China should focus on financial compensation for farmers who report new bird flu cases if it wants to stamp out the disease that killed a 19-year-old woman last week, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Jan. 7. OIE director general Bernard Vallat said many farmers hesitate to report bird flu cases for fear
Pay China’s farmers to halt bird flu: OIE
World wheat crop down five per cent in 2009
“If we have a weather problem next year in wheat, we need to remember that we don’t have a cushion to cover ourselves.” – dan basse World wheat production is likely to fall five per cent to 647 million tonnes next season, against a record 682 million tonnes harvested in 2008, due to a drop
Black Sea exports continue to grow
The Black Sea region, with its vast tracts of uncultivated land, is poised to benefit from any rise in grain consumption in developing countries where higher incomes are changing food habits, especially demand for meat. Around 35 million to 40 million hectares of extra land that can be cultivated in Russia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan and
French sheep breeders take flocks to Eiffel Tower
Several hundred French breeders brought sheep to graze near the Eiffel Tower on Nov. 13 to protest what they say is insufficient aid to help revive a sector endangered by surging costs and low selling prices. Sheep farmers say a 250-million-euro (US$312 million) government plan unveiled Nov. 12 to boost falling farm income, including 50
EU farmers unleash grain at loss as markets skid
“When prices take a big hit, it’s better to lose your hand than your whole arm.” – Agritel Aanalyst Michel Portier Many European farmers who had held on to grain in recent months in the hope of a price rebound are ready to sell at a loss as they fear crumbling prices may plunge even
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
