Global Trade

Port of Oakland: Private Industry or Public Agency

Editor2 — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 15:32:10 -0600

By Ben Jesse Clarke and Hana Baba

In the United States, there are 361 public ports. The Port of Oakland, the fourth largest, processes about $30 billion of exports and imports annually. Oakland’s enormous cranes, unloading gigantic ships, mean a lot of money is changing hands. But critics say local communities are being short-changed on benefits and plagued with negative impacts. “It’s not a private business, it’s a public agency and its revenue is not profit. It belongs to the people.” So says Rob Smith of Urban Strategies in Oakland.

The New Face of Agriculture

Editor2 — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 14:21:25 -0500

Alternative models to corporate agribusiness

By Anuradha Mittal

For thousands of years, small family farmers across the globe have grown food for their local communities, planting diverse crops in healthy soil, recycling organic matter, following nature’s rainfall patterns, and maintaining our rich biodiversity. Today, this agricultural system—which was built on knowledge accumulated and passed on from one farming generation to the next—faces both an environmental and moral crisis.

Engendering Global Justice: Women First

Editor2 — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 13:23:34 -0500

A tool for prioritizing women in trade deals

By Marceline A. White

Strategies From the Global South

Editor2 — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 13:11:49 -0500

The alliances and alternatives that aim to defeat corporate-driven trade

By Deborah James

In September 2003, the World Trade Organization (WTO) summit in CancÃºn, Mexico came to a screeching halt after a large bloc of the world’s developing countries refused to expand the WTO unless the wealthier nations made existing trade rules fairer. The “Group of 21” developing nations emerged as a powerful South-South alliance. Led by India, South Africa and Brazil, the Group includes 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Corn Crisis

Editor2 — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 17:16:54 -0500

The impact of U.S. food policy on Mexican farmers

By Oxfam International

“Corn is the basis of our culture, our identity, adaptability and diversity. Corn created us, and we created corn.”
Exhibition Sin maíz, no hay país, or Without corn, there is no country

Mexico City, 2003

“We are only able to subsidize Mexican corn with the lives of the people that produce it. The only way we can compete with North American prices is to give up the basic necessities.”
Víctor Suí¡rez, executive director of the National Association of Rural Producers’ Enterprises (ANEC)

Trading Human Rights for Corporate Profits

Editor2 — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 16:59:32 -0500

Global trade policy weakens protections for health, the environment

By Martin Wagner

Beyond Trade

Editor2 — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 16:41:12 -0500

The WTO’s expansive agenda and impact

By Lori Wallach