Australia’s agricultural minister Senator Joe Ludwig, is to lead a delegation to the Middle East. The delegation will meet next week with governments and importers to determine a new regulatory framework that seeks to improve welfare for livestock exported from Australia, to meet international standards. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar make up significant markets for livestock exports for Australia and new supply chain assurance frameworks are to apply to a number of these markets from... ...Read more »

Despite a fall in Australian lamb production during 2011, strong overseas demand and tight global supplies (particularly out of New Zealand) resulted in the third largest volume of lamb exported from Australia on record.   China saw a major jump during 2011 in Australian lamb imports, up 15 per cent year-on-year, to 29,620 tonnes. This is a region identified by both Australia and New Zealand as a key growth market for lamb (and mutton). With disruptions to New Zealand supply during late 2010... ...Read more »

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, has used an address to members of the National Diet of Japan to support further agricultural trade liberalisation and to emphasise the importance of addressing agricultural protectionist reforms in Japan, by negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Japan is Australia’s largest export market for beef and dairy products and is also a key market for Australian wine. Japan is also an important trading partner for a range of Australian... ...Read more »

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that current U.S. Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) measures are inconsistent with the U.S.’s WTO trade obligations. The WTO had examined complaints by Canada regarding the United States’ current CoOL requirements. The U.S. Food, Conservation and Energy Act imposes mandatory CoOL for beef, pork, chicken, lamb and goat as well as some perishables sold by U.S. retailers. The WTO ruled that the requirements discriminate against foreign livestock. In... ...Read more »

Australia’s national farming industry association, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) is calling on the Federal Government to ensure the future viability of Australia’s food manufacturing sector, without resorting to protectionist measures. NFF President Jock Laurie said in a statement today that it is in the interests of farmers to see a strong and vibrant manufacturing industry in Australia, particularly food manufacturing, but without compromising Australia’s long running trading... ...Read more »

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Economies Tim Mulherin said today the longstanding and valuable relationship between Australia and the Republic of Korea will benefit Queensland’s food producers. “2011 is the Year of Friendship between Australia and the Republic of Korea,” Mr Mulherin said. “The Year of Friendship recognises and celebrates 50 years of trade and friendship between the two countries. “This is a great opportunity to continue to grow our relationship here in Queensland... ...Read more »

The Australian Government has accepted the Wold Trade Organisation Appellate Body’s decision to allow New Zealand apples to be imported into Australia, after an appeal was rejected this week. The Government said that it has accepted the decision and will now proceed with a science-based review of the import risk analysis for New Zealand apples, to be conducted by Biosecurity Australia. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, and Minister for Trade, Craig Emerson,... ...Read more »

Australia farmers are urging new Federal Trade Minister Craig Emerson to hit the ground running by ramping up negotiations in north Asia and, first up, securing an agreement with Korea by early next year.”There’s a big chance we can nail agreements with both Korea and Japan in the short-term, while China will be a longer negotiation,” National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) President David Crombie explained following an NFF Trade Committee meeting in Canberra today. “Collectively,... ...Read more »

Fonterra said today the announcement of full Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Russia and its Customs Union partners, Belarus and Kazakhstan, had the potential to make the region an even more important partner for the New Zealand dairy industry. This announcement follows the successful conclusion of preliminary FTA scoping talks between the four countries which started in May 2010.Trade Minister Tim Groser and Elvira Nabiullina, the Russian Economic Development and Trade Minister, made... ...Read more »

The World Trade Organisation has publicly released its final ruling, vetoing stringent Australian quarantine rules and allowing the widespread importation of New Zealand apples into Australia. The 598-page ruling was released on Monday, and found that the import risk analysis underpinning Australia’s stringent requirements for New Zealand apples is ‘not sufficiently supported by scientific evidence’ and that the requrements are ‘unduly trade-restrictive’. The relevant... ...Read more »