12:29 PM on 17th January 2009
by Danny Penman
PUBLISHED BY ‘THE DAILY MAIL’ (UK)
Posted by Gilmour Poincaree on January 19, 2009
12:29 PM on 17th January 2009
by Danny Penman
PUBLISHED BY ‘THE DAILY MAIL’ (UK)
Posted in COMMERCE, COMMODITIES MARKET, ECONOMIC CONJUNCTURE, ECONOMY, FINANCIAL CRISIS 2008/2009, FOOD PRODUCTION (human), FOREIGN POLICIES, HEALTH SAFETY, INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, PORK, RECESSION, REGULATIONS AND BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY, THE FLOW OF INVESTMENTS, UNITED KINGDOM, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Gilmour Poincaree on January 14, 2009
14/01/2009 – 01h30min
DIÁRIO CATARINENSE
PUBLISHED BY ‘A NOTÍCIA’ (Brazil)
Posted in A INDÚSTRIA DE ALIMENTOS, AGRONEGÓCIOS, BRASIL, CHILE, COMÉRCIO - BRASIL, COMMERCE, COMMODITIES MARKET, ECONOMIC CONJUNCTURE, ECONOMY, EXPANSÃO AGRÍCOLA, EXPANSÃO ECONÔMICA, FINANCIAL CRISIS 2008/2009, FLUXO DE CAPITAIS, FOOD INDUSTRIES, FOOD PRODUCTION (human), INDUSTRIES, INTERNATIONAL, POLÍTICA EXTERNA - BRASIL, PORK, RECESSION, REGULATIONS AND BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY, RELAÇÕES DIPLOMÁTICAS - BRASIL, RELAÇÕES INTERNACIONAIS - BRASIL, RESTRUCTURING OF PRIVATE COMPANIES, SETOR EXPORTADOR, THE FLOW OF INVESTMENTS | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Gilmour Poincaree on December 12, 2008
DUBLIN, Ireland, Dec. 9, 2008
Associated Press
(AP) Ireland announced Tuesday it has found illegal levels of dioxins – the chemicals that are devastating its pork industry – in cattle, but insisted its beef was safe to eat.
Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith said Ireland has decided not to recall any of its beef products at home or abroad because, unlike the contamination of pork products, the level and extent of dioxin found so far in cattle is much lower.
Smith said dioxin tests had come back positive for three farms out of 11 tested so far, while results were pending for 34 more farms that received dioxin-contaminated feed. He described the three farms that failed as “technically noncompliant, but not at a level that would pose any public health concern.”
Smith said the government would prevent any cattle at those three farms from being slaughtered and put into the food chain until they could be individually tested for dioxin levels. Until then, he said, no meat from those farms would be permitted to enter the market.
Alan O’Reilly, deputy chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, said dioxin levels detected in cattle from the three farms were two to three times over legal limits. He contrasted that with last week’s finding of dioxin levels in pigs that were 80 to 200 times over those limits.
“There’s a huge difference,” O’Reilly said.
Ireland’s chief medical officer, Dr. Tony Holohan, said the levels of dioxins detected in Irish beef and pork would not pose a health risk to anyone who ate either meat.
“To all intents and purposes this is not a public health issue. … We do not expect to see symptoms as a result of this,” Holohan said.
Nonetheless, the latest findings threatened to undermine Ireland’s annual $2 billion industry in beef, Ireland’s primary agricultural export – more than three times the value of Ireland’s gridlocked pork industry.
Ireland’s major pigmeat processors have been refusing to start slaughtering an estimated 100,000 pigs at nine farms where illegally high levels of dioxins have been confirmed. The processors have already laid off 1,400 workers and say they won’t budge until the government reimburses their costs.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Posted in CATTLE, COMMERCE, COMMODITIES MARKET, ECONOMIC CONJUNCTURE, ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL CRISIS 2008/2009, FOOD INDUSTRIES, FOOD PRODUCTION (human), HEALTH SAFETY, INTERNATIONAL, IRELAND, MEAT, PORK, RECESSION, REGULATIONS AND BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Gilmour Poincaree on December 3, 2008
Last update: December 2, 2008 – 5:58 AM
by Bradley S. Klapper – Associated Press
PUBLISHED BY ‘THE STAR TRIBUNE’ (USA)
GENEVA – Canada filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization on Tuesday over a new U.S. law that requires retailers to provide country-of-origin labeling for fresh beef and pork, officials said.
The Canadian government said it was concerned the U.S. rules were discriminating against Canadian agricultural exporters, who have lobbied hard for a legal challenge at the WTO.
“We believe that the country-of-origin legislation is creating undue trade restrictions to the detriment of Canadian exporters,” Canadian Trade Minister Stockwell Day said in a statement.
The WTO confirmed receipt of Canada’s complaint.
Canadian farm groups say a growing number of meat plants in the U.S. are refusing to accept Canadian cattle and hogs for processing since the Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL) law went into effect on Oct. 1.
Under country of origin labeling, Canadian cattle and pigs must be segregated in U.S. feedlots and packing plants, prompting some firms to only deal with American livestock. Canadian animals are also required to have more documentation about where they come from and, in the case of cattle, must have tags that indicate they are free of mad cow disease.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Washington could not immediately comment.
Ottawa’s filing at the Geneva-based trade referee initiates a two-month consultation period between the North American neighbors. If they fail to reach a settlement, Canada can ask the WTO for a formal investigation. Such trade disputes can result in punitive sanctions, but usually after years of litigation.
Canada and the U.S. are the world’s biggest commercial partners, but have battled for years over trade issues involving beef, corn, dairy and wheat. In 2006 the two countries signed an accord on softwood lumber, a key component in home-building, ending a decades-long dispute that once fueled talk of an outright trade war.
“We are committed to a respectful working relationship with our American neighbors,” Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said, “but have always made it clear that these new regulations must not discriminate against Canadian producers.”
Posted in CANADA, CATTLE, COMMODITIES MARKET, ECONOMIC CONJUNCTURE, ECONOMY, ECONOMY - USA, FINANCIAL CRISIS - USA - 2008/2009, FINANCIAL CRISIS 2008/2009, FOREIGN POLICIES, FOREIGN POLICIES - USA, INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION - USA, INDUSTRIES - USA, INTERNATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, PORK, RECESSION, REGULATIONS AND BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY, THE LAST DAYS OF GEORGE WALKER BUSH - 2008/Jan. 2009, THE PRESIDENCY - USA, USA, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION | Leave a Comment »