Trump and Xi meet, and other news for week of Apr 10

Cov khoom xov xwm hais txog ag tech, biotech, luam ? thiab saib tsam tej lwm nthuav cov khoom nws txoj sia hais txog ua liaj/teb ? yuav tsum muab lo rau ntawm nplooj ntawv no thoob plaws hauv lub limtiam ntawd (ua haujlwm loj zuj zus newest khoom yuav nyob rau hauv?ntsuab nyob hauv qab ntawm cov khej). ?Be sure to check in regularly.

LUAM, LUAM HAIS TXOG, INFRASTRUCTURE:

China offers concessions to avert trade war with US – Zaug nyiaj txiag (UK) – By Tom Mitchell and Shawn Donnan (Apr 10)

“Xi affords Trump prospect of quick wins on market access in finance and beef” – Txuas

India is losing faith in free-trade agreements – Bloomberg View – By Mihir Sharma (Apr 9)

“China-backed trade pact Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, has discovered a familiar hurdle in the path?Is Nrias teb” – Txuas

Trump tweets: ‘Time will tell’ on trade with China – Politico – By Rebecca Morin (Apr 8)

“It was a great honor to have President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan of China as our guests in the United States. Tremendous…” the president wrote. “…goodwill and friendship was formed, but only time will tell on trade.” – Txuas

Trump considers investigation of international trade partners – Washington Post, Wonkblog – By Damian Paletta (Apr 9)

“… considering?an executive action that would launch?a formal investigation into the way U.S. trading partners?use subsidies and a tactic known as ?dumping? to skew imports and exports…” – Txuas

Labor warns of Trump-style anti-trade backlash building in Australia – Sydney Morning Herald – By Adam Gartrell (Apr 10)

“If you look closely enough you can see the seeds of the same problem taking root here too…” – Txuas

As CETA looms, Canada braces for the European cheese invasion – The Globe and Mail – By Sylvain Charlebois (Apr 9)

“Subsidies aside, many European dairy farms are more competitive than our farms in Canada. Beyond the meagre financial-support programs, a clear road map to make our dairy sector more competitive is urgently needed.’ – Txuas

New trade deal with India could be years away, Malcolm Turnbull says – ABC News (Australia) – By Stephen Dziedzic (Apr 10)

“But negotiations became bogged down last year after that deadline sailed by. Talks have now come to a virtual standstill with Australia turning its attention to a trade deal with Indonesia instead.” – Txuas

“Latin American countries are concerned about the impact Trump’s trade policies will have…” – Txuas

Trump administration moving ahead with ending Jones Act exemptions – Platts (Apr 11)

“The 100-year-old Jones Act requires vessels transporting goods between US ports to be US-flagged, US-built and majority US-owned.” – Txuas

Trade recovery expected in 2017 thiab 2018, amid policy uncertainty – WTO (Apr 12)

“Growth in the volume of world merchandise trade is expected to rebound this year from its tepid performance in 2016, but only if the global economy recovers as expected and governments pursue the right policy mix, WTO economists reported.” – Txuas

AG, AG TECH, NTAU LAWM, KEV PAB TIV THAIV, LWM YAM TEEB MEEM:

PPPs: Planting the seeds of prosperity for Bangladeshi farmers – Devex – By Deb Carstoiu (Mar 30)

“… the Bt eggplant has shown?close to 100 percent effectiveness?in controlling pests. Not only have farmers? incomes risen through increased yields, but the crop requires?far fewer insecticide applications?to reduce pests that threaten it.” – Txuas

Food tech: the future is now, say investors?- Navigator zaub mov – By David Burrows (Apr 7)

“Food prices are rising, corporates are failing to innovate and diets are shifting ? nws?s the perfect recipe for a food tech start-up.” – Txuas

California citrus growers face headwinds in ACP battle – Western Farm Press – By Todd Fitchette (Apr 4)

“For all the California industry?s best efforts to control the psyllid and contain the disease in California, HLB continues to be found in urban neighborhoods east of L.A. While it hasn?t yet been found in commercial groves, that is arguably just a matter of time.” – Txuas

Armyworm wrecks havoc with Kenya?s grain basket – Daily Nation (Apr 9) – Txuas

Inside the little-known Monsanto campus where scientists are changing the way you eat – Business Insider – By Melia Robinson (Apr 10)

“On a sprawling campus in Woodland, California, Monsanto chips away at making a juicier melon, a more shelf-stable onion, a tomato that doesn’t go limp in shipment, and other foods made using?traditional breeding techniques augmented by high-tech tools.” – Txuas

Gene editing opens doors to seedless fruit with no need for bees – New Scientist – By Alice Klein (Apr 11)

“The technique will make it possible to make?a much wider range of seedless fruits than is currently available…” – Txuas

TXOJ CAI, NTXAWG, ACTIVISM, LWM YAM:

California?s Wasted Winter Rains – Phab ntsa Street Journal – Review & Outlook (Apr 5)

“The drought is over but the greens keep sending the water out to sea.” – Txuas

*For background?- see op-ed by GFN board member Ted Sheely, California Farmers Invest Water to Feed People

*Ceeb toom – see Apr 11 News Release: ?Reclamation Releases 100 Percent Water Supply Allocation for Central Valley Project Contractors South-of-Delta?

Glyphosate to join Proposition 65 list?- Food Navigator USA – By Elaine Watson?(Apr 10)

“The herbicide glyphosate is to be added to the list of chemicals known to cause cancer under California’s Proposition 65 legislation, which means companies producing products containing residues of the popular herbicide may in future have to feature warning labels.” – Txuas

*Ceeb toom – see Well-Intentioned CA Prop 65 is Getting Out-Of-Hand

GMOs: Senegal supports adoption of agric biotech – EnviroNews Nigeria (30 Mar)

“President Macky Sall of Senegal has thrown his weight behind the adoption of agricultural biotechnology in the country.” – Txuas

Give GMOs a break, alcohol is a group 1 carcinogen – The Star (Kenya) – By David Makumi (Apr 7)

“Every time the Health ministry weighs in on the debate on genetically modified organisms, it is almost always to effect a ban. From the recent move to stop field trials, to maintaining the earlier ban that was informed by a now discredited French study, the ministry is overly sensitive to all matters GMOs.” – Txuas

Health risk from pesticide residues is low, says EFSA?- Food Navigator -By Niamh Michail?(Apr 12)

“The health risk from pesticide residues in food is low, according to a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)…” – Txuas