Banana republics cut an EU deal Thursday, January 3, 2013 Last fall, according to The Economist, Latin American countries signed an agreement with the European Union (EU), ending a two-decade-long trade war over restricted imports of bananas. When the EU was formed, it had given preferential treatment to producers of bananas in Africa, the Pacific and even the Caribbean, whilst imposing quotas and tariffs on fruit from 11 Latin American countries. The Latin American countries began to push back 20 years ago and finally succeeded.The EU imports one third of the US$8 billion-worth of bananas exported around the world annually. Ecuador is expected to benefit and it is already Europe's biggest supplier. The Economist described this as the longest running dispute in the history of multi-national trade, a dubious distinction. Haven't Canada and the United States been arguing with the EU over exports of beef raised using implants for at least that long? BF Brazil subsidizes its agriculture January 2013- Natural culling or getting fleeced?
Tom Green bringing celebrities to his Ont. farm Tuesday, May 12, 2026 A Canadian known for his comedic chops in Hollywood is bringing some friends to his Ontario farm. THE TOM GREEN FARM, starring Tom Green, whose movie credits include Road Trip and Charlie’s Angels, begins airing on May 29 on Crave. The backdrop of the show is Green’s 150-acre farm in... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Monday, May 11, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online
When Grain Stops Moving Rail and Port Delays Cost Canada Up to $540 Million Monday, May 11, 2026 A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition has found that just one week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million. The majority of these losses stem from missed export sales that cannot be... Read this article online
Severe May 9 Storm Batters Farms and Rural Infrastructure Across Ontario Monday, May 11, 2026 A fast-moving but powerful storm system swept across large portions of Ontario on Saturday, May 9, 2026, leaving farms and rural communities dealing with damaged infrastructure, delayed fieldwork, and localized crop losses during one of the most important periods of the spring growing... Read this article online
Are we Seeing the Top of the Commodity Markets with Corn Above $5 and Soybeans at $12? Monday, May 11, 2026 Grain markets delivered another volatile yet bullish week as corn climbed above $5 per bushel, soybeans topped $12, wheat traded near $7, and canola approached $750, according to the latest for the week of May 4 to 8, 2026. Experts Farms.com Moe Agostino, chief commodity strategist... Read this article online