Agriculture

EU Wants to Reform Sugar Subsidy System

The European Union's head office tackled the sticky problem of sugar subsidies Wednesday, proposing price and production cuts to reform a system critics charge hurts farmers in poorer countries and consumers at home.

Officials Cite Increasing Convergence, Continuing Gaps in Agriculture Framework

GENEVA--Top trade officials from the United States, the European Union, Brazil, India, and Australia ended two days of meetings in Paris July 11 claiming some progress in efforts to finalize a framework agreement by the end of July for advancing the stalled World Trade Organization talks on agriculture.

EU Hints At Farm Export Compromise With U.S.

These materials may not be republished without the express written consent of The Associated Press The European Union on Monday backed its trade chief's "strategy and tactics" for forging a global trade deal, while stressing that any concessions on farm support had to be matched by the United States.

Europeans Don't Quaff But Rather Scoff At Bioengineered Beer

Spurned across the continent by food-fastidious Europeans, the biotechnology industry has turned in its quest for converts to the ultimate ice breaker: genetically modified beer.

WTO Postpones Agriculture Meeting From Next Week

The World Trade Organisation has postponed next week's key negotiations on liberalising the trade in agriculture, a trade source said today. A new date for the meeting of trade negotiators, which was meant to be held on July 14-16, will be announced as soon as possible, the source added.

Canada Guiding WTO Talks to End Farm Subsidies

OTTAWA - Canadian officials are helping to broker critical international talks on farm subsidies designed to help crack open wider world trade in agricultural products. Finding a way to end the billions of dollars in subsidies the United States and European Union give their farmers is crucial to Canadian producers, Trade Minister Jim Peterson said Tuesday.

Food-Importing Nations Call For Right To Protect Farm Products

An alliance of food-importing countries, including South Korea, issued a joint statement Monday calling for the right to protect key farm products amid expectations of a framework agreement on agricultural sector liberalization at the end of the month.

Human Error Likely Caused Mad Cow Scare

WASHINGTON - The first inconclusive test for mad cow disease was most likely caused by human error and not by the test used in the government's newly deployed rapid screening test, said a senior executive with the test's manufacturer.