TRADE:
Obama and Castro agree US trade embargo must end in Cuba – BBC News (21 Mar)
Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35867590
Cuba’s Cold Shoulder – Bloomberg Businessweek – By Patrick Symmes (17 Mar)
Despite U.S. overtures, the island’s entrenched socialists remain intransigent about trade.
Surprise: Americans Kind Of Like Trade – NPR – By Danielle Kurtzleben (20 Mar)
Americans are feeling pretty positive about foreign trade these days. In addition, most mainstream economists think trade is (on balance) a good thing. But criticizing trade deals remains an effective stump topic..
Link: http://www.npr.org/2016/03/20/470836658/surprise-americans-kind-of-like-trade
Trump and Sanders agree on trade – and Asia is worried – The Strait Times (Singapore) – By Yasmine Yahya (20 Mar)
[M]any Asian economies rely on trade and are eagerly awaiting the ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Link: http://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/trump-and-sanders-agree-on-trade-and-asia-is-worried
Corn farmers will benefit from trade deal – Wisconsin State Journal – By Jim Zimmerman (20 Mar)
As a corn farmer here in Fond du Lac County, I want to set the record straight about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and what it would mean for farmers like me, as well as rural communities, businesses and consumers throughout our state.
Anti-trade rhetoric rooted in myths – Asbury Park Press – By Robert Samuelson (20 Mar)
If only we could bottle American trade hypocrisy – The Globe & Mail (Canada) – By Konrad Yakabuski (17 Mar)
Canadians are all too familiar with the time-tested ritual of U.S. politicians trash-talking trade deals during presidential election years only to embrace said deals once in office.
Indonesia-Australia trade deal expected in 18 months after long wait – Food Navigator Asia – By RJ Whitehead (17 Mar)
After almost four years of stalled talks, it appears that a trade agreement between Indonesia and Australia might be nearing its conclusion.
BIOTECH, CROPS, LABELS, etc:
Warning Libels – The Weekly Standard – By Blake Hurst (28 Mar edition)
Giving GMO foods a bad–and costly–rap.
Link: http://www.weeklystandard.com/warning-libels/article/2001633
How gene editing will help solve the world’s looming food crisis – The Week – By Alexis Boncy (17 Mar)
A global food crisis is looming. And the best place to address it could be in a scientist’s lab.
Link: http://theweek.com/articles/609946/how-gene-editing-help-solve-worlds-looming-food-crisis
Why I Don’t Buy Organic, And Why You Might Not Want To Either – Forbes.com – by Steven Savage (19 Mar)
An ethical problem with the tactics that some organic advocates and marketers employ which seriously misrepresents their “conventional” competition
Bayer Plans to Take on Monsanto in Brazil With GMO Soybean Seeds – Bloomberg – By Gerson Freitas Jr (9 Mar)
Kenyan researchers step up trials for genetically altered crops in bid to fight hunger – Daily Nation (Kenya) – By James Kariuki (14 Mar)
Link: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/GM-crops-key-to-fighting-hunger/-/1056/3116238/-/tmf9nmz/-/index.html
Boulder County panel favors allowing GMO crops, monitoring them closely – Longmont Times-Call (Colorado) – By John Fryar (15 Mar)
Link: http://www.timescall.com/news_region-news/ci_29643963/boulder-county-panel-favors-al
Cheerios maker General Mills to label GMOs in U.S. products – Reuters – By Lisa Baertlein (18 Mar)
General Mills Inc said on Friday it would begin putting labels on U.S. products that contain genetically engineered ingredients, a move it said was forced by a Vermont law that will require food packages in that state to include such information on July 1.
Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-general-mills-gmo-labeling-idUSKCN0WK2H4
Using Genetically Modified Mosquitoes To Fight Zika Is The Right Thing To Do – Forbes.com – By Arthur Caplan (16 Mar)
Safe, proven biotechnology deserves non-stigmatizing national labeling standard – The Hill – By Julie Borlaug (16 Mar)
Louise H. Calderwood: Genetically modified crops — from the farmer’s perspective – VTDigger (15 Mar)