Australia’s varroa mite focus group shifts from ‘eradication’ to ‘management’ program

Australia had been the last continent to remain free of varroa mite, which can weaken bees or cause death from viral infection, until they were detected in sentinel hives at…

Chinese appeal WTO ruling over retaliatory tariffs on US imports

China has appealed a World Trade Organization ruling faulting it over tariffs it has imposed on billions worth of US imports in retaliation against Washington’s steel and…

Cuyama Valley farmers are calling for boycott against firm that 'critically overdrafts' groundwater

Cuyama Valley small farmers and residents are calling for a boycott against Bolthouse and Grimmway Farms. It all has to do with California’s effort to manage groundwater. When…

NASA's Perseverance rover photographed 'avocado' on the surface of Mars

On February 18, 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover touched down on the surface of Mars. Since then, it has been exploring the red planet, while simultaneously looking for any…

Labor dispute at Turkish greenhouse Agrobay sparks protests and police intervention

A labor dispute at Agrobay Seracilik, one of Turkey's largest high-tech tomato and pepper greenhouse facilities with 320 acres, has ignited protests, worker resistance, and even police interventions in Izmir, Turkey. The conflict, which began with the dismissal of 39 workers, including two engineers, has…

Victoria remains free of varroa mite

Agriculture Victoria has not detected any varroa mite within the state and has strong protections in place guarding against a future outbreak. The Control Area Order continues…

NZ National to cut red tape to boost primary sector

New Zealand’s economy depends on its primary sector, so National will unleash investment in water storage, and cut the red tape that’s holding back food production, National’s…

Australian labour hire firm accused of providing unlicensed services and underpaying workers

According to the Labour Hire Authority, Cameron Workforce has not only provided unlicensed labour hire services, but it has also underpaid and provided substandard…

Central Bank of Afghanistan to ban the use of Pakistani currency soon

The Central Bank of Afghanistan has initiated the promotion of the Afghani currency in the country's southwestern region since last week. Most probably, the use of Pakistani…

Growing Change project helps growers navigate governmental Resource Management Regulations 2023

The Growing Change project helps growers navigate the government's Resource Management (Freshwater Farm Plans) Regulations 2023, which aim to address the decline in New Zealand's freshwater quality. Freshwater farm plan regulationsThe 2023 Freshwater Farm Plan regulations have taken effect (from 1 August…

ECOWAS members need effective cooperation to enable common currency

A senior official from the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) has stressed that a strong collaboration among member states of the Economic Community of West African States…

Earthquake in Morocco: large-scale agriculture spared

The picture is becoming clearer in the aftermath of the "Al Haouz earthquake" that hit Morocco last Friday. According to several corroborating accounts, the earthquake had no significant impact on crops. The hardest-hit villages, some of which have been completely wiped off the map, are remote and…

South African farm workers march against pesticides

Some 200 women working in agriculture held a protest march in Paarl, calling on European company Bayer to stop producing and exporting pesticides to South Africa. Scores of…

Unusually high exotic fruit fly season in California

California is experiencing an unusually high population of exotic fruit flies this season. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has issued local quarantine…

"Too early to quantify earthquake damage"

A violent earthquake struck Morocco shortly before midnight on Friday, September 8. "The most violent the region has seen in a century," says the Moroccan National Institute of Geophysics. The quake was felt throughout the country, and even in neighboring Algeria, Mauritania, Spain, and Portugal. It's…

Mushroom workers support unionization efforts at the Windmill mushroom farm

Hundreds of current and former mushroom workers and their allies rallied in Seattle on Aug. 31 in support of unionization efforts at the Windmill mushroom farm in Sunnyside,…

Tulare County issues grants of up to $50,000 for storm damage

Tulare County farmers, packinghouses and businesses who were negatively affected by the heavy rains this past spring, may be eligible for up to $50,000 in grant money thanks…

US: Recycling pesticide containers in Vermont

Pesticides are used in homes and across many industries in Vermont: lawn and landscape, hospitals, food processing facilities, and farms. Pesticides are useful tools for managing pests in these locations, but it is important, and a requirement of the law, for these products to be used in accordance with…

Dollar rises to six-month high as US services sector picked up steam last month

Yesterday, the dollar climbed to a six-month peak, reversing earlier losses. This was due to new data showing the services sector picked up steam last month amid a rise in new…

Horticulture among most affected by South Africa’s loadshedding

South Africa is back at stage 6 loadshedding until further notice – as motorists dealing with no traffic lights well know – and agriculture shoulders a disproportionate weight of the state electricity supplier Eskom’s scheduled power cuts, the Bureau for Agriculture and Food Policy found.South Africa has…

Poor regulatory safeguards leave farmworkers suffering during Midwest heat waves

Many farmworkers in the Midwest are unprotected against heat-related illnesses. They are 35 times more likely to die from heat exposure than workers in other sectors,…

Port Augusta’s fruit fly facility boosting the fight against fruit fly

The fight against fruit fly is set to be boosted with the opening of the $3 million expansion of the world leading National Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) facility at Port…

Australia still has opportunity to eradicate varroa mites

Varroa mites have recently reached Australia, detected at the Port of Newcastle in New South Wales last year. If they establish here, there would be significant implications…

US dollar rises on worries about global growth

Against a slew of currencies, the dollar rose to a near six-month high on Tuesday as worries over global growth, particularly in China, caused investors to flock to the US…

US dollar fights to defend role as global currency

The de-dollarization of the world economy has been thrust back into the spotlight with the BRICS summit, which took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, earlier this month. While lacking a spot on the agenda, decreasing the prevalence of the US dollar in trade and financial transactions among the Global…

Central Otago Fruit grower fined after worker’s hands were caught in conveyor belt

After a worker needed three fingers to be partly amputated, a Central Otago fruit grower has been fined for safety negligence. The victim was working at Clyde Orchards when…

Typhoon Haikui makes second landfall in Taiwan

Parts of Taiwan were grappling with floods, downed trees, and continued rainfall after Typhoon Haikui made a second landfall early on Monday. On Sunday, coastal Taitung bore…

5 million bees fall off a truck in Canada

Beekeeper Michael Barber woke up on the morning of August 30 to several calls from police looking for help after five million bees fell off a truck in Canada. The hives were being transported when the straps holding them in place came loose, allowing them to slip free. Mr. Barber said he arrived to "a…

Twiga tycoon Peter Njonjo transfers 20,000-acre property to private company

Twiga Foods boss Peter Njonjo transferred 20,000 acres handed to him by president Ruto’s administration in the Galana-Kulalu scheme to his private company. Official records…

Movement of beehives allowed out of varroa mite purple zones in NSW almond orchards

Beekeepers with hives stuck in varroa mite purple zones on almond orchards in southern NSW will now be able to move them out. Around 44,000 hives had been stranded in the…

Opening of Lagdo Dam in Cameroon expected to affect 13 frontline states

The opening of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon by the authorities is expected to affect 13 frontline states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency. Already, water…

Second Varroa emergency zone extends into Victoria

The Varroa mite has been detected near Balranald in the NSW Riverina district which will impact beekeepers with hives in Victoria within the 25 kilometres surveillance…

New program to combat Queensland fruit fly outbreak

The Cook government is ramping up efforts to protect the state's $1.49 billion horticulture industry by providing free tree care tags to nurseries for citrus, stone and pome…

West Australian farmers fear visa policy changes will lead to labor shortages

A review of Australia's migration system has suggested limiting the working holiday-maker visa to one year rather than giving backpackers the opportunity to extend their visa…

Spain finds record 9.5 tons of cocaine in a banana shipment from Ecuador

Spanish customs officials and National Police have confiscated the country’s biggest cocaine haul to date: 9.5 tons hidden in a banana freight container originating from…

Agreements with China should aid South African energy crisis

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has emphasised that the agreements signed in the past week with Chinese state owned entities and the…

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"Ford government continues to deny equal rights to farm workers in Ontario"

UFCW Canada is demanding the Ford government take action in response to an Ontario farm owner retaliating against migrant workers who were speaking out about unacceptable housing conditions. The union calls upon the Ford government to include all agricultural workers, both local and migrants, in the…

Greenhouse producer steps up to provide food to people in need

Despite the abundance of food grown in the United States, millions of Americans suffer from food insecurity, according to Feeding America. Access to fresh, healthy produce has been a trending topic over the last few years, and many nonprofits have rolled up their sleeves to serve communities in need. One…

BRICS bloc extends invitations to six new countries

The expansion of the BRICS bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has gained momentum as the current members have decided to extend invitations to…

Will BRICS countries strive for a shared currency?

This Wednesday, at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for the BRICS nations to create a common currency for trade and…

Chinese yuan inched higher against the dollar on Wednesday

China's yuan inched higher against the dollar on Wednesday after the Central Bank set the daily fixing higher-than-expected and as investors bided time ahead of a…

Indian PM Modi fully supports BRICS expansion

The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has declared his full support for the expansion of the BRICS membership: “India fully supports the expansion of BRICS membership and…

Number of varroa mite detections in Kempsey area of the NSW Mid North Coast grows to 13

The number of varroa mite detections in the Kempsey area of the NSW Mid North Coast has grown to 13 in just over a week. The cluster has expanded to the coastline, with one of…

Rupee at record low - Indian consumer might face more difficult times

The rupee closed at a record closing low of 83.1475 to the dollar on Thursday. However, it pared some losses on Friday, trading at 83.0850 against the U.S dollar by 11:10 a.m.…

‘BRICS currency replacing the dollar is a ridiculous idea unless China and India become allies’

In their push to dethrone the US dollar as the world’s largest reserve currency, the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - have been talking up the…

Invasive yellow-legged hornet discovered for first time in the US

Scientists from the Georgia Department of Agriculture claim to have detected a live specimen of an invasive yellow-legged hornet species for the very first time in the US. The…

“In Russia there’s good demand and prices, but it’s too risky to export from Israel”

Israeli exporters say that, while Russian demand and prices have been good, it has been too risky to export the normal volumes to the country, which has invaded its neighbour Ukraine. The Russian Ruble currency has dropped drastically lately as sanctions and war spending are starting to bite. Michael Amar,…

Eskom records significant improvement with its energy generation

According to Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Eskom has recorded a significant improvement with its energy generation moving from an average of 28 000 megawatts…

Glyphosate ban will have economic impacts on European agriculture

Glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in Europe. However, due to its potential effects on human health, its renewal is currently under discussion in European policy.…

Czech police find massive shipment of drugs in banana crates

Czech police officials have seized 646 kilograms of cocaine hidden among bananas heading for a local supermarket. It yet another case where boxes with exotic fruit contained some other South American goods as a ‘bonus’. The drug, found in boxes that arrived from Ecuador via Amsterdam, is estimated to be…

Moroccan exporters unable to attend tradeshows in Europe due to "visa crisis"

The "visa crisis" continues to be a serious hindrance to Moroccan citizens wishing to travel to Europe. A few months ago, intercontinental road carriers were complaining about the difficulty of obtaining visas for truck drivers, which was hampering agricultural exports. Today, the crisis is manifesting…

US dollar set for fourth week of gains

The dollar headed for a fourth weekly gain today after data showed US inflation did not pick up as strongly as expected in July. This fact helped reinforce the existing view…

US Department of Labor assesses Washington mushroom farm with $74k in penalties

The US. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division found Ostrom Mushroom Farms failed to pay farmworkers the required wage rate, and did not provide cooking facilities or…

Russian Central Bank will start real-world tests of digital currency on August 15

The Central Bank of the Russian Federation will begin real-world tests of the digital currency with 13 banks and limited clients on August 15. This means that Russia is set to…

Massive drug seizure at Costa Rica’s Moín port

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security announced a major drug bust on Monday, confirming the seizure of 462 kilograms of cocaine at the Moín port in Limón over the weekend.…

"Underground water can save your crops"

It takes about 20 minutes to scan two hectares of land and a few hours to understand whether there are aquifers for agricultural use in a specific area. However, these are the waiting times needed for Hydro Hunter Italia, a company that carries out subsurface water research, to provide solutions to…

Nigerian Customs intercepts cannabis worth N650 mln hidden among pineapples

The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted some 3,000 parcels of weeds suspected to be marihuana, on transit along the Sokoto – Ijoun highway in the Yewa North Local…

South African rand again slips on weak China data

Yesterday, South Africa's rand slipped again as weak economic data from China kept investors away from risk-sensitive currencies. In the afternoon, the rand traded at 19.0025…

CBP officers seize over $4 million in methamphetamine at the Pharr International Bridge

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility have recently intercepted $4,360,000 of alleged methamphetamine…

British cannabis smugglers appear before judge

A crime ring with links throughout Europe has been caught red-handed after shipping £2 million of cannabis into Seaforth docks. The drugs were hidden among pallets of…

Can spicy ice cream be dangerous?

The answer is yes, especially if it is a Respiro del Diavolo or Devil's Breath ice cream. This spicy ice cream, which is 500 times more spicy than Tabasco, was created in an…

Irish growers hit by new residential land tax say livelyhoods are under threat

Alan Harford of Fairy Hill Farm is among seven farmers to have lost An Bórd Pleanála appeals against inclusion in the RZLT to date. A further 569 decisions are set to be…

What are the ten African countries with the weakest currency exchange rates in 2023?

Currency exchange rates fluctuate and show how different economic and geopolitical forces interact. For companies involved in international commerce, individuals planning…

Costa Rican authorities capture 898 kilograms of cocaine

Costa Rican authorities have seized 898 kilograms of cocaine in a container destined for the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The drugs were hidden among a shipment of bananas. The…

Japanese yen, Norwegian krone and South African rand are making a comeback

The Japanese yen, Norwegian krone and South African rand have turned from the worst-performing major currencies this year to become the best in recent days, along with…

Will high watermelon prices remain in Moldova in the second half of summer?

Last season in terms of several characteristics, first – consistently high prices throughout the entire sales period – was abnormal for the Moldovan watermelon market. The…

South African container terminals still optimistic of strong citrus season finish despite rains

Despite heavy rains across the country, the Eastern Cape Container Terminals are handling higher citrus volumes than the previous three years mid-season. With shipping cycles returning to normal, more shipping lines are now calling the Gqeberha and Ngqura Container Terminals. Average year-on-year comparisons…

Police officers in Assam seize narcotics from an apple trader

Assam police officers have seized some narcotics from a fruit trader. They were carrying out an operation against narcotics in the South Salmara Mankachar district of the…

Mexicans work the most, but earn the least

Genuine Impact has examined how countries fare regarding their working hours/wages balance. Particularly striking is that people in Mexico work the longest hours for the lowest weekly wage. In contrast, Dutch workers receive relatively high wages versus working hours.

Pick n Pay mandarin sales support Africa’s only dedicated children’s hospital

This is the final week of Pick n Pay’s annual June campaign that leverages mandarin popularity in aid of charity.Their Crafted Collection mandarins (showcasing some of “the best varieties in the country” from expert growers) are packed into a blue box instead of the usual black one. Last year, as…

Dock worker jailed over attempt to smuggle Colombian cocaine into the UK in banana crates

A dock worker from Portsmouth, who was involved in a plot to smuggle millions of pounds worth of cocaine into the UK in pallets of bananas was caught after police switched out…

Inflation still dropping in Turkey

Annual inflation in Turkey dropped in June, but the downtrend since October seems to be coming to an end. With the better-than-expected June figure of 3.92% month-on-month,…

Portuguese authorities arrest 24 suspects as cocaine is found in acai berry shipment

A number of actions have been carried out over recent months in Brazil, Spain and Portugal to target the members of this highly professional criminal syndicate. In May,…

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Russia restricts bumblebee imports from the EU

On June 20, the Rosselkhoznadzor introduced temporary restrictions on bumblebee imports into Russia from the EU countries due to the lack of confirmation by the European side of ensuring the epizootic and veterinary and sanitary welfare of insects. Earlier, the Service was contacted by the Association of…

A truck loaded with peppers was stolen at gunpoint in Granada

The Civil Guard has arrested the 39-year-old man who, on June 17, stole at gunpoint a truck loaded with peppers. The theft occurred around 19:40 hours when the driver of a…