Reading Time: 2 minutes China and Vietnam expressed their support for maintaining a multilateral trade regime centered around the World Trade Organization in a joint statement issued on Tuesday at the end of a two-day visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China, Vietnam support multilateral trade regime amid U.S. tariff pressure

Vietnam to call off thistle seed ban in grain imports
Move will restore regular grain trade, Cereals Canada says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vietnam is expected to resume nearer-to-normal grain trade with exporting nations such as Canada, after it loosens a significant restriction on weed seed content. Cereals Canada, a national cereals industry group, on Friday reported that Vietnam’s agriculture ministry has released a revised quarantine pest list due to take effect Sept. 29. The new list, Cereals […] Read more

Vietnam approves commercial use of first African swine fever vaccines
U.S. Agriculture Secretary says farmers may purchase as precaution despite no domestic cases
Reading Time: < 1 minute Hanoi | Reuters – Vietnam has approved the domestic commercial use of two home-grown vaccines against African swine fever, the government said on Monday, making them the world’s first commercial vaccines against the deadly disease. The vaccines include NAVET-ASFVAC, co-developed by Navetco Central Veterinary Medicine and scientists from the United States, and AVAC ASF LIVE […] Read more

Vietnam’s pork imports more than double amid swine fever outbreak
Reading Time: < 1 minute Hanoi | Reuters — Vietnam’s pork imports during the first 11 months of this year more than doubled to 110,000 tonnes, the ministry of finance said on Thursday, as the country’s pig herd has been battered by an outbreak of African swine fever. Since the disease was first detected in February, it has spread to […] Read more

China faces long struggle to tackle African swine fever, OIE says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Paris | Reuters — It will take years for China to contain the deadly African swine fever virus that has spread throughout the country, which is the world’s biggest pork producer, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday. China has been struggling to control the epidemic, which some analysts predict could see […] Read more

U.S. to begin testing sick and dead pigs for African swine fever
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture within weeks will begin testing sick and dead pigs for a hog virus that has killed herds across Asia in an effort to minimize devastation if the disease enters the United States, the agency said on Thursday. Increased testing aims to help U.S. officials detect cases […] Read more

U.S. criticizes Vietnam ban of glyphosate imports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Hanoi | Reuters — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Thursday criticized Vietnam’s move to ban imports of glyphosate-based herbicides, saying the decision would have “devastating impacts on global agricultural production.” Vietnam’s government said in a statement that the toxic level of herbicides containing glyphosate had long been of concern, in the latest display […] Read more

Canada to boost airport detector dog corps
Reading Time: 2 minutes With African swine fever top of mind, the federal government plans to more than double the total number of detector dog teams at Canada’s airports within five years. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, speaking in Montreal Thursday, announced new funding of up to $31 million over five years to add 24 Food, Plant, and Animal Detector […] Read more

Vietnam could halt imports of wheat containing thistle seed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hanoi | Reuters — Vietnam might halt imports of wheat cargoes containing cirsium arvense, or thistle seed, while suggesting local importers should seek supplies from Kazakhstan, Australia and Argentina, local media reported on Thursday. Wheat importer Vietnam, whose main suppliers include Russia, Australia and Canada, has been battling with imported wheat contaminated with thistle seed […] Read more

TPP talks without U.S. near final stretch
Reading Time: 3 minutes Urayasu, Japan | Reuters — The 11 remaining nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without the United States edged toward sealing a comprehensive free trade pact after New Zealand agreed to amend laws that are not subject to TPP, to enable its ban on foreign home purchases. The pact aims to eliminate tariffs on industrial […] Read more