Reading Time: 2 minutes A biological sample that a Chinese researcher was accused of smuggling into the United States and that prosecutors cast as a “dangerous biological pathogen” is a common type of fungus already widespread in U.S. crop fields that likely poses little risk to food safety, experts said.
Experts doubt FBI’s claim that crop fungus smuggled by Chinese students is a threat
China wants slimmer pigs
Chinese government cracking down on speculative “refattening” practice
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chinese farmers and small firms have increasingly bought market-ready pigs from larger breeders and fattened them in a bet on higher prices, but the government is cracking down on the speculative practice to slim down hogs and stabilize the market.
Tariffs on canola seen supercharging Canadian farmers’ shift to spring wheat
U.S. Great Plains farmers skipping the cereal in favour of more profitable crops
Reading Time: 4 minutes The prospect of Chinese and U.S. tariffs on canola have prompted Western Canadian farmers to seed more wheat.
Drop in U.S. bulk exports highlighted by USDA report
Down 10 points in three years says FAS
Reading Time: 2 minutes Since 2020, bulk exports out of the United States rose and then fell back, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture report released on June 6. Issued by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, the Rise and Fall of Bulk Commodities cited several reasons for the drop in bulk exports.
China seeks improved ties with Canada amid rising trade tensions
Carney and Li agreed to establish regular communication channels
Reading Time: 2 minutes China called on Friday for steps to improve bilateral ties with Canada, saying there were no deep-seated conflicts of interest, following a spike in trade tensions with many of Beijing’s Western trade partners this year.
China blocks Canada’s request for review of Chinese duties on agriculture, fish
Next meeting June 23
Reading Time: 2 minutes China has blocked Canada's request to set up a dispute panel to review additional import duties by China on certain Canadian farming products and fish, a Geneva-based trade official said on June 5.
Pulse Canada president encouraged by first ministers’ statement
Cherewyk calls for immediate end to China’s tariffs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Greg Cherewyk was pleased with the final communique that came out of the first ministers' conference in Saskatoon on June 2. The statement noted the federal government's commitment to resolving trade issues with China.
Two Chinese researchers accused of smuggling ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into U.S.
Fusarium poses threat
Reading Time: < 1 minute U.S. federal prosecutors have accused two Chinese nationals of smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen that had the potential to be used as an agricultural terrorism weapon into the United States for research.
Pulse Weekly: India grants 10-month extension on duty-free yellow peas
‘Important news for our industry’ says Pulse Canada president
Reading Time: 2 minutes There is some good news for the Canadian pulse industry after months of doldrums as the Indian government extended its duty-free period on its imports of yellow peas by 10 months. The Indian government made the announcement late in the day on May 30.
India extends exemption on pea duty
Canadian pea growers face 100 per cent import tariff into China so continued access to Indian market is welcome news
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian pea growers face 100 per cent import tariff into China so continued access to Indian market is welcome news.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
