Latest Agribusiness Headlines
All the headlines from our Agribusiness Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Texas Weather Portends Record Agriculture Losses
Jun 16 2008 // In more than four decades of farming, Texas cotton producer Rickey Bearden says he’s never seen an early growing season like this one. In the past month, the South Plains — the world’s largest contiguous...
Swiss Re Study Analyzes Rising Disaster Costs; Role of Risk Transfers
Jun 13 2008 // A new study from Swiss Re examines the rising impact of natural disasters, which is “driving up the cost of disaster relief and reconstruction for the public sector, especially in developing countries where insurance...
Midwest Flooding Forces Evacuations, Bridge Closings, Business Shutdowns
Jun 12 2008 // Flooding rivers across Iowa forced residents to evacuate, closed businesses, wrecked stores and shut down highways and barge traffic, authorities said Thursday. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver said storm and water damage to...
Lloyd’s Analyzes Impact on Insurance of World Food Price Hikes
Jun 9 2008 // The rise in world food prices carries implications for both rich and poor countries – the latter will more fully feel the impact, as well as the insurance industry. The recent conference in Rome, organized by the...
California Commissioner Announces Arrest in Felony Insurance Fraud
Jun 9 2008 // Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced Olav A. Flores, 35, of Cedar Glen, surrendered himself to San Bernardino Superior Court after learning an arrest warrant was issued charging him with one count of insurance...
Ministers Meet in Paris to Keep Trade Talks Alive
Jun 5 2008 // Ministers from major trading nations will try to keep struggling world talks alive today, June 5, with supporters saying a deal could help offset the global food crisis and soften the economic slowdown. Ministers from the...
People
Jun 2 2008 // Markel Corp.’s Board of Directors elected Anthony F. (Tony) Markel vice chairman and Paul W. Springman president and chief operating officer. Markel served Markel Corp. for more than 40 years, most recently as...
WTO Issues New Proposals for Services
May 27 2008 // A World Trade Organization (WTO) mediator issued new proposals on Monday, May 26, for opening up services such as telecoms and banking [as well as insurance] as part of a global trade deal. But the new text, replacing a...
WTO Chief Sees June as Turning Point for Trade Deal
May 23 2008 // Negotiations for a global trade deal are likely to reach a breakthrough in June before being concluded before the end of the year, the head of the World Trade Organization said in an interview published on Friday. “I...
Proposals Issued for WTO Doha Deal
May 20 2008 // Mediators in the core agriculture and industrial goods negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued new proposals on Monday, clearing the way for a meeting of ministers to clinch an outline trade deal. The...
EU Commissioner Sees ‘Makings of an International Trade Agreement’
May 19 2008 // European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said on Monday he saw the makings of an international trade agreement in new proposals drafted by the World Trade Organization. The WTO is expected to issue negotiating...
Survey: Washington Areas Most Secure Places to Live
May 19 2008 // Olympia, Wash., and its metropolitan area are the safest places in the nation to live, work or raise a family, according to the fourth annual Most Secure U.S. Places to Live rankings from Farmers Insurance Group of...
WTO Tells U.S to Cut Trade Barriers, Improve Exports
May 16 2008 // The United States should cut barriers to its markets to help it tackle economic turmoil, and boost exports to deal with its current account deficit, the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO) said. Further adjustment...
Germany Says EU Must Be Firm in WTO Talks
May 5 2008 // The European Union must be firm in World Trade Organization trade talks despite the global rise in food prices, a German official was quoted as saying on Sunday. “Due to the food crisis, we could face new...
Bermuda Q1 Earnings Recap: ACE, XL, Validus, RenRe, Endurance, Aspen, Montpelier Re
May 5 2008 // A number of Bermuda-based companies announced their first quarter results last week, which were generally lower than the same period of 2007. The financial credit crunch, combined with the ongoing soft market, had a...
Farmers Offers Discount to Owners of Vehicles with Stability Control
Apr 30 2008 // Farmers Group Inc. is offering an auto insurance discount to Texas policyholders who have vehicles equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) technology. The 5 percent discount begins May 1. It will apply to the...
Alfa Insurance Offers Rewards in String of Alabama Copper Theft
Apr 29 2008 // As the theft of copper wiring and other valuable metals is growing, particularly throughout rural communities, Alabama-based Alfa Insurance is offering an additional $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction...
The Gibraltar Group Opens Central Texas Office, Adds New Broker
Apr 24 2008 // The Gibraltar Group will open an office in Goldthwaite, Texas, on May 5 to serve businesses in Central Texas, the company reported. Warren Blesh, who has more than 25 years of commercial insurance experience, will lead...
Demand For Food, Fuel Creating Ample Need for Agribusiness Insurance
Apr 21 2008 // The need for agricultural insurance is growing like a weed. “This is the greatest time we’ve had in our business,” said Christopher Leliaert, vice president at Towers-Perrin Reinsurance, in his assessment...
Insurance Skills Center Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Apr 21 2008 // Founders reflect on changes in insurance industry education The schedules of working full-time and being a mom don’t always concur, but Patty Gibson Carlson and Laurie Zangwill-Infantino have proven otherwise with...