Asia Pacific | U.S. and Singapore Complete Talks on Free Trade Agreement; Fir...

Asia Pacific

 

U.S. and Singapore Complete Talks on Free Trade Agreement; First in Asia
The U.S. reached a free trade agreement with Singapore that will remove tariffs on $33 billion of annual commerce, ease customs rules and give its banks more access to the island's customers.

 

Australia cattle farmers fear anthrax vaccine shortage
SYDNEY, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A farm outbreak of the anthrax disease could have a devastating impact on Australia's cattle industry as a bio-terrorism threat limits U.S. vaccine supplies, the Cattle Council of Australia said on Tuesday.

 

Mexico, Japan start free trade talks
TOKYO - Mexico and Japan began a first round of free trade talks Monday in Tokyo, with both side hoping to reach an agreement within a year.

Americas

 

Argentine meat exports recover after foot-and-mouth crisis
Argentina's meat exports during the past nine months totaled close to 290,000 tons, valued at $392.02 million, a reversal of fortune for a industry that was nearly devastated by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

 

Chile lifts ban on Argentine beef imports
Chile's Agricultural Service (SAG) on Monday lifted a one-and-half-year ban on beef imports from neighboring Argentina after Argentine authorities presented proof that a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak had been brought under control.

 

Mexico announces agriculture protections

MEXICO CITY, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Mexico on Monday announced about $3 billion in agricultural subsidies meant to lower costs and guarantee minimum prices for Mexican farmers in some products amid heightened competition from U.S. farm goods.

 

Mexico says it will reintroduce farm support prices, increase subsidies
MEXICO CITY, Nov. 18 — The Mexican government said it will reintroduce crop support prices and increase other subsidies, in a bid to quell fears that the nation's farm sector will be demolished by U.S. competition when most remaining agricultural tariffs are lifted in January under NAFTA.

 

USA

 

Corn for Growing Far Afield?
The chief executive of ProdiGene Inc., the company that mishandled gene-altered corn in Iowa and Nebraska, said yesterday that his scientists will carefully study the possibility of growing such corn only in parts of the country where it could not contaminate the food supply.

 

Study- Atkins Good for Cholesterol
Multitudes swear by the high-fat, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet, and now a carefully controlled study backs them up: Low-carb may actually take off more weight than low-fat and may be surprisingly better for cholesterol, too.

 

Colorado Beef Plant to Reopen
Swift and Co. said a beef plant that was shut down because of manure on carcasses would reopen Tuesday.

 

Irradiated Beef- It's What's For Dinner
It's irradiated beef, a technological breakthrough that enables health conscious families like yours and mine to be protected from the dangers of E.coli, salmonella and listeria.