US and 15 others slam EU regulation of farm products at WTO
GENEVA -- The United States and 15 other countries launched a broadside of criticism at the European Union on Thursday, saying its “hazard-based” approach to regulating pesticides and other “critical tools” used by farmers was damaging livelihoods worldwide.
EU-Mercosur deal boosts Brazil meatpackers’ hopes for EU mission
SAO PAULO -- An historic trade deal between the European Union and South American trade bloc Mercosur last week is lifting expectations for Europe’s next mission to evaluate Brazilian chicken plants, an industry group said on Thursday.
Sydney reviews use of Bayer’s Roundup weed killer amid cancer fears
SYDNEY -- Sydney’s city council said on Friday it was reviewing its weed management, which included the use of Bayer AG’s Roundup, after other councils in Australia began cutting ties with the product amid concerns about possible links to cancer.
San Isidro aiming to become Davao del Norte’s cacao capital
THE SMALL landlocked municipality of San Isidro, with a population of under 27,000 as of the 2015 census, wants to become the cacao capital of Davao del Norte province.
Urban farming company seeking to help the poor one bayong at a time
UPROOT Urban Farms, a social enterprise, said its aim is to improve the lives of low-income families through urban farming.
US corn planting tops forecast despite floods; prices sink
CHICAGO -- US farmers planted more corn than expected despite heavy rains and flooding that market watchers had said kept farmers out of the fields for much of the spring, the US government said on Friday.
Crop planting slows in India on weak monsoon rains
NEW DELHI -- Indian farmers have planted 14.7 million hectares with summer-sown crops, down almost 10% from the previous year, the farm ministry’s data showed on Friday, as weak monsoon rains delayed sowing in most parts of the country.
Swine fever damage to Chinese hog industry may be twice as high as reported
BEIJING -- As many as half of China’s breeding pigs have either died from African swine fever or been slaughtered because of the spreading disease, twice as many as officially acknowledged, according to the estimates of four people who supply large farms.
Livestock trade show moved to 2020 amid swine fever fears
THE LIVESTOCK Philippines trade show has been postponed to 2020 at the request of the industry and the Department of Agriculture amid fears the exhibition may serve as a vehicle for spreading African Swine Fever (ASF), organizers said.
Fall armyworm invades crops across Asia, smallholders worst hit
BAN NONG TOR, THAILAND/SINGAPORE -- Looking out at his empty, red-earth field, Thai farmer Puang Timdon said his two-week-old maize crop didn’t stand a chance against the fall armyworm pest.
Rice farmers urged to consider vegetable farming amid more liberal import regime
EAST-WEST Seed Group said rice farmers must consider diversifying their crops to improve their income in the face of liberalized rice imports.
US to allow grazing on unplantable acres to help farmers after floods
CHICAGO -- The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Thursday announced a new measure to help farmers who were unable to plant corn and soybeans due to widespread flooding across the US Midwest.