Showing posts with label agreement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label agreement. Show all posts

BAYER Signs Herbicide Development Deal with GRDC Australia

It is not only humans that are becoming resistant to drugs developed to fight disease, chemicals used by farmers to combat crop destroyers are also not working so well. The world's supply of grain is at risk.
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) signs deal with BAYER
The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in Australia is signing a deal with Bayer CropScience. This Herbicide Innovation Partnership aims to find more effective weed-fighting chemicals.

More than 40 Australian researchers will be taken on board at the Bayer’s global centre of excellence in Germany. Australian is a major grain producer and Bayer will target agriculture in this country.  Benefits will spread to other countries.

Australian farmers spend $3.25 billion on weed control every year. This is the largest input cost, greater than fertilizer. Resistance to herbicides is pushing the cost higher as growers spray more to defeat weeds.
Chemistry by Ty Buchanan
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EU-Thailand Free Trade Agreement Is Pointless

Negotiation between Thailand and the EU for a Free Trade Agreement in isolation from other Asian countries seems odd to say the least. What possible gain could there be for the EU? Yes, Thailand could flood the EU with cheap products thus helping European consumers, but the EU needs more jobs now to lift their economies out of recession. It seems counter-productive.

Another thing is Thailand will have to abide by EU rules which are very draconian and arbitrary in some respects. The EU is a bureaucracy out of control. Microsoft had to pay millions of dollars in compensation for not pushing rival search engines enough. This really doesn't make sense, with Google shipping its Chrome only Android.

Thailand allows cheap generic drugs to be sold to its citizens. If it wins a Free Trade Agreement this will have to end as medications fall under the umbrella of EU intellectual property rights. Paying more for drugs will reverse all the gains made in Thailand's health system.

The EU is ignoring public opinion and plans to extend patent terms for drug companies from 20 years. This will mean monopoly prices extend for much longer in EU countries and other countries will FTAs. Thai people are against any agreement that ends the supply of cheaper drugs.

Thailand exports food, plastic and rubber. It doesn't need the machinery and electrical appliances the EU exports. The question must be asked - Why is the EU bothering about getting a FTA with Thailand? There will be export gains by Thailand at the expense of a more expensive health system.  There appears to be no benefit to the EU.
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