Latest news with #farmingindustry
NHK
01-07-2025
- Business
- NHK
Japan's top trade negotiator vows not to sacrifice farming in Japan-US talks
Japan's top trade negotiator has reiterated his stance that the country will not seek a trade agreement with the United States in which Japan's farming industry is sacrificed. At a news conference on Tuesday, Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa Ryosei was asked about a social media post by US President Donald Trump. The post in question read that Japan "won't take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage." Akazawa said agriculture forms the foundation of the nation. He said it is an extremely important task for the government and the ruling coalition to create an environment where farmers feel secure and can continue their work. He said both Japanese and US teams have continued sincere discussions toward a potential deal, but still remain at odds on some points and are yet to reach an agreement as a package. Akazawa said he hopes to work vigorously toward a deal that is beneficial to both sides, while protecting Japan's interests.
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
As N.S. farmers struggle, report urges steps to help increase stagnant local sales
A farmer works a field in Churchville, N.S., on Monday, May 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan HALIFAX — Nova Scotia farmers who are struggling to break even could benefit from selling more produce in local markets, says a new study released Thursday. The report titled, 'Growing at Home: Nova Scotia local food and agriculture report' was completed by the Ecology Action Centre, the province's largest environmental group, using academic research and data from Statistics Canada. It says the province's farming industry has been losing money between 2017 and 2024. Last year alone, the overall industry deficit was more than $41 million. The study concludes farmers in Nova Scotia are facing some of the biggest deficits in the country -- as their production expenses are often higher than the revenues their crops and livestock bring in. Lead author Vicki Madziak also documented a steep, 29 per cent decline between 2011 and 2021 in the total land used for farming. 'We know that farms across the country are struggling, but this has been a persistent issue for a long time in Nova Scotia,' said Madziak in a telephone interview Thursday. 'We're seeing a lot of concerning trends.' The report says if the province wants a food system that withstands shocks like climate change and economic tariffs, more investment is needed in encouraging local sales of farmers' produce. Using Statistics Canada data, the authors estimated that only 14 per cent of Nova Scotia's food spending went to local farms in 2023. That percentage hadn't increased from figures collected a decade ago. Citing research this year in the journal Food Policy, the study concludes that increasing local sales would allow farmers to increase their profit margins. It also says one bright spot is that Nova Scotia now has more than 40 farmers markets, the highest number per capita in Canada. Madziak concluded that while the province has started some buy-local initiatives, the provincial government must further develop local sales channels. Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow, when asked by reporters what factors were contributing to the industry's problems, said there were a variety of potential answers. 'These are private business, so there's a lot of different factors. It could be the weather, it could be access to markets, any number of things could play a role,' he said after Thursday's cabinet meeting. He said the province is providing $7 million for equipment and programs to help extend growing seasons, is encouraging buy-local programs and working to reduce interprovincial trade barriers. Interim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette was critical of Morrow's response. 'The minister needs to be able to come before the media and before the public and say, 'These are the steps that we're taking to help to support an important sector in our province.'' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Bluetongue virus sees Wales introduce limits on moving livestock
Limits are to be placed on moving livestock from England into Wales in response to the spread of the bluetongue sheep and goats would need to test negative for the potentially fatal disease before they can be transported across the bluetongue has spread across large parts of England, it has yet to reach Wales this year and the Welsh government said it was attempting to hold it back "for as long as we can".But the farming industry warned the implications of the decision could be "catastrophic" for cross-border trade. Spread by midges, bluetongue presents no threat to food safety or human health, but can have serious consequences for ruminant livestock like sheep and farming industry is dominated by sheep and cattle farms.A restricted zone (RZ) in England - limiting the movement of animals - has continued to expand over recent months as the disease has 1 July, the UK government has decided to designate the whole of England as an RZ, which in practice means movement controls are lifted as the focus shifts to encouraging uptake of new bluetongue vaccines which alleviate the symptoms. The Welsh government said it regretted the UK government's decision, but understood the reasons behind it."This change increases the risk of disease incursion into Wales, either through the movement of infected livestock, or the ingress of virus carrying midges from across the border," warned Deputy First Minister Huw Welsh government had been left facing "a major decision - with implications for the livestock sectors and animal health and welfare across Wales", he said. Farming leaders had urged him to align with England and not impose restrictions on livestock movement across the border - branding it both "a futile endeavour and wholly impractical".Irranca-Davies, also the cabinet minister with responsibility for rural affairs, said he appreciated there were differing views and that he had listened to representation from both the livestock and veterinary ultimately he had concluded that he could not "in all conscience invite bluetongue into Wales on 1 July by aligning with the RZ in England"."I am unwilling to risk the uncertain impact of the disease in livestock dense areas like the Welsh borders," he said."I am also extremely concerned about the economic and farmer wellbeing impacts of dealing with sick animals, and the livestock productivity and fertility losses associated with severe bluetongue, as observed in many affected European countries."Testing livestock brought into Wales will allow time to monitor the effects of bluetongue in England and ensure more Welsh farmers are able to vaccinate their animals, he some would be disappointed by his announcement and there would be "licencing requirements, livestock testing costs and other commercial pressures" as a result, he said the policy would be kept "under regular review". Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) President Ian Rickman said the announcement brought "a wealth of barriers and complications"."The mechanics of issuing licences in a timely manner, arranging and conducting pre-movement sampling and testing, co-ordinating haulage and the extortionate costs and disruption to cross-border holdings and trade... will be entirely unattainable and impractical," he warned."Meanwhile the midges that carry and spread the virus would not respect any such boundaries."The union called for "clear guidelines and advice" for the 550 farms and "numerous livestock markets" that straddle the Welsh-English to BBC Farming Today earlier this week, Chris Dodds of the Livestock Auctioneers Association said limiting movement of animals across the border would be "catastrophic"."We're not very far away from the main store and breeding sales especially for sheep, when hundreds of thousands of animals move from their upland farms to the lowland farms both for feeding and for breeding purposes."Pointing to Hereford market, which sits "right near the Welsh border", he explained about 100,000 animals were moved from that market into Wales last year."The suggestion that everything (would have) to be pre-movement tested to move to Wales at great cost to the farmer - you're looking at tens of millions of pounds just within one market to facilitate that trade - and those animals need to go to the farmers as their future breeding stock." What is bluetongue? It affects cattle, goats, sheep, goats, deer and camelids such as llamas and can cause ulcers or sores around the animal's mouth and face, difficulties swallowing and breathing, fever and lameness, abortion, foetal deformities and impact of the latest strain – known as BTV-3 - seems to vary considerably across different regions, with some animals showing little sign of infection and managing to the Netherlands, tens of thousands of sheep have is a notifiable disease so anyone suspecting their animals may have it must report it to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
