argentina-Beef strike.

ARGENTINA.

BEEF STRIKE.

A three day strike began on Monday by the Department of Agriculture inspectors at SENASA. This means that no cattle can be moved from farm to market or meat plants, as cattle have to travel on a signed ONCCA license. All carcass meat leaving the meat plants for domestic trade or export, must have a SENASA health certificate.

This will paralyze the Xmas meat industry and bring what little exports there are to a standstill. The government employees are seeking higher wages and better working conditions among other things. The fact that more than 50% of the SENASA staff are hired under contract and the figure is only supposed to be 15% gives the unions far more bargaining power than the government.

This move by the unions means that there will be no livestock or meat transport until after the Xmas holiday, unless the governments steps in the settle the dispute immediately. There will no cattle markets at Mercado de Liniers until Monday of next equally no cattle going into the beef plants want the cattle in the yards have been cleared.

ARGENTINA.

GOVERNMENT TO ANNOUNCE NEW FARM MEASURES.

The government is expected to launch a number of measures for the farming sector, in a ceremony at the presidential residence on Monday evening, in order to try and ease the tension between the government and the main farming groups.

President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner has announced several measures that aim to boost the economy in order to cope with the international financial crisis, over the last couple of weeks, from the car industry to finance and banking.

The regulatory framework for the reduction of wheat and corn export duties which was announced earlier this month will be among the new measures that are being announced on Monday evening. Other measures are expected that will assist the beef and dairy industries.

Dialogue between the government and the farming groups was interrupted months ago, after negotiations on agricultural policy accord with Agricultural Secretary Carlos Cheppi failed. The farmers were then locked in a four month dispute with the government, that brought the nation to its knees.