Year 2006
New U.S. strategy in Latin America: turn on the charm
Date: Tuesday, December 26, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, McClatchy Newspapers
The Bush administration has no such qualms about some of its sternest critics in Latin America, including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The thinking is that while these leaders don't see eye to eye with Bush, they were democratically elected and, unlike Iran or North Korea, their countries pose no obvious national security threats to U.S. interests. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Corn farmers look to ethanol for growth, financial security
Date: Tuesday, December 26, 2006. By Associated Press
A number of farmers have jumped at the opportunities in the hope ethanol and other biofuels will secure their future earnings.
Demand is fed by federal law, which calls for the U.S. to nearly double its use of biofuels to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012. Gov. Jim Doyle has promised almost $80 million in loans, grants and tax incentives to help develop biofuel companies in Wisconsin. More>> (More Other News >>)
State urged to reverse decline
Date: Thursday, December 21, 2006. By Christina Hoag, The Miami Herald
Tourism leaders move to boost the state's marketing budget after a recent drop in visitors to Florida.
Although Florida is the number two destination in the United States, the Sunshine State has lagged behind Hawaii, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia for public funding of tourism marketing. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Market fall prompts Thais to lift stock rules
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2006. By Michael Casey, Associated Press
After the market plunged almost 15 percent on Tuesday, the Thai government said it would lift controls on foreign investment in stocks.
The plunge came after the Bank of Thailand announced late Monday its toughest measures yet to clamp down on speculative inflows that have lifted the Thai currency, the baht, to a nine-year high of 35.09 to the dollar. More>> (More Other News >>)
Gov. Bush throws support behind ethanol initiative
Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
Gov. Jeb Bush tips his hat to renewable fuels with the launch of a hemispheric commission to promote ethanol.
Bush called the project a ''win, win, win, win'' since it would help nudge the United States from oil dependency, preserve the environment, create jobs and help boost partnerships with Latin America. More>> (More Other News >>)
Latin America finds the green in organic
Date: Monday, December 18, 2006. By Tyler Bridges, The Miami Herald
Latin American farmers can thank health-conscious U.S. consumers for a booming export business.
Farmers in Bolivia are planting as much organic quinoa as possible because of increasing demand in the United States. But quinoa is only one of dozens of organic products that Latin American farmers are increasingly harvesting for export to the United States as they tap into the growing clamor for chemical-free products. More>> (More Other News >>)
Bickering over unity at Mercosur meeting
Date: Saturday, December 16, 2006. By Vivian Sequera, Associated Press
In Brazil, complaints and disputes took center stage at the annual meeting of the South American trading bloc, Mercosur.
The meeting came a day after the trade bloc inaugurated its parliament in a ceremonial session meant to encourage greater unity among the members: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and, since July 2006, Venezuela. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Mercosur Parliament to meet in March
Date: Friday, December 15, 2006. By The Miami Herald
In the long term, the parliament is intended to help unify legislation in the member nations and foster greater cooperation.
The parliament would promote ''democracy, liberty and peace and sustainable development with social justice'' as well as encouraging integration among the five Mercosur nations. More>> (More Trade News >>)
U.S., China trade talks highlight philosophical divide
Date: Friday, December 15, 2006. By Joe McDonald, Associated Press
As a high-level U.S. trade delegation pushed for reforms in China, Chinese officials said the nation would implement reforms at its own pace.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pushed China on Thursday to ease currency controls, appealing for help in shoring up American support for free trade. But a top Beijing official said change already was coming and complained that Americans fail to understand China. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Fed holds key rate steady
Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2006. By Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press
During the last Federal Reserve meeting of the year, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke agreed to leave the key rate unchanged at 5.25 percent.
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady, giving holiday shoppers a reason for some cheer. However, the Fed held back an extra gift Wall Street was hoping for -- a signal that rates might actually be lowered soon. More>> (More Other News >>)
Extension welcome on pact
Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2006. By Tyler Bridges, The Miami Herald
A trade deal reached Saturday morning just before U.S. Congress adjourned provides continued but temporary benefits for the four Andean countries.
The concession -- formally known as the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act -- was due to expire on Dec. 31. Exporters from the four countries have been warning that failure to extend it would reinstitute tariffs that would curtail exports and cost potentially hundreds of thousands of badly needed jobs in this politically volatile region. More>> (More Trade News >>)
China touts trade performance ahead of talks with U.S.
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2006. By Tim Johnson, McClatchy Newspapers
On the fifth anniversary of its entrance into the WTO, China boasted about its trade record.
Since China joined the rules-making WTO, the output of the Chinese economy has nearly doubled to $2 trillion. The nation has leapfrogged past Britain and France to become the world's fourth-largest economy. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Congress extends tax on imported ethanol until 2009
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2006. By Carson Walker, Associated Press
The tariff encourages domestic ethanol production, discourages dependence on foreign energy and keeps other countries from competing with American production.
Included in legislation passed late Friday and early Saturday by the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate was an extension of the 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on imported ethanol. More>> (More Other News >>)
House poised to pass trade concessions with Andean nations
Date: Friday, December 8, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, The Miami Herald
Four Andean nations inch closer to securing a crucial extension of trade preferences. But a deal with Haiti is in doubt.
Lawmakers on Thursday agreed to throw a temporary lifeline to Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador by extending for six months special trade concessions that support hundreds of thousands of jobs in the region. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Learn benefits of farm tourism
Date: Sunday, December 3, 2006. By The Miami Herald
The Miami-Dade County/University of Florida Cooperative Extension is offering a workshop on the topic from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 13 in Homestead.
There is growing evidence of the benefits from agritourism, and many states are beginning to exploit these potential opportunities. A recent UF study estimated the potential impact from agritourism activities for the farming community in Miami-Dade County to be $139 million. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Focus on competitiveness not just trade
Date: Sunday, December 3, 2006. By Jerry Haar, The Miami Herald
Although the Republican Party was soundly trounced in the November mid-term elections, an even bigger loser was free trade.
The Doha Round of the World Trade Organization is stalled, the Free Trade Area of the Americas is comatose, congressional ratification of U.S. free-trade agreements with Peru and Colombia is unlikely and renewal of the Trade Promotion Authority is highly doubtful. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Simpler is better with ideas to save agriculture
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2006. By Katie A. Edwards, The Miami Herald
Farmer has to determine how government regulations and uncertainty in the markets will impact his bottom line.
Many, if not all, of government policies and regulations focus on one factor of production: land. For example, Miami-Dade County's strategic plan has a benchmark of ''no net loss of agricultural lands.'' It's a noble intention, but it fails to recognize that land is but one part of the equation. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Dominica protests Ecuador's WTO bid
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2006. By Ellsworth Carter, Associated Press
Dominica's top trade official is urging the World Trade Organization to reject Ecuador's bid to ease tariffs on its bananas shipped to Europe.
Ecuador, the world's largest banana producer, filed a protest against the European Union's banana import rules system two weeks ago, arguing it unfairly restricts its access to EU market. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Fed chair: Slowdown moves expected
Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2006. By Michael Doyle, The Miami Herald
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made clear Tuesday that policymakers want to see inflation continue to recede, suggesting the Fed probably won't be cutting interest rates anytime soon.
In his most extensive comments on the economy since the summer, Bernanke struck a largely positive tone that the economy should be able to weather the strains coming from the housing slump and the struggling auto industry. More>> (More Other News >>)
Greenhouse gas case will pit state against state
Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2006. By Michael Doyle, The Miami Herald
The Supreme Court's nine justices will begin hearing oral arguments today over whether the federal government can regulate emissions most experts say contribute to global warming.
The question is this: Can the federal government regulate the so-called greenhouse gases many experts blame for rising global temperatures? The Bush administration says no. California, Massachusetts, Washington, 15 other states and their allies insist otherwise. The final answer is now up to the court's nine justices. More>> (More Other News >>)
High corn prices mean boost, risk for farmers
Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2006. By Rick Callahan, Associated Press
Farmers who plant more corn in 2007, however, will be betting that the nation's burgeoning ethanol industry won't go bust and oil prices stay high.
The ethanol industry's growing appetite for corn has pushed prices for the grain to their highest levels in a decade amid a surge that agricultural experts say could lead farmers next spring to plant their largest corn crop in 60 years. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Carl Campbell, 77, Florida professor was 'giant' in the tropical fruit industry
Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2006. By Georgia Tasker, The Miami Herald
Campbell was a professor emeritus of the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center in the Redland and had been a tropical fruit consultant in 22 countries.
Carl Campbell, who championed mangoes in South Florida for 50 years, died Saturday at his home. He was 77. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 8 at UF's Tropical Research and Education Center, 18950 SW 280th St. in the Redland. More>> (More Other News >>)
Permits not required to spray waters with pesticide
Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2006. By Michael Doyle, The Miami Herald
Ruling on a hotly disputed issue, the Bush administration decided that there is no need for special permits for pesticide spraying in or over waters.
EPA officials concluded that a pesticide, when it's deliberately applied, isn't a ''pollutant'' under the terms of the 1972 Clean Water Act. Consequently, after considering nearly 700 public comments, officials ruled that federal ''discharge'' permits aren't necessary when using pesticides to control waterborne pests. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Redland Tropical Trail pushes agrotourism
Date: Friday, November 24, 2006. By Daniel Shoer-Roth, The Miami Herald
Tourists in South Florida have a new destination -- the Redland Tropical Trail -- where they can experience South Florida's unique agricultural legacy.
A group of farmers and farm-related businesses in the Redland and Florida City are trying to bring a different kind of tourism to South Florida: agrotourism. They have created the Historic Redland Tropical Trail, a route of nine attractions in Miami-Dade's agricultural zone that officially opens next month. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
U.S.-funded project to stimulate growth in Nicaragua
Date: Thursday, November 23, 2006. By Nancy San Martin, The Miami Herald
Rural businesses in western Nicaragua will receive U.S. aid to reduce poverty through economic growth.
The remote farm is among several in the western region of the country that will benefit from American dollars as part of the U.S.-sponsored Millennium Challenge Corporation. Nicaragua is set to receive $175 million over five years to help rural businesses with technical assistance and development, promotion of goods and access to regional and international markets. More>> (More Other News >>)
Say Yes to trade pacts
Date: Friday, November 10, 2006. By Peter De Shazo, The Miami Herald
On Dec. 31, 2006, four countries in the Andean region -- Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia -- will lose important trade benefits with the United States if Congress does not move to extend them.
Trade between the four countries and the United States has risen by more than 50 percent since 2003 alone, spurred by these preferences. Extension of ATPDEA would also strengthen governance and security in this volatile region of Latin America. More>> (More Trade News >>)
U.S. trade deficit improves despite record with China
Date: Friday, November 10, 2006. By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press
The overall deficit declined 6.8 percent to $64.3 billion in September from a record $69 billion in August, thanks in part to a fall in America's foreign oil bill.
Analysts said the improvements should continue if oil prices do not spike again. But they cautioned against expecting any quick fix in a deficit still on track to set a record for the fifth straight year. More>> (More Other News >>)
Tropicana, Dole OJ prices to rise on Florida citrus shortage
Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2006. By Travis Reed, Associated Press
With hurricanes, drought and disease leading to the worst Florida citrus crop in more than a decade, PepsiCo will boost prices on orange juice by 4 percent to 8 percent.
After two nasty hurricane seasons compounded by drought and crop disease, Florida's harvest has dropped off significantly. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted 135 million boxes of oranges would be picked in the 2006-07 season, down from an already-low 148 million boxes last year. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
World Trade Organization invites Vietnam to join
Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2006. By Frank Jordans, Associated Press
As the 150th member of the WTO, Vietnam would have increased access to foreign markets and the opportunity to take trade grievances to a neutral arbiter.
Membership in the global trade body will give Vietnam increased access to foreign markets and the opportunity to take trade grievances to a neutral arbiter, strengthening its hand against nations that accuse it of illegally dumping goods on their markets. In return, the country will be required to drop its high tariffs on foreign imports and eliminate subsidies for state-owned companies. More>> (More Other News >>)
Florida farmers could see caviar dreams come true
Date: Monday, November 6, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Dining on caviar is nothing new in a state that boasts some of the richest municipalities -- and palettes -- in the nation.
Because the U.S. government has shut down foreign imports of the delectable, yet pricey, eggs of the endangered Caspian Sea beluga sturgeon, patrons of the region's finer restaurants will be forced to dine more on farm-raised caviar from California and yes, Florida. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
U.S. productivity stagnates
Date: Friday, November 3, 2006. By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press
Data showing wage growth is outpacing productivity in the United States sparked more inflation fears on Wall Street.
The mix of slowing productivity and rising wages was seen as a formula for inflation down the road. It means the Federal Reserve may not cut interest rates anytime soon and may even hike them. More>> (More Other News >>)
Economic migration is seen as key topic at Iberoamerican Summit
Date: Friday, November 3, 2006. By Raul Garces, Associated Press
Spain's King Juan Carlos and presidents or their envoys from Portugal, Andorra and 22 Latin American nations today will open the three-day summit, which will examine migration and economic development.
The plight of millions of migrants trying to cross new fencing on the U.S. border, flee the Andes to Spain or get work in Argentine textile mills is the pressing issue for participants at the 16th Iberoamerican summit. More>> (More Other News >>)
Brazil's sugar cane output grows with demand
Date: Thursday, November 2, 2006. By Carlos Caminada and Carla Simoes, Bloomberg News
Brazil boosts its sugar cane acreage and plans to export more ethanol to meet the growing global demand for biofuels.
Brazil, the world's largest ethanol exporter, will expand sugar cane acreage and output by about half over the next six years as demand for biofuel grows, supported by made higher oil prices, an industry leader said. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Forecasters: El Niño could deliver winter to Florida
Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2006. By Martin Merzer, The Miami Herald
Moderate El Niño conditions -- the same events that helped suppress hurricane activity this season -- are expected to propel waves of wintry weather to the region during the next few months.
During the summer and fall, El Niños can produce crosswinds that inhibit hurricane development. During the winter, El Niños can cause the jet stream to shift farther south, allowing northern cold fronts to dip into South Florida. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Economic growth falls to 1.6%
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2006. By Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press
The slowdown in the housing market has dealt a blow to the U.S. economy, but other factors are fending off recession.
The Commerce Department reported Friday that economic growth from the July-to-September period clocked in at an annual rate of just 1.6 percent, reflecting the deepening housing slump. Investment in home building was cut by the largest amount in 15 years. More>> (More Other News >>)
Farmers cry foul over wetlands penalties
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2006. By Rebecca Dellagloria, The Miami Herald
South Miami-Dade farmers expressed outrage at sky-high mitigation fees on land designated as wetlands during an agribusiness forum.
Several nursery owners said they have received notices from DERM that land they bought for farming is on wetlands inside what is known as the 8 ½ Square Mile Area, and inside the East Glade, an area east of U.S. 1 and south of Cutler Bay. DERM has told some farmers in those areas that they either have to shut down their farming operations or pay a mitigation fee, some as high as $180,000. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Bush discusses CAFTA with Dominican leader
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2006. By Deb Riechmann, Associated Press
President Bush told President Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic that the U.S. is working on legislation to implement the free-trade agreement.
The pact was supposed to take effect in the Dominican Republic on Jan. 1, but the country has not passed legislation needed to implement parts of the deal. Some of the delays stem from conflicts between U.S. and Dominican intellectual property law, including issues related to pharmaceutical manufacturing. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Fed holds key rate steady
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2006. By Nell Henderson, Washington Post Service
The Federal Reserve left key short-term interest rates unchanged at their meeting on Wednesday.
Economic growth has slowed this year, partly because of the sharp downturn in the housing market. But the policymakers also said they expect the economy to ''expand at a moderate pace'' going forward. More>> (More Other News >>)
Vegetables may help stem mental decline
Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2006. By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press
A newly released study linking vegetables to superior mental acuity supports the old adage to 'eat your veggies.'
On measures of mental sharpness, older people who ate more than two servings of vegetables daily registered about five years younger at the end of the six-year study than those who ate few or no vegetables. More>> (More Other News >>)
Experts differ on definition of 'developing country'
Date: Monday, October 23, 2006. By Frank Jordans, Associated Press
The United Nations' definition of a 'developing' country is fuzzy at best, ignoring many countries with powerhouse economies.
The World Trade Organization likewise does not have set rules for who is and who isn't developed. Instead, countries decide for themselves whether to sign up as developing countries -- a classification that brings a number of benefits under WTO rules. More>> (More Other News >>)
Migrants are sending more cash back home
Date: Thursday, October 19, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, The Miami Herald
A new study shows U.S. remittances to Latin America are booming as the geographic scope of immigrants sending money home broadens beyond the gateway states.
The bulk of the remittances comes out of such traditional immigrant gateway states as California and Florida, the nation's fourth biggest sender of remittances with $3.1 billion estimated for this year, a 26 percent jump from the last survey in 2004. More>> (More Other News >>)
This year's sugar cane harvest to be better than last year's
Date: Monday, October 16, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting Florida's sugar production to come in at 1.73 million tons, up from 1.36 million tons last season.
Florida produces more sugar from cane than any other state, and in a normal year, supplies 25 percent of the nation's sugar. Most of the industry's 400,000 acres lie in Palm Beach County, with some in Martin, Glades and Hendry. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Small orange crop likely means pricier juice
Date: Friday, October 13, 2006. By Phil Long, The Miami Herald
A 'hurricane hangover,' a surprise cold snap and loss of land for trees are causing Florida's orange crop to shrink. Consumers should expect to pay.
Orange juice was $4.89 a gallon last month, compared to $4.50 a gallon a year ago. And suppliers of major brands of juice began raising wholesale prices in September. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Florida orange crop to be smallest in almost two decades
Date: Thursday, October 12, 2006. By Phil Long, The Miami Herald
With citrus still suffering the effects from hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, a cold snap earlier this year and a continued loss of land for trees, this year's Florida orange crop will be the smallest since the 1989-1990 season.
Orange production is expected to be 135 million boxes this season, down 9 percent from last year's 147.9 million 90-pound boxes. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Peru's García touts free trade, sounds alarm on Chávez
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, The Miami Herald
Peruvian President Alvaro García defended free trade and criticized Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during a visit to the United States.
The Peruvians wanted Congress to vote on the agreement before it went into its summer recess, and are now pushing for approval during the lame-duck session after the Nov. 7 elections in what many analysts see as a tough vote. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Why Edmund Phelps' Economic Theory Matters
Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2006. By Michael Mandel, BusinessWeek
The newly minted Nobel Prize winner helped establish the relationship between unemployment and inflation—and what the Fed can and can't do about jobs.
An important implication of Phelps's work is that the long-term rate of unemployment cannot be changed by monetary or fiscal policy. While the Fed can fight recessions by cutting interest rates, it can't expect to permanently boost employment once the recession is over. More>> (More Other News >>)
American wins Nobel in economics
Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2006. By Matt Moore And Karl Ritter, Associated Press
Edmund S. Phelps changed the way the world thinks about unemployment and inflation.
The 73-year-old Columbia University professor challenged prevailing views in the 1960s by developing an economic model that has helped corporate and government leaders balance inflation and unemployment in decision-making. More>> (More Other News >>)
Nature's efficient ways to protect crops
Date: Monday, October 2, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
A division of the state Department of Agriculture is running biocontrol projects in an attempt to protect the state's crops, animals and people from pests and diseases.
Invasive plant and insect pests cause $138 billion in annual major environmental and economic damage nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because Florida and the Caribbean share a common ecosystem, whatever thrives in the Caribbean's balmy climes will thrive in Florida. More>> (More Other News >>)
UF study may clear sugar harvest haze
Date: Monday, September 25, 2006. By Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy News Service
Florida sugar cane growers experiment with harvest methods that don't involve burning their fields.
Harvesting sugar cane without burning -- known as green cane production -- is gaining favor as development nears cane-growing areas and complaints about the smoke begin to rise. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Fed expected to hold steady
Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2006. By Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy News Service
Figures pointing to a cooling U.S. economy are expected to deter the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates today.
If true, that's good news for consumers, since the Fed's increases in the benchmark federal funds rate, an overnight rate that banks charge each other, influence a broad array of bank loans to consumers and businesses. More>> (More Other News >>)
Brazil emerging as global trade leader
Date: Saturday, September 16, 2006. By Jack Chang, McClatchy News Service
Seeking to move stalled trade negotiations, Brazil is fast stepping to the forefront as a global trading power along with the aid of a unified coalition of nations known as the G-20.
Brazil's leadership will continue Wednesday, when the leaders of India and South Africa come to Brasilia for the first summit of what Brazilian officials say is a ''south-south'' coalition of developing countries. The goal, officials say, is to foster more trade among such countries rather than rely on U.S. and European markets. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Latin American trade deals' futures uncertain
Date: Saturday, September 16, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
Washington is still seeking free-trade agreements, but politics and time constraints make passage uncertain.
Full trade agreements must be approved before ''fast track'' trade authority -- which allows a trade agreement to be considered for an up or down vote with no amendments added -- expires in July 2007. More>> (More Trade News >>)
IMF predicts global growth
Date: Friday, September 15, 2006. By Gillian Wong, Associated Press
A cooling housing market could slow down U.S. economic growth, but growth in China could boost an overall global expansion, the IMF says.
The IMF revised downward its forecast for U.S. economic growth to 2.9 percent for 2007 from an estimate of 3.3 percent in April. This year, the United States is seen expanding 3.4 percent, the fund projected in its semiannual World Economic Outlook. More>> (More Other News >>)
Trade surplus pressures yuan
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2006. By Joe McDonald, Associated Press
China's trade surplus grew in August and has fueled demands by Washington and other trading partners for Beijing to raise the value of its currency, the yuan.
The August surplus climbed to $18.8 billion, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing data from the Chinese customs agency. That was well above the old record of $14.6 billion set in July. More>> (More Trade News >>)
WTO talks remain on hold
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2006. By Alan Clendenning, Associated Press
The EU trade commissioner does not foresee talks on a global trade agreement happening until late this year or early next year.
The EU's stance that the United States blocked the trade talks through reluctance to slash subsidies for American farmers -- charges hotly denied by U.S. officials who say the EU hasn't gone far enough on farm subsidies. More>> (More Trade News >>)
G-20 aims to salvage trade talks despite impasse
Date: Sunday, September 10, 2006. By Michael Astor, Associated Press
An optimistic meeting among the Group of 20 emerging-market nations marked an attempt to resume the stalled Doha Round of global trade talks.
The Doha Round -- named after the Qatari capital where it was started in 2001 -- is aimed at slashing trade barriers across the planet. But the Doha talks stalled in July over the question of rich nations' subsidies for agriculture. More>> (More Trade News >>)
The fuss over farm labor
Date: Sunday, September 10, 2006. By Monica Hatcher and Alfonso Chardy, The Miami Herald
Florida farmers and farmworker advocates worry about a chronic shortage of laborers if Congress fails to pass legislation legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants.
In fact, several South Florida growers and farmworker advocates said last week that a farmworker shortage in the region's vital farm economy is probable -- if the federal government fails to implement a guest worker program and steps up an already heightened crackdown on unauthorized immigration along the border. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
WTO chief criticizes regional free-trade deals
Date: Thursday, September 7, 2006. By Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press
Separate regional free-trade agreements will not work in the long run for China, WTO chief Pascal Lamy warned on Wednesday.
WTO chief Pascal Lamy on Wednesday warned that China's pursuit of separate bilateral and regional free-trade agreements would harm its long-term commercial interests. China is in negotiations with Australia and several other countries and trade blocs on such agreements, seeking to leverage better trade terms for its fast-expanding economy. More>> (More Trade News >>)
A new Nicaragua grows as exports boom
Date: Thursday, September 7, 2006. By Tim Rogers, The Miami Herald
Nicaragua's reviving productive sector leads Central America in export growth, but the nation still has a lot of catching up to do.
Fueled by nontraditional products -- everything from peanuts and cheeses to frozen beef and hammocks -- Nicaraguan exports have increased by an impressive 47 percent over the last three years, according to national export-promotion group NICAEXPORT. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Orange-juice futures fall as storm weakens
Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2006. By The Miami Herald
Orange-juice futures fell the most in a week on speculation that winds from Tropical Storm Ernesto will not cause severe crop damage to citrus groves in Florida.
Orange juice for November delivery fell 1.65 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $1.848 a pound on the New York Board of Trade, the biggest drop for a most-active contract since Aug. 22. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
USDA plans to trim Farm Service offices
Date: Thursday, August 24, 2006. By Elliott Minor, Associated Press
The Farm Service Agency is considering closing some of its county offices around the South, raising the ire of some farmers.
Alabama and Georgia have already submitted closure plans to agriculture officials in Washington, and Virginia is holding required public hearings on the proposed closing of nine of its 50 offices. More>> (More Other News >>)
U.S. trade deal delays punish Colombian, Peruvian exporters
Date: Thursday, August 24, 2006. By Joshua Goodman, Associated Press
Colombia and Peru stand to lose millions of dollars if unilateral trade privileges expire and high tariffs are restored.
The deal with Colombia would be Washington's biggest in the hemisphere since the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. It's also a unique test of Washington's leadership in a region where trade deals that lock in billion-dollar subsidies for U.S. farmers have been sharply criticized. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Rules tighten for citrus-tree growers
Date: Tuesday, August 22, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Beginning in 2008, all Florida citrus trees will have to be grown in greenhouses. As farmers adjust to the regulation, they face new economic challenges.
About 90 percent of the state's nurseries grow citrus seedlings and trees outdoors. But beginning in 2008, the trees -- which supply Florida's citrus growers as well as enrich homeowners' back yards -- must be grown inside, in greenhouses built to specific standards that officials believe will reduce the threat of canker and citrus greening. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Canker ban puts squeeze on Florida tangerine growers
Date: Sunday, August 20, 2006. By Phil Long, The Miami Herald
The effects of citrus canker can menace tangerine growers, even when the disease is far from their trees, growers in this small segment of the citrus industry are learning.
As a result of killing the eradication program, the USDA banned shipments of fresh fruit from Florida to the other citrus-growing states in an effort to make sure any infected fruit didn't affect trees in those states. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
NAFTA challenges new leader
Date: Friday, August 4, 2006. By Kevin G. Hall, Janet Schwartz and Jay Root, McClatchy Newspapers
Mexico's apparent president-elect faces political pressure to roll back NAFTA to help farmers in Mexico's poor southern states, but he's resisting.
Leftist presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who's mounted a legal challenge to overturn the election results, promised on the campaign trail to renegotiate NAFTA's agricultural provisions with an eye toward protecting homegrown corn and beans. That helped him carry most of Mexico's south. More>> (More Other News >>)
Credit corruption in Venezuela alleged
Date: Thursday, August 3, 2006. By Phil Gunson, The Miami Herald
Agricultural production in Venezuela has not risen in proportion to the agricultural credits allotted, leading to speculation as to where the money went.
The almost total absence of checks and balances, critics say, is a major reason for the spread of corruption, which recent polls show is among voters' top concerns ahead of presidential elections scheduled for December. More>> (More Other News >>)
China reports fast growth, but rings inflation alarm
Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006. By Joe Mcdonald, Associated Press
China's rapid growth is prompting fears of inflation, raising expectations that Beijing might hike interest rates and possibly the value of its currency.
That would be welcome news for U.S. and European businesses, which have complained that China's yuan is undervalued, that its exports are too inexpensive and that it has been siphoning jobs from the developed world by dumping cheap goods in their markets. More>> (More Other News >>)
Big Sugar targets organic market
Date: Monday, July 17, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Florida Crystals Corp. never imagined the success of its organic sugar when it planted the first cane nine years ago.
When Florida Crystals Corp. decided to try growing and processing sugar cane for the organic market nine years ago, even some of its top officials were skeptical. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Free-trade pact may thwart foes
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, The Miami Herald
Facing a tough vote in the U.S. House, supporters of a U.S.-Peru free-trade agreement are warning that a defeat would be a victory for U.S. foe Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
Free-trade agreements generally set tariffs on beef and commodities and deal with government procurement contracts and labor provisions. But as Congress prepares to vote on a contentious free-trade accord with Peru, the figure of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is looming large. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Vote on Peru trade deal may be now or never
Date: Thursday, July 13, 2006. By Andres Oppenheimer, The Miami Herald
Latin American politicians have long said -- only half-jokingly -- that if you want to get attention and help from Washington, it often pays more to be hostile to the United States than to be its friend.
If President Bush fails to get congressional approval of a recently signed U.S.-Peru free-trade agreement before Congress goes on its summer recess July 28, it will be a case study proving that the United States does not reward its friends. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Experts predict smaller orange crop
Date: Thursday, July 13, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Agriculture officials say the 2005-2006 citrus crop will be one of the worst crops because of last year's hurricanes.
In its final forecast for the season, the National Agricultural Statistics Services placed the orange crop at 151 million 90-pound boxes, up from 149.8 million a year ago. The count was lowered because labor shortages are making it difficult to get late-season Valencia oranges picked. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Analysts: Chávez's influence not assured
Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2006. By Steven Dudley, The Miami Herald
With Venezuela's entry to the Mercosur trading bloc, President Hugo Chávez will try to pull his neighbors away from the Free Trade Area of the Americas. But analysts say he is unlikely to succeed.
As it has for decades, the question of U.S. economic relations looms large for Latin America. Washington is pushing for a continent-wide Free Trade Area of the Americas, and already has signed or negotiated bilateral free-trade pacts with nine countries. More>> (More Trade News >>)
U.S.-Peru pact benefits both sides
Date: Monday, July 10, 2006. By Jim Kolbe
The recent passage of the Peru-U.S. Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) in the Peruvian congress is a positive development in U.S. relations with South America.
PTPA is part of a larger U.S. strategy in the region. The idea is to transition to reciprocal trade agreements that benefit both sides and create long-term bilateral trade and investment from one-sided trade-preference programs intended to develop economic alternatives to coca production. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Shortage of citrus pickers looms
Date: Monday, July 10, 2006. By Associated Press
A shortage of workers to pick the fruit is expected to leave millions of boxes of oranges unharvested, industry executives have predicted.
Industry officials say labor supply was tight from the beginning of the season in October but grew worse by the middle of May when a large segment of the Hispanic labor force seemed to leave the state. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Florida grapefruits are still exportable
Date: Thursday, July 6, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Officials with the European Union said they have no plans to ban Florida citrus shipments and will continue to accept fruit from groves certified free of citrus canker.
Californians won't be able to purchase Indian River grapefruit in their supermarkets this coming season, but consumers in Florida's biggest fresh citrus markets -- including Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands and France -- will be slicing the fruit as usual. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Guatemala joins trade agreement
Date: Saturday, July 1, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
The Guatemalan congress passed legislation implementing CAFTA Wednesday after months of delay. President Bush signed the proclamation sealing the deal Friday.
Guatemala is the latest country to join the U.S.Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA. El Salvador implemented the agreement in March and Honduras and Nicaragua in April after receiving the green light from Washington. Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic have yet to join. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Trade talks off to shaky start
Date: Friday, June 30, 2006. By Jane Wardell, Associated Press
Members of the World Trade Organization met to negotiate a long-delayed global trade treaty but were split over issues.
The world's most powerful trading nations gathering Thursday to hammer out a long-delayed global trade treaty spent most of the first day finger-pointing -- leaving little apparent hope of a breakthrough when official talks begin today. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Citrus nurseries lament shortfall in compensation
Date: Monday, June 19, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Citrus nurseries argue they will not be able to stay afloat with the current compensation offered to them for canker eradication.
The $100 million citrus canker compensation funding is the first to include nursery growers and will bring the total compensation for Florida's citrus industry to $536 million. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
CAFTA threatens small farmers
Date: Sunday, June 18, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
Guatemala's government says CAFTA is the only way to gain access to bigger markets; critics say it threatens both livelihoods and traditional ways of life.
While Guatemala boasts the largest economy in Central America with a gross domestic product of $34 billion, this country of 12.4 million people also confronts overwhelming poverty, rampant drug trafficking and gang violence. More>> (More Trade News >>)
A passion for fruit
Date: Sunday, June 18, 2006. By Stephanie Rodriguez, The Miami Herald
Tropical fruits were the big draw at the tropical ag fiesta.
Organizers said the fiesta is designed to showcase agricultural produce harvested in summer's peak season. It also featured plant sales, gardening tips, lectures, grafting demonstrations, food booths, park tours and children's activities. More>> (More Other News >>)
Andean nations reach consensus on U.S. trade
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2006. By Gonzalo Solano, Associated Press
Andean bloc presidents agreed to chart a new course without Venezuela and urged the United States to extend trade preferences.
Bolivia's Evo Morales, Ecuador's Alfredo Palacio, Colombia's Alvaro Uribe and Peru's Alejandro Toledo signed an accord pledging to respect the rights of individual nations in the bloc to negotiate free-trade agreements with the United States. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Bill easing Cuba sales rule OK'd
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, The Miami Herald
The U.S. House approved an amendment to ease restrictions on Cuban payments for U.S. agricultural exports, but rejected two others that would have ended the trade embargo or eased student travel to the island.
Supporters of the embargo say the votes show Congress now firmly rejects easing most trade and travel sanctions on Cuba. Until 2004, many amendments seeking to overturn family travel restrictions passed on the floor and were taken out only after Bush threatened to veto. More>> (More Trade News >>)
South Florida awaits change in Cuba
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
While waiting for Fidel Castro to fall, the Miami business community has developed an analysis of the trade advantages South Florida will have and the potential competition it will face.
Cuba's future may not be predictable, but the South Florida business community now has a much clearer picture of the island economy and the challenges ahead than it did when the Soviet bloc first began to unravel and undermine the Cuban economy. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Peru's next leader vows to support free trade
Date: Sunday, June 11, 2006. By Andres Oppenheimer, The Miami Herald
President-elect Alan García denied media reports that he would demand a renegotiation of Peru's recently signed free-trade agreement with the United States.
The free-trade agreement, as signed, allows for any of its parties to ask for a renegotiation a few years down the road, but that would only happen ''post-free-trade agreement,'' if Peru felt in the future that the deal does it more harm than good, he said. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Ecuador takes a risk in its dealings with U.S.
Date: Thursday, June 8, 2006. By Andres Oppenheimer, The Miami Herald
Ecuador's relations with Washington have nose-dived in recent weeks, and Chávez -- not surprisingly -- has come to the rescue.
Ecuador's crisis with the United States, by far its largest trade partner, started earlier this year when Palacio's government -- facing financial difficulties and massive protests from leftist groups -- sponsored a law demanding that foreign oil companies leave a larger share of their profits in this country. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Gov. Bush calls citrus shipping ban 'overkill'
Date: Thursday, June 8, 2006. By David Royse, Associated Press
Gov. Jeb Bush said a federal ban on shipping Florida citrus to other citrus-producing states goes too far. He said the state will appeal the decision.
The agency issued an interim rule that prevents Florida fruit from being shipped to 11 states and territories: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Northern Mariana Island, Puerto Rico, Texas and the Virgin Islands. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Canker blocks citrus shipments
Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2006. By Phil Long, The Miami Herald
Fearing the spread of canker, the USDA is banning the shipment of fresh Florida citrus to other citrus-producing states.
This is what citrus growers feared when canker spread out of South Florida due to hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. The storms blew the bacterial disease into the heart of the orange- and grapefruit-growing regions of Central Florida. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Ethanol fuels hope for Caribbean sugar
Date: Friday, June 2, 2006. By Jonathan M. Katz, Associated Press
The struggling Caribbean sugar industry stands to benefit from a worldwide increase in the consumption of ethanol.
Markets for ethanol are growing due to the insatiable demand for fuel and increasing demand for alternative energy sources. But Caribbean sugar is particularly attractive because of the region's preferential trade access to the U.S. market. More>> (More Other News >>)
Creating fuel from oranges
Date: Thursday, June 1, 2006. By William R. Levesque, St. Petersburg Times
Scientists are researching how profitable and technologically feasible it is to extract ethanol from orange peels.
Bill Widmer, a chemist at the USDA Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory in Winter Haven, said the citrus industry could produce up to 55 million gallons of ethanol annually based on current citrus production figures. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Proposed taxes may help national citrus ad campaign
Date: Thursday, May 18, 2006. By Travis Reed, Associated Press
Higher per-box taxes for Florida's citrus have been proposed help fund an extensive national ad campaign touting the benefits of orange and grapefruit juice.
The per-box tax on processed orange juice would increase from 18.5 cents to 25 cents, with fresh grapefruit going from 25 cents to 40 cents and processed grapefruit jumping from 24 cents to 40 cents. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Florida well placed to lead drive for ethanol
Date: Monday, May 15, 2006. By Jeb Bush
Increasing ethanol use can benefit our environment, strengthen national security and fuel the economic engine of free trade.
Given the importance of energy to our long-term economic strength, the United States should establish a plan to pump 15 billion gallons of ethanol into the marketplace by 2015. More>> (More Other News >>)
Threat of statewide citrus quarantine
Date: Sunday, May 14, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Since the state's canker eradication program ended in January, a huge demand for fruit-bearing trees has created shortages throughout Florida.
It's a phenomenon that's occurring all over the citrus zone as people begin to replant the once banned trees. When the quarantine was lifted in February, allowing the planting of citrus everywhere in the state, pent-up demand was unleashed. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Bolivia rift overshadows summit
Date: Saturday, May 13, 2006. By Constant Brand, Associated Press
European Union nations, meeting with nations from Latin America and the Caribbean, criticized Bolivia for its nationalistic policies and urged it to keep its markets open.
EU leaders warned Bolivia and Venezuela, which recently announced plans for a new tax on foreign oil firms that their increasingly nationalist policies could clip economic growth and urged them to open up their markets to promote trade. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Trade group promotes ties
Date: Thursday, May 11, 2006. By Laura Wides-Munoz, Associated Press
The Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce's Expo Venezuela in Miami Beach highlights the booming trade relationship between the United States and Venezuela.
Venezuela was the 13th-largest U.S. trading partner. The United States had a $27.56 billion trade deficit with Venezuela. Nearly 90 percent of the gap came from the petroleum-related industries, as Venezuela supplied 12 percent of U.S. crude oil imports last year. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Farms look to grow tourism trade
Date: Sunday, May 7, 2006. By Associated Press
With the potential to earn extra money from tourists and school tours, farmers and leaders, are calling on farms to catch the rising tide of agritourism.
Washington Farms in Oconee County first began as a "pick your own" strawberry farm. But it's since grown to include pick-your-own pumpkins, a petting zoo, hay rides and a corn maze. Thousands of children and adults visit annually to pick their own fruit, get lost in the maze or visit the farm's petting zoo. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Uruguay moving to free-trade talks
Date: Friday, May 5, 2006. By Pablo Bachelet, The Miami Herald
As divisions deepen in Latin America, Uruguay's leftist president finds ground for agreement with President Bush.
Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez, often cited as an example of Latin America's leftward shift, and President Bush agreed Thursday to deeper ties and talks that could lead to a free-trade pact with Washington. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Nurseries scramble for plants as demand for citrus trees soars
Date: Monday, May 1, 2006. By Susan Salisbury, The Palm Beach Post
Since the state's canker eradication program ended in January, a huge demand for fruit-bearing trees has created shortages throughout Florida.
It's a phenomenon that's occurring all over the citrus zone as people begin to replant the once banned trees. When the quarantine was lifted in February, allowing the planting of citrus everywhere in the state, pent-up demand was unleashed. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
South America's union dream is falling apart
Date: Thursday, April 27, 2006. By Andres Oppenheimer, The Miami Herald
Less than two years after South American presidents signed a solemn declaration proclaiming the birth of a 10-country Community of South America, the region is more divided than ever.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's surprise decision to quit the Community of Andean Nations last week has triggered one of the fiercest barrages of mutual accusations ever among South American leaders. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Chávez abandons Andean trade bloc
Date: Monday, April 24, 2006. By Patricia Rondon Espin, Associated Press
As Venezuela moves to become a full member of Mercosur, President Hugo Chávez backed out of the Andean Community, whose member countries have welcomed free trade.
Industries opposing the free-trade deal are a small sector of the business community, but a very vocal and Venezuela can't compete against ''subsidized products'' from the United States, said Chávez, who accused Colombia and Peru of killing the trade bloc by signing free-trade pacts with Washington. More>> (More Trade News >>)
The Runaway Trade Giant
Date: Monday, April 24, 2006. By BusinessWeek
Piracy, currency valuation, industry subsidies. As its impact on the U.S. economy expands, China is also growing less vulnerable to American pressure on key issues.
The U.S. has been just as stymied in its efforts to force a revaluation of the yuan. American manufacturers claim the yuan is undervalued by as much as 40%, giving mainland exports a huge price edge. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Defending a way of life
Date: Saturday, April 22, 2006. By Tere Figueras Negrete and Matthew Haggman, The Miami Herald
As more homes and businesses go up, farmers fight to hold on to their heritage.
Encroaching suburban development is the latest foe that farmers have had to battle. Mostly, they've dealt with the weather and fluctuating markets. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
China's Washington Gambit
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2006. By David Cohen, BusinessWeek
Hu Jintao will try to smooth over differences on his U.S. trip, but Beijing will continue to set its own pace for currency flexibility.
Hu isn't expected to deviate from Beijing's often-repeated intention to move toward gradually increasing currency flexibility, but without another revaluation of the 2.1% magnitude announced last July. U.S. legislators and industry groups have stepped up political pressure for greater appreciation as a way to narrow the record $202 billion bilateral trade gap posted in 2005. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Bush, Hu pledge cooperation, don't get far
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2006. By Jennifer Loven, Associated Press
President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged cooperation in reining in the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea and resolving troubling trade disputes of their own.
The discussions touched on American concerns about Beijing's human rights record and the global energy impact of the communist giant's rapidly expanding economy, as well as China's sensitivity over the status of Taiwan. More>> (More Trade News >>)
China's president meets U.S. business leaders
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2006. By Elizabeth M. Gillespie, Associated Press
Chinese President Hu Jintao tried to soothe trade tensions with the United States as he met with the leaders of Boeing and Microsoft.
Chinese President Hu Jintao called Wednesday for fewer trade barriers and closer ties between his country and the United States, while defending China's heavily criticized policies on trade, currency and energy. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Last residential developer pulls out before UDB vote
Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2006. By Tere Figueras Negrete and Matthew Haggman, The Miami Herald
On the day before Miami-Dade county commissioners begin deciding whether to open more land for development, another in a series of proposals was withdrawn.
Another developer has pulled out of the fight to open hundreds of acres of land to intensive development -- less than 24 hours before the Miami-Dade County Commission begins its final hearings on the proposed expansion today. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Chinese president to face big issues in U.S.
Date: Sunday, April 16, 2006. By Kebin G. Hall, The Miami Herald
When China's president makes his first state visit to Washington this week, public attention will be focused mostly on economic disputes.
Congress is threatening to impose import tariffs, the Treasury Department is considering branding China a currency manipulator, and the U.S. trade representative just filed a complaint accusing China of distorting global trade in auto parts. More>> (More Trade News >>)
China: Our goal is economic
Date: Saturday, April 15, 2006. By Tim Johnson, Knight Ridder News
Despite strengthening trade ties, China said it had no plans to expand its influence in Latin America.
China's trade with Latin America has more than doubled to about $50 billion a year since 2000, still a small fraction of U.S. annual trade of about $800 billion with the region. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Sales of U.S. food up 20%
Date: Friday, April 14, 2006. By Frances Robles, The Miami Herald
Cuba spent $172 million on U.S. food imports so far this year, a spike in sales over last year, the island's top agriculture import.
Cuba bought mostly wheat, corn, rice and chicken, despite a rule enacted last year by the Bush administration that requires Havana to pay cash for American products before the goods leave U.S. ports, instead of when they arrive in Cuban ports. More>> (More Other News >>)
U.S., China discuss piracy, beef ban
Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2006. By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press
Efforts to address trade disparities set the stage for a productive visit to the Unites States by Chinese President Hu Jintao next week.
China has agreed to crack down on copyright piracy of American computer programs and lift a ban on beef from the United States as part of an effort to reduce a record $202 billion trade gap. More>> (More Trade News >>)
U.S., Peru to sign agreement
Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2006. By Mark Drajem and Alex Emery, Bloomberg News
The stalled U.S.-Peruvian trade agreement will be signed at a ceremony today despite new uncertainty over political support for the deal in Peru.
Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, who favors free trade, is required by law to step down as president in July, and the two candidates vying to replace him oppose the trade accord. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Summer drought threat concerns Southeast climatologists
Date: Tuesday, April 11, 2006. By Elliott Minor, Associated Press
The Southeast normally gets most of its rainfall in the fall and winter to recharge lakes and rivers and groundwater supplies, but that didn't happen and the dry conditions have continued into the spring.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, an online report prepared by several federal agencies, shows normal moisture levels for most of Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama. But it classifies Florida, South Carolina, most of Georgia and smaller portions of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as unusually dry. More>> (More Other News >>)
Alfalfa Sprouts, Aisle 78
Date: Monday, April 10, 2006. By Pallavi Gogoi, BusinessWeek
Wal-Mart's move into organic foods has small farmers and the health-conscious bristling.
It's easy to see why the big boys are salivating over the organic market. It has grown 20% annually for five years, compared with 3% to 4% for the industry as a whole. And it's highly profitable. More>> (More Other News >>)
Organics are no Longer a Niche
Date: Friday, April 7, 2006. By Vivian Manning-Schaffel, BusinessWeek
More and more Americans are choosing organic and natural foods, even if they have to spend more. Organic brands are happy to supply them.
People are concerned about their health, and more and more consumers are turning to food as a way to manage health and wellness, which has led to the increased growth of organic and natural foods. More>> (More Other News >>)
Pensacola conference touts Central American trade
Date: Thursday, April 6, 2006. By Melissa Nelson, Associated Press
Years of democratic reforms and the recently signed Central American Free Trade Agreement are luring U.S. investors to Central America.
The deal is designed to eliminate trade barriers among the participating countries and is part of the Bush administration's push to strike free trade deals with nations around the world as a way of boosting American exports. More>> (More Trade News >>)
3-way summit ends without breakthrough
Date: Saturday, April 1, 2006. By William Douglas, Knight Ridder News
President Bush and the leaders of Mexico and Canada failed to make concrete progress on immigration and trade at a two-day summit in Mexico.
Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper politely disagreed over an immigration issue that's gotten little attention: a U.S. law that will go into effect in January 2008 requiring people entering the United States through Mexico and Canada to carry passports or similar secure documents. More>> (More Other News >>)
Illinois farmers expect to plant less corn, more soybeans
Date: Friday, March 31, 2006. By Jim Suhr, Associated Press
Illinois corn growers expect to plant 700,000 fewer acres this year - the largest acreage decrease of any of the nation's top corn-producing states as farmers apparently shift toward more soybeans.
Various factors might explain a shift toward soybeans, including increases in nitrogen fertilizer costs and fuel - offshoots of high energy prices - that has helped make corn less competitive than soybeans, at least for now. More>> (More Other News >>)
U.S. calls for better market policies
Date: Tuesday, March 28, 2006. By Alexa Olesen, Associated Press
During an official visit, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez called on China to settle currency disputes and open its markets, ahead of a Senate vote that could impose sanctions.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez on Monday called on China to open its markets to foreign goods and settle currency disputes, warning it could face protectionist sentiment in the United States if its record trade surplus keeps growing. More>> (More Other News >>)
Scientists scramble to find alternatives to banned pesticide
Date: Saturday, March 25, 2006. By Elliott Minor, Associated Press
Although officially prohibited, methyl bromide is still used as a pesticide on a limited basis for some crops.
University of Georgia scientists are part of an international effort to find an earth-friendly replacement for methyl bromide, a lethal farm fumigant that was supposed to be banned in the United States and 32 other industrialized nations last year after it was found to damage the ozone layer. More>> (More Other News >>)
'Rent-a-cow' racket still alive and well
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2006. By The Miami Herald
Developers and land speculators take advantage the law's flaws in order to get six-figure tax reductions.
The goal of the Greenbelt law is to help farmers stay in business by reducing their property taxes. Fair enough, but the law is written loosely enough to allow plenty of abuse. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Climate changes threaten agriculture
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2006. By Eliana Raszewski, Bloomberg News
Odd weather patterns and natural phenomena have Argentine officials worried about global warming.
The Argentina coast guard was astonished to find icebergs floating along the Atlantic coast. For scientists, the icebergs' migration underscored how global warming is disrupting weather patterns and threatening agriculture. More>> (More Other News >>)
Kids learn farming's purpose for Ag Literacy Day
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2006. By David Goodhue, The Miami Herald
A Redland tree farmer read books to young students and urged them to keep the area's farming tradition alive as part of annual Ag Literacy Day.
Talking about hemispheric free trade or encroaching development might not mean a whole lot to the youngsters at Kingswood Montessori. But this, they comprehend: ''Pretty soon, most of our squash, beans and tomatoes could come from Costa Rica, Mexico or wherever.'' More>> (More Other News >>)
Audit of failed program to cut citrus canker sought
Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2006. By Phil Long, The Miami Herald
A candidate for state agriculture commissioner and a consumer action group want the Legislature to audit the failed citrus canker eradication program.
Over 10 years, the state and USDA spent more than $500 million on the program, plus $436 million in federal reimbursement to commercial growers who lost trees. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
South Florida two-way trade increases nearly 12%
Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
Big ticket items and the rising price of imported fuel helped lift South Florida's two-way trade to almost $66 billion in 2005.
According to WorldCity, Brazil and Venezuela held the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in terms of two-way shipments, including almost $9 billion in two-way trade for Brazil and $4.3 billion for Venezuela. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Coalition seeks to protect rights of tomato workers
Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2006. By Laura Wides-Munos, Associated Press
The Alliance for Fair Food will be created to get retail food corporations to buy from sellers that ensure laborers' wages and employment rights.
Farmworkers picking tomatoes from most of Florida suppliers earn about 40 cents to 45 cents for every 32 pound bucket, nearly the same amount they earned 30 years ago. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Let the citrus-planting begin
Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2006. By Phil Long, The Miami Herald
If you can find citrus trees from a nursery and want to risk planting, your wait is over.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson lifted the ban Tuesday on replanting citrus trees, which were chain-sawed in the controversial canker eradication program. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Next Florida FTAA leader named
Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
A Latin American specialist will head the Florida FTAA, as its president, Jorge L. Arrizurieta, departs for consulting work at the law firm of Akerman Senterfitt.
The change in leadership at Florida FTAA comes as efforts have stalled to forge a hemispheric trade pact, known as the Free Trade Area of the Americas. FTAA negotiators have not met since February 2004 and missed their January 2005 deadline to complete negotiations. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Reform efforts target farm 'greenbelt' law
Date: Sunday, March 5, 2006. By Beth Reinhard, The Miami Herald
Efforts to strengthen a farmland preservation law face resistance from the agricultural industry, which says changes to the 1959 'greenbelt' law could hurt struggling farmers.
The law was intended to help farmers stay in business by reducing their property taxes. But many developers keep cows or crops on their land in order to win the same tax benefits. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Free-trade agenda has risen, is 'up and walking'
Date: Sunday, March 5, 2006. By Andres Oppenheimer, The Miami Herald
Last week's completion of U.S. free trade talks with Colombia -- and the likely signing of similar deals with Ecuador and Panama in coming weeks.
Four months after the disastrous 34-country Summit of the Americas last November in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in which Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez made big headlines by proclaiming that the U.S.-backed free-trade plan would be ''buried for good'' at the meeting, U.S. officials are boasting that the free-trade agenda is enjoying new momentum. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Wine flowing after storm delays
Date: Sunday, March 5, 2006. By David Goodhue, The Miami Herald
The Schnebly Winery is rebounding after enduring a long hurricane season and even longer delays getting county permits.
The storm damage was yet another hurdle for a business already facing permitting and legal delays that kept the couple from selling about 2,500 gallons of tropical fruit wine they had made over the last two years. More>> (More Other News >>)
Pesticides are in most U.S. waters
Date: Saturday, March 4, 2006. By Associated Press
Pesticides were found throughout the nation's rivers and streams, government scientists said.
Though the pesticides were less common in ground water, the U.S. Geological Survey's study of data between 1992 and 2001 found them present in both urban and agricultural areas at concentrations that could affect aquatic life or fish-eating wildlife. More>> (More Other News >>)
Fewer bees, high pollination fees hurt farmers, crops
Date: Saturday, March 4, 2006. By Linda A. Johnson, Associated Press
The number of honeybees and managed beehives is down so much that production of pollinated plants has fallen by about a third in the last two years.
For farmers dependent on pollination, the current shortage means they must pay higher bee fees that they generally can't recoup or risk a big drop in crop production. More>> (More Other News >>)
Fox says U.S. will need Mexican labor by 2010
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2006. By Kevin G. Hall, Knight Ridder News Service
Mexican President Vicente Fox predicted that border tensions with the U.S. will ease because the retirements of baby boomers will create a demand for workers.
Mexican President Vicente Fox leaned forward and pointed a finger to make this point: In a few years, he said, the United States may be begging Mexico for the very workers it's now proposing to keep out by building a wall along the border. More>> (More Other News >>)
Colombian tycoons wage a battle against free trade
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2006. By Andres Oppenheimer, The Miami Herald
The most powerful opposition to U.S.-Latin American free-trade agreements does not come from radical leftist workers and students, but from potentially damaged business tycoons.
Industries opposing the free-trade deal are a small sector of the business community, but a very vocal and politically connected one. Even excluding coffee, Colombia's biggest agricultural export, the chicken industry represents less than 9 percent of Colombia's agricultural output, while rice represents only 5 percent and corn 1.7 percent. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Negotiations completed in trade, investment pact
Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
The United States adds Colombia to the list of Andean countries that have finished negotiations for a trade and investment treaty with the United States.
Florida's trade with Colombia was $3.9 billion in 2004, the latest yearly statistic available from Enterprise Florida. Colombia shipped about $400 million of cut flowers to the United States last year, most of them through Miami International Airport. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Let Florida have its own CDC
Date: Sunday, February 26, 2006. By Bernie Machen, The University of Florida
Yet the state soon to become the third largest in the country has no centralized research and response capability.
The good news is, federal and state officials have established effective control programs for many species introduced on our shores. The bad news is, we are not nearly as well prepared to deal with a more ominous threat already leaving its mark on the Sunshine State. This is the threat of new and emerging diseases. More>> (More Other News >>)
Developers, farmers facing off for land
Date: Sunday, February 26, 2006. By Jennifer Monney Piedra, The Miami Herald
Valuable farmland is at the center of a battle between developers, who want to build massive residential communities, and environmentalists and farmers, who want to maintain the agricultural feel of the region.
With development exploding in South Miami-Dade, members of the agricultural community are routinely faced with similar decisions. Some farmers are saying goodbye to the business they love to cash in on their land, while others are staying loyal to their industry -- a billion-dollar sector second only to tourism as the county's top money generator. More>> (More Farmers News >>)
Food exports to cuba dipped by 11 percent in 2005
Date: Saturday, February 25, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
U.S. agribusiness exported $350 million, down from $392 million the year before.
The cause of the decline was in dispute. The Cuban government blamed the Bush administration for increased red tape in obtaining export licenses. Others said the government of President Fidel Castro had turned to other friendlier sources, including China and Venezuela, for food shipments. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Free trade to begin in March
Date: Saturday, February 25, 2006. By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press
A free-trade agreement with El Salvador will take effect on March 1 initially leaving behind five other Latin American nations.
It had been expected that the agreement would take effect Jan. 1, but it has run into obstacles as different countries have had trouble passing legislation needed to implement CAFTA commitments. More>> (More Trade News >>)
State about to lift ban on backyard citrus trees
Date: Friday, February 24, 2006. By Noah Bierman, Dan Christensen, and Phil Long, The Miami Herald
State officials are expected to announce that residents can replant citrus trees, now that the federal government has abandoned eradication efforts.
Agriculture officials, who this week lifted the ban on replanting commercial citrus in groves bulldozed during the eradication program, are likely to do the same for residential citrus. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Free trade has turned into a failure
Date: Friday, February 17, 2006. By Patrick J. Buchanan, Creators Syndicate
Last year, the United States ran a $202 billion trade deficit with China, the largest ever between two nations.
Now that the U.S. trade deficit for 2005 has come in at $726 billion, the fourth straight all-time record, a question arises. What constitutes failure for a free-trade policy? Or is there no such thing? Is free trade simply right no matter the results? More>> (More Trade News >>)
Citrus growers feel the squeeze
Date: Friday, February 17, 2006. By Georgia Tasker, The Miami Herald
Many growers -- squeezed by an expanding list of diseases and the unremitting march of development and foreign competition -- are wondering whether they can continue growing citrus in Florida. And, if so, at what cost?
For 50 years, Scott Hurley's family has produced oranges and grapefruit in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. But citrus canker and a nastier disease called citrus greening, as well as hurricanes and real estate development, have Hurley wondering about the future. More>> (More Commodity News >>)
Panel divided over trade pact
Date: Friday, February 17, 2006. By Jane Bussey, The Miami Herald
A discussion of U.S.-Latin American relations got sidetracked from 'who lost Latin America' to a debate over who lost the Free Trade Areas of the Americas.
U.S. policy in Latin America -- or the lack of it -- has topped the Miami conference circuit this year. More>> (More Trade News >>)
Know who makes the decisions that shape your area
Date: Thursday, February 15, 2006. By Katie A. Edwards, The Miami Herald
If you want a lesson in the ''not in my backyard'' politics, all you have to do is attend a community council meeting.
Community cou