(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Colombia clears paper trail for more Canadian wheat

“Continuous engagement” has led to a lighter regulatory load on Canadian wheat bound for Colombia, already Canada’s seventh-biggest wheat export market. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and trade group Cereals Canada on Tuesday announced Colombia has eased phytosanitary import rules for Canadian wheat, “effectively putting Canada on a level playing field with other exporting countries.” Colombia’s

Colombia’s coffee sector seen needing complete overhaul

Bogota | Reuters –– Colombia’s coffee sector needs a complete overhaul to recover from a huge loss of global market share, says a government-commissioned report, seen by Reuters, in which the recommendations include deregulation of exports and the introduction of a minimum price. Despite the undisputed quality of its mild arabica coffees, Colombia now supplies


This is a cabbage butterfly caterpillar feeding on an Arabidopsis plant where, on an adjacent leaf, a piece of reflective tape helps record vibrations.

Plants can hear the difference

They respond differently to vibrations caused by 
chewing insects than to wind

University of Missouri-Columbia – Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have found plants can not only tell the difference between the sound waves caused by insects chewing and wind but they respond with more defences. ‘We found that feeding vibrations signal changes in the plant cells’ metabolism, creating more defensive chemicals that can repel attacks

Heavy Rains To Increase Colombia Inflation

Strong rains flooding agricultural land and washing away roads in Colombia will increase inflation but not so much as to change consumer price targets, officials said Dec. 6. Bad weather has affected commodity-producing countries worldwide, from rains stalling the wheat harvest in Australia to dry spells in some of Argentina’s soy-growing areas and oil refinery

Speedy Passage Urged For Colombia Trade Deal

Farm groups are turning their attention to the Senate in hopes of getting legislation approving a free trade deal with Colombia passed. The bill languished in the Commons for months as the NDP and Bloc Quebecois tried to stop its passage over concerns about attacks on trade unionists and reformers in the South American country.


Colombia Free Trade Deal Moves Ahead

With the backing of the Liberals, the Harper government is taking steps to force passage of its free trade deal with Colombia. The government will impose time allocation to bring an end to debate on the proposed trade deal, reached last year. Approval has been delayed by objections from the NDP and Bloc Quebecois, who

Canada Sees Ratifying Colombia Trade Deal

The Canadian government hopes to have Parliament ratify its free trade agreement with Colombia shortly after it resumes sitting on March 3, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Jan. 21. The two countries negotiated the trade deal last spring, but it did not pass through Canada’s Parliament before the Conservative government suspended it last month until

Jordan Trade Pact On Table, Colombia On Deck

Legislation to approve a free trade deal with Jordan was presented to the Commons by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz Nov. 17, with hopes it will get smoother passage than a bill authorizing a trade deal with Colombia. Two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Jordan totalled $92 million in 2008. The deal would eliminate 90 per


Beef Trade With Colombia Restored

Colombia will reopen its doors to Canadian beef and livestock, raising hopes for a breakthrough in Canada’s beef trade with Latin America. Colombia will accept 5,250 tonnes of Canadian beef annually duty free, yielding sales of nearly $6 million a year. Another expected $1 million worth of livestock and genetics sales will make the total