The following article from the Canadian Pork Council appeared at Ellinghuysen.com here. GENEVA, SWITZERLAND-(Marketwire - Dec. 2, 2010) - The WTO Dispute Settlement Panel examining Canadian and Mexican complaints against U.S. Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) requirements as they affect exports of hogs and cattle wrapped up its second series…

Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will be the next ag committee chair in the Senate. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) was the former Senate Ag Committee chair.  She was defeated in the November elections.  Her approach was not good for family farmers and ranchers because Tyson is such a dominant ag force in the…

Since energy is a big part of our trade deficit, from 30-50% depending upon the year (approximately), it is a subject worth considering on the trade reform blog.  The energy issue is really hard to get consensus on, especially with the hot button issue of climate change in the middle…

The following blog post by Timothy A. Wise appeared at Triple Crisis here. One version of an old joke features a shipwrecked economist on a deserted island who, when asked by his fellow survivors what expertise he can offer on how they can be rescued, replies, “Assume we have a…

The following article by Andrew Ross Sorkin appeared in The New York Times here. Are the Chinese coming? That’s the important question now being asked in Saskatchewan, a prairie province in Canada. It is also the question of the moment on Wall Street. Saskatchewan is home base for the Potash…

Last week, we saw some business groups controlled by multi-national organizations release a letter opposing any effective remedy on currency.  Some food and agriculture related groups were on that letter… those controlled by multinational agribusinesses. Also, Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Lynn Jenkins (R-KY) testified before the Ways & Means Committee…

The NY Times reports today that ag exports are up.  What does this mean in terms of trade? First, we don’t know about “net exports”, which are the key measurement rather than just “exports.”  We need to know the import side as well to get full information on the “net.”…

The following two articles appeared in ellinghuysen.com via BNO News/WireUpdate Local and Associated Press/Google  on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010.  Click on this link to see the articles on the ellinghuysen site. Chinese national charged for stealing trade secrets from agricultural company in Indianapolis INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (BNO NEWS) – A Chinese…

R-CALF USA is working to sign up farmers and ranchers to attend the USDA/Dept. of Justice workshop on agricultural competition.  It will be in Fort Collins, CO on 8/27.  The registration page is here. R-CALF is a CPA member and represents U.S. cattle producers. ****** R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America…

Ag Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) held a hearing on U.S. ag trade.  Ron Kirk (USTR) spoke.  And a bunch of industry groups that want the pending free trade agreements to pass.  Lincoln stacked the deck, with the help of Ranking Republican Saxby Chambliss (R-GA).  They are trying to reclaim the…