Reading Time: 2 minutes Geneva | Reuters — The United States and 15 other countries launched a broadside of criticism at the European Union on Thursday, saying its “hazard-based” approach to regulating pesticides and other “critical tools” used by farmers was damaging livelihoods worldwide. Their statement, submitted to the World Trade Organization, said the EU’s approach created great uncertainty […] Read more

U.S., Canada, 14 others slam EU farm product regulation at WTO

U.S. wins WTO ruling on Chinese grains
Reading Time: 2 minutes Geneva | Reuters — The United States won a World Trade Organization ruling on China’s price support for grains, successfully challenging a calculation methodology that is also used by India. A WTO adjudication panel agreed on Thursday with the U.S. complaint that China had paid farmers too much for wheat, Indica rice and Japonica rice […] Read more

Time to take control
When it comes to the future of Canada’s grains sector, no one is steering the ship. We can’t let that continue
Reading Time: 6 minutes In September, I challenged farmers to think about how Canada’s agricultural production should be branded. I questioned how consumers and foreign buyers view the commodities we produce. And most importantly, I wanted every farmer to ask themselves if production practices they use add or diminish that brand. That column upset some farmers. Readers felt my […] Read more

WTO should prepare for life without U.S., ex-chief Lamy says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Geneva | Reuters — World Trade Organization countries need to prepare for a future without the United States as a member of the club, former WTO chief Pascal Lamy said on Monday. The U.S. has thrown the WTO into crisis by blocking the appointment of new judges, undermining its dispute settlement system just as it […] Read more

U.S. dairy lobby increases pressure on Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa/Winnipeg | Reuters — The U.S. dairy lobby is ratcheting up the pressure on Canada as talks to renegotiate NAFTA draw closer, demanding concessions the Canadian government looks unwilling to grant, according to people familiar with the file. The result could be a brawl that sours efforts to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, […] Read more

U.S. loses WTO appeal in meat labeling dispute: source
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — The United States has lost its appeal against a World Trade Organization ruling ordering it to bring its meat labeling laws into line with global trade rules, according to a government official familiar with the dispute. In 2011, Canada and Mexico won a WTO ruling that said the U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules […] Read more