Insights and Stories on General

EU, Canada near trade pact after breaking impasse

Oct. 17, 2013 at 12:06 pm CDT

The European Union and Canada are expected to close negotiations on a multi-billion-dollar trade deal on Friday that will integrate two of the world’s biggest economies — if they can overcome final disagreements ranging from medicine patents to feta cheese. Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President Jose […]

U.S. Farm Bill negotiators may begin work next week

Oct. 16, 2013 at 11:53 pm CDT

By Charles Abbott

CFIA’s shift to Health Canada oversight begins

Oct. 9, 2013 at 5:44 pm CDT

Expect more market volatility from U.S. shutdown

Oct. 8, 2013 at 5:31 pm CDT

By Dave Bedard

With U.S. government shut, private data providers step in

Oct. 5, 2013 at 2:41 am CDT

By Tom Polansek

Kemp: Commodity markets will go dark if U.S. shutdown continues

Oct. 2, 2013 at 1:29 pm CDT

If the U.S. government shutdown continues for more than a few days, commodity markets will find themselves flying blind, as the public servants responsible for producing statistics on which traders and investors rely are sent home. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said Tuesday it will not publish the commitments […]

By john-kemp

U.S. farm law expires again with lawmakers split on new bill

Oct. 2, 2013 at 1:19 pm CDT

Overshadowed by the government shutdown, the U.S. farm subsidy law expired for the second time on Tuesday with lawmakers still deadlocked over how to confront cuts in food assistance programs for low-income Americans. Analysts say Congress is more likely to revive the farm law for another year or two — […]

By Charles Abbott

USDA will mostly ‘go dark’ in case of federal shutdown

Sep. 30, 2013 at 5:27 pm CDT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will shut off its gusher of statistical reports in the event of a federal government shutdown, leaving traders and food producers in the dark about most activities in the world’s largest farm exporter. But inspections of meat are considered among essential services that will continue […]

By Charles Abbott

Deal to trim biggest payouts completes EU farm policy reform

Sep. 25, 2013 at 4:36 pm CDT

European Union negotiators have agreed on a five per cent minimum reduction in subsidy payments above 150,000 euros a year to individual farms, in a deal which finalizes sweeping reforms to the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP). Under the deal struck late Tuesday, EU governments will have the option of […]

U.S. House backs $40B cut in food stamps over 10 years

Sep. 19, 2013 at 5:55 pm CDT

The Republican-run U.S. House of Representatives voted to cut spending on food stamps for the poor by US$40 billion over 10 years on Thursday, defying a veto threat from the White House in the name of fiscal reform. House majority leader Eric Cantor, the driving force behind the legislation, said […]

By Charles Abbott