President Barack Obama’s pledge to cut subsidies to big U. S. farm businesses falls short of the cuts needed to revive mor ibund world trade talks, proponents of an expanded global trade agreement said Feb. 25. “Anything that would reduce payments to farmers in the U. S. would be looked on favour-ably by the rest
Obama Pledges To Lower Farm Subsidies
Aid Groups Plan Renewed Fight On Hunger
Lost jobs, faltering banks and recession have pushed the issue of world hunger out of U. S. headlines, but U. S. aid groups are set to launch a plan to refocus attention on the issue, former U. S. senator George McGovern said Feb. 23. The plan by aid organizations including Feed the Children, Oxfam America,
Farmers fear no stimulus cash for Mississippi River
The creaky system of locks and dams on the Mississippi River that moves US$300 billion of goods through the inland U. S. each year may not be eligible for much funding from the U. S. stimulus plan, the head of the National Corn Growers Association said Jan. 27. Corn growers and other farm groups had
Rich U. S. farmers cash in
Too many rich farmers continue to receive U. S. farm subsidies in spite of income caps designed to restrict their participation, and the Agriculture Department needs to do more to enforce the rules, the auditing arm of Congress said on Nov. 25. More than 2,700 people whose gross income topped $2.5 million – making many
CWB eyes bigger exports
The Canadian Wheat Board expects to export about 14 per cent more grain in the year ending July 31, 2009, than initially forecast because of a better-than-expected harvest, its chief operating officer said Oct. 22. The global financial crisis has pressured grain prices as funds and other investors bailed out of commodities, but, overall, world
Viterra says undeterred by credit crunch
Viterra, Canada’s largest grain company, has a strong balance sheet and continues plans for growth despite the financial crisis, its chief financial officer said Oct. 6. Viterra raised $441 million earlier this year for acquisitions and renegotiated long-term financing, well ahead of the turmoil now gripping capital markets, Rex McLennan said in an interview. “We
Canada’s farmers nervously eye financial crisis
“I think what started out looking like a great year has suddenly… chilled a little bit.” Canadian farmers, alarmed by plunging commodity prices, are nervous that the global financial crisis could tighten up the credit they count on to tackle the rising cost of planting crops and feeding livestock. There have been few signs of
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
