News items related to ag biotech, trade ? and perhaps some other interesting items out there related to agriculture ? will be posted on this page throughout the week (as the week progresses newly added items will be in?green at bottom of sections). ?Be sure to check in regularly!
Trump picks Sonny Perdue for agriculture secretary - Washington Post - By Chris Mooney and John Wagner (Jan 19)
Link:?https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-picks-sonny-perdue-for-agriculture-secretary/2017/01/18/a26abbc0-ddec-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.d39335cb739d

TRADE, TRADE RELATED, INFRASTRUCTURE:

The Roots of Trump's Trade Rage - Politico - By Edward Alden (Jan 16)

"The Davos set ignored the warning signs for years. Now, global elites are rightly worried about what comes next."

Link:?http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/the-roots-of-trumps-trade-rage-214639

Germany says in interests of EU and U.S. to pursue TTIP talks - Reuters (Jan 16)
Link:?http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-usa-trade-idUSKBN1501D8
PM welcomes Trump's 'quick' trade deal promise - Sky News (Jan 16)

"Downing Street welcomes the President-elect's commitment to "get it done quickly and done properly" after Brexit."

Link:?http://news.sky.com/story/donald-trump-dodges-trade-question-in-michael-gove-interview-10730633

WTO sets deadline to resolve Russia?s EU pork ban?- GlobalMeatNews - By Oscar Rousseau?(Jan 12)
"A final decision on Russia?s toxic and long-running trade ban on EU pork exports is set to be published within the next six weeks, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO)."

Link:?http://www.globalmeatnews.com/Safety-Legislation/WTO-sets-deadline-to-resolve-Russia-s-EU-pork-ban

US dairy calls on Trump to fix Canada?s ?protectionist? trade policies?- Dairy Reporter - By Mary Ellen Shoup?(Jan 12)
"In a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, US dairy groups said that Canada?s ?protectionist? trade policies are intentionally designed to block imports from the US and are in direct violation of commitment made under the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization."

Link:?http://www.dairyreporter.com/Regulation-Safety/US-dairy-calls-on-Trump-to-fix-Canada-s-protectionist-trade-policies

Trans Pacific Partnership on trade almost defunct, but Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership may take its place - ABC (Australia) - By Babs McHugh (Jan 15)
Link:?http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-16/will-tpp-be-replaced-by-china-led-rcep/8180514
China?s Xi Jinping Seizes Role as Leader on Globalization - Wall Street Journal - By Te-Ping Chen and Lingling Wei (Jan 17)

?No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war,? Chinese president says"

Link:?http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-xi-jinping-defends-globalization-1484654899
ASEAN in 2017: Can the Region Sidestep Trump?s Trade Threats? - Knowledge@Wharton, Univ. of Pennsylvania (Jan 17)
Link:?http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/asean-2017-can-region-sidestep-trumps-trade-threats/
Industry welcomes US decision to lift embargo on French beef?- GlobalMeatNews - By Liz Newark (Jan 17)
"The United States authorities have lifted an embargo on French beef imports after 19 years, the French Agriculture Ministry has said, and European meat producers are delighted."

Link:?http://www.globalmeatnews.com/Industry-Markets/US-lifts-French-beef-embargo

Trump eyes role of negotiator in chief - The Hill - By Vicki Needham (Jan 16)
Link:?http://thehill.com/policy/finance/314305-trump-eyes-role-of-negotiator-in-chief

AG, AG TECH, PRODUCTION, RELATED ISSUES:

Farmers happy with first GMO corn crops, but concerns remain - VietMaz (Vietnam) (Jan 15)
"...a farmer who owns three hectares of arable land in Dong Nai, said GM corn fetched him 1.5 times more profit.
?So I will buy more seeds and plant them in half my land,? he told VnExpress."
Link:?https://www.vietmaz.com/2017/01/farmers-happy-with-first-gmo-corn-crops-but-concerns-remain/
Spray-On RNA Protects Plants from Viruses for Weeks - MIT Technology Review - By Jamie Condliffe (Jan 9)

"The technique could be faster and more versatile than developing genetically modified crops from scratch."

Link:?https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603330/spray-on-rna-protects-plants-from-viruses-for-weeks/

Florida?s citrus production continues to plummet - Southeast Farm Press (Jan 12)
"USDA predicted Jan. 12 Florida will produce 71 million boxes of oranges for the 2016-2017 season, which is down more than 12 percent from the 81.5 million boxes harvested last season."
Link:?http://www.southeastfarmpress.com/orchard-crops/florida-s-citrus-production-continues-plummet
Citrus Growers Optimistic About Genetically Engineered Trees - WFSU - By Kate Payne (Jan 11)
Link:?http://news.wfsu.org/post/citrus-growers-optimistic-about-genetically-engineered-trees
No-till ?massively? efficient - The Land (Australia) - By Stephen Burns (Jan 18)
Link:?http://www.theland.com.au/story/4408047/no-till-is-massively-efficient/?src=rss
Genetic engineering improves crops, helps the environment - Columbus Dispatch - Commentary by Emily Buck (Jan 12)
"My family farm grows about 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans, and we?ve been no till for 20 years, thanks in large part to this crop technology..." Link:?http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2017/01/12/column-genetic-engineering-improves-crops-helps-the-environment.html
India?s first GM food crop held up by lawsuit - Nature - By Sanjay Kumar (Jan 18)
'Scientists accused of deceiving the public about benefits of transgenic mustard." Link:?http://www.nature.com/news/india-s-first-gm-food-crop-held-up-by-lawsuit-1.21303

POLICY, REGULATORY, ACTIVISM, OTHER:

Trump, Russia and the Challenge of U.S. Ag Trade - DTN/Progressive Farmer - By Chris Clayton
Link:?https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/perspectives/blogs/ag-policy-blog/blog-post/2017/01/16/trump-russia-challenge-u-s-ag-trade
GM crops: WA Labor backflips on policy, will permit them to be grown - ABC News (Australia) - By Jacob Kagi (Jan 13)
"Labor has scrapped long-held plans to attempt to prevent the growth of genetically modified crops in Western Australia, admitting it is too late to stop their use." Link:?http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-13/wa-labor-backflips-on-gm-crop-policy/8181358
Growers applaud WA Labor?s new GM shift - The Land (Australia) - By Colin Bettles (Jan 13)
?GM crops are now a part of the mix for the crops that we grow in WA and they co-exist successfully." Link:?http://www.theland.com.au/story/4403639/growers-applaud-wa-labors-new-gm-shift/?src=rss
Japanese officials considering imposing stricter GM labelling laws?- Food Navigator Asia - By Gary Scattergood (Jan 12)
"Reports from Japan suggest officials are weighing up imposing stricter rules for the mandatory labelling of food items containing genetically modified foods."

Link:?http://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Markets/Japanese-officials-considering-imposing-stricter-GM-labelling-laws

Brazil to boost new crop financing by about 20 percent: Temer - Reuters - By Lisandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle (Jan 16)
Link:?http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-temer-agriculture-idUSKBN1502EB
Designed in Davos, Tested in Zimbabwe - Bloomberg Businessweek - By Alan Bjerga (Jan 12)
"Insurers are banding together to pioneer crop insurance in Africa."
Link:?https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-13/designed-in-davos-tested-in-zimbabwe
Food and More: Expanding the Movement for the Trump Era - Civil Eats - By Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, Olivier de Schutter and Ricardo Salvador (Jan 16)
"It's time to apply the energy of the food movement to preserving our democracy." Link:?http://civileats.com/2017/01/16/food-and-more-expanding-the-movement-for-the-trump-era/ **Note - in case you had any questions whether 'food activism' is politically motivated, tinged, and co-opted, see the Civil Eats article above.
Americans question 'healthy diet' - Food Business News (Jan 17)
"?Arguments indicating genetically modified foods as a means of combating global hunger are failing to sway consumers as anti-G.M. campaigns have highlighted the risk of genetic modification on surrounding crops and attempted to capitalize on a general fear of ?frankenfood.?? Link:?http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Consumer_Trends/2017/01/Americans_question_healthy_die.aspx?ID=%7B77931E99-5178-4050-957F-C0F9C0091E87%7D&cck=1
China Goes Food Shopping?to Russia - Wall Street Journal - By Amie Ferris-Rotman (Jan 17)

"?Everything that can be consumed by a human being in China is something they?re interested in,? Russian official says"

Link:?http://www.wsj.com/articles/china-goes-food-shoppingto-russia-1484649046