‘Olive tree leprosy’ | New bacterial disease leaves Italian farmers with only a fraction of their normal harvest
ROME, Italy (Reuters) — Italian olive growers are increasing the price of olive oil as a bacterial disease, a fruit fly blight and unusually wet weather reduce harvests by one-third. This year’s harvest is expected to be down by more than 35 percent from last year’s level, forcing prices up by 30 percent, according to […] Read moreNews
Disease slashes olive farmer productivity
Manitoba gov’t ‘chaos’ worries farm groups
Political resignations | Provincial ag ministry rolls out forage shortfall program despite upheaval in other ministries
Manitoba farm groups are growing anxious about the chaos within the provincial government. They fear that paralysis and distraction could ensue from the ongoing turmoil. Fortunately for most, no major pieces of agriculture legislation or regulatory overhaul appear to be before the legislature, and regular business seems to be getting done. “At first there was […] Read moreTransport panel reviews problems
A federally appointed panel in charge of reviewing the Canadian Transportation Act is expected to complete its preliminary round of consultations within the next few weeks. Murad Al Katib, one of six people appointed to the panel, said preliminary consultations with a variety of agricultural stakeholders has already taken place. Al Katib, president of Alliance […] Read more
Mexico may seek hefty retaliation over COOL
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) — Mexico would seek “hundreds of millions” of dollars in trade retaliation against the United States if Washington does not change meat labelling laws, a Mexican official has said. The World Trade Organization ruled last month that the U.S. had failed to bring its meat labelling regulations fully in line with international […] Read more
Monsanto settles farmer lawsuit on GM
Experimental wheat disrupts market | Company to pay farmers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho
(Reuters) — Monsanto has reached a settlement with U.S. wheat farmers who sued it over market disruption after unapproved genetically modified wheat was discovered growing without oversight in Oregon. Monsanto’s Roundup Ready wheat, which was never approved by U.S. regulators and which the company said it stopped testing a decade ago, was found growing in […] Read moreIndustry voices concerns as Canada ranks first for food and ag imports
Canada is the biggest per capita food importer in the world, but Canadians shouldn’t worry about it, says a Farm Credit Canada economist. An FCC report on agricultural trade, which was released earlier this month, determined that Canada is the fifth largest exporter and sixth largest importer of agricultural commodities and agri-food products. When the […] Read more
Growers irked with Alta. fusarium control program
Program ineffective | Pedigreed seed growers say program discourages new seed varieties from being developed in Alberta
Alberta’s controversial effort to control the spread of fusarium through zero-tolerance regulations is continuing to ruffle feathers among the province’s pedigreed seed growers. Fusarium graminearum, a prominent cereal crop disease that costs Canada’s agriculture industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually, is continuing to spread across the Prairies from east to west. Fifteen years ago, […] Read moreBrewers replacing barley with less thirsty cassava
Efficient water use | Alcoholic drink manufacturer Diageo Plc. is pleased the root can be sourced locally
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) — Wine and beer lovers face an uncertain future. Climate change is a distant consideration for many global businesses, but grapes and grains are on the front line. The good news for those who like a tipple is that alcoholic drink makers are among businesses leading the way in devising technology to […] Read moreFarmers hang on to grain; handlers see profits dip
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — The slow pace of crop sales that has hurt two of the world’s biggest grain traders will likely stretch into next year, says the head of Bunge Ltd. Chief executive officer Soren Schroder said the forecast for sluggish sales may mean that grain companies will continue to feel economic pressure from […] Read more
Dry weather takes bite out of GrainCorp profit
Net profit dips $123 million from a year earlier
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) — Australia’s largest listed agribusiness says its annual net profit fell 64 percent from a year earlier as dry weather led to lower grain volumes. GrainCorp’s net profit was $49.5 million for the full year ending Sept. 30, compared with $172 million the previous 12 months. Operating net profit was $93.5 million, […] Read more
