which lifted tariffs on a range of agricultural goods on January 1.    

Europe

Russian & U.S. trade experts meet to prevent poultry trade war
Russian and United States food experts met in Moscow Wednesday in an effort to head off Russian objections that could lead to a resumption of last year's long-running trade war over poultry imports. 

Positive future for British red meat
British meat businesses firms taking part in a business strategy exercise called PROBE, Promoting Business Excellence, are being given the opportunity to build on their strengths and tackle their weaknesses. The pilot project involving five companies was a success with participants showing great enthusiasm for the project saying it was extremely valuable, according to the Meat and Livestock Commission.

USA

2003 could be bullish for hog producers
Price and profit prospects for hog producers could edge higher this year, the result of an expected reduction in pork production and smaller breeding herds that could sustain higher pork prices well into 2004.

Packer ban brought back to life
Two Democrats and two Republican congressmen introduced a new measure that would prohibit packers from owning cattle or hogs more than seven days before slaughter, and which prohibits packers from forcing farmers into arbitration to settle livestock production contract disputes.

FSIS announces final rule on water retention
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that a rule limiting the amount of water retained in raw poultry and meat products as a result of post-evisceration processing will take effect on Jan. 9.

Feds set to name names of repeat offenders
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) soon will begin posting names and addresses of anyone who repeatedly sells livestock or poultry containing volitive levels of chemical residue.

Consumers eat more meat in 2002
U.S. consumers ate more meat during 2002 than at any time in history, according to James Mintert, Professor & Extension Agricultural Economist at Kansas State University.

Beef industry pledges to reduce E. coli
Over 200 members of the beef industry gathered for an E. coli reduction summit in San Antonio to identify further steps to reduce and eliminate the meat pathogen.