(PortMetroVancouver.com)

Pacific trade pact nations meet to discuss future without U.S.

Ottawa | Reuters — Negotiators from the remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) gathered in Canada on Tuesday seeking ways to boost free trade in the region after the U.S. pulled out of the 12-nation pact. The withdrawal killed off years of negotiations and left the region looking for ways to deepen economic ties […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Japan feedmakers to tap corn stocks after U.S. supply disruption

Tokyo | Reuters — Japan’s feedmakers are expected to tap the country’s emergency stockpiles of corn as inventories decline to critically low levels due to a delay in shipments from the U.S. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries plans to approve the measure after heavy storms in the northwestern U.S. caused lengthy delays to […] Read more

BNSF crews clear track near Lemmon, S.D., about 300 km northeast of Rapid City, in late December 2016. (BNSF.com)

Snow, avalanches, rain delay grain movement to U.S. ports

Chicago | Reuters — Severe winter weather has slowed rail deliveries of crops to shippers in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, sending freight rates soaring and prompting Asian buyers to seek fill-in loads as they wait for the backlog at ports to clear. Blizzards, avalanches and heavy rain in recent weeks have hit transport of corn, […] Read more

(ManitobaPork.com)

Pork packer HyLife to enter expansion mode

Manitoba hog slaughter and pork processing firm HyLife says it’s setting itself up for major expansions of its hog finishing and pork processing capacities. The company on Friday said “steady growth in demand” for its pork products overseas calls for an investment of up to $125 million in its integrated pork operations, to start “as […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

B.C. greenhouse peppers cleared for Japan

Canada and Japan have agreed on import conditions by which British Columbia’s produce growers will be able to ship greenhouse peppers to Japan. The agreement, effective immediately, means the province’s growers “could be looking at up to $20 million worth of pepper exports a year to Japan once the agreement is fully implemented,” B.C. Agriculture […] Read more


(Keith Weller photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

TPP study sees net ‘neutral’ effect on dairy sector

An economic impact study on Canada’s participation in a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal finds losses in Canada’s dairy sector would be “offset” by gains for dairy processors from cheaper dairy imports. The study, prepared for the federal government by its Office of the Chief Economist and released Friday, notes Canada has offered expanded access […] Read more

(Jack Dykinga photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Korea reports no GMO in U.S. wheat imports

Seoul | Reuters — South Korea has not detected any genetically modified wheat in tests on imports of wheat and flour from Washington state, after the discovery of unapproved GM wheat in the U.S. state prompted Japan and South Korea to suspend certain U.S. imports. South Korea, the fifth largest market for U.S. wheat, had […] Read more

(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Japan, Korea block certain U.S. wheat varieties

Chicago | Reuters — Japan and South Korea have both taken steps to block certain imports of U.S. wheat after unapproved genetically-modified (GMO) plants from Monsanto seeds were found growing in Washington state, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Monday. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said it will […] Read more


(PortSeattle.org)

Japan, White House rule out re-opening TPP pact

Reuters — Japan and the Obama administration on Tuesday rejected calls from some U.S. lawmakers to consider re-opening a Pacific trade deal and said any renegotiation attempt could scupper the whole pact. “Renegotiation is not an option,” Caroline Atkinson, Obama’s deputy national security adviser for international economics, said on a call hosted by the Atlantic […] Read more

(Barry Wilmore photo courtesy NASA)

Global markets: Japan, Germany cut economic forecasts

CNS Canada –– The following is a glance at the news moving markets globally. JAPAN CUTS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, ECONOMIC OUTLOOK – The Japanese government downgraded its assessment of industrial production and identified some areas of weakness in a monthly government report released on Wednesday. The reduced forecast for industrial production is due to weaker demand […] Read more