AmberWaves December 2011 > Features

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The NAFTA Countries Build on Free Trade by Steven Zahniser The NAFTA governments are seeking more open trading relationships with non-NAFTA countries, such as China, Colombia, Panama, Japan, and South Korea, as well as increased commerce within the North American free-trade area. Local Foods Marketing Channels Encompass a Wide Range of Producers by Sarah A. Low and Stephen Vogel Local food marketing channels vary with farm size, with smaller farms dominating direct-to-consumer sales and larger farms dominating sales through grocers and other intermediaries. U.S. Food Safety Policy Enters a New Era by Sandra Hoffmann ERS research conducted over the past two decades provides a number of lessons that can help identify efficient and effective means of implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010. Changing Farming Practices Accompany Major Shifts in Farm Structure by Erik O’Donoghue, James MacDonald, Utpal Vasavada, and Patrick Sullivan Changing production practices, including adoption of laborsaving innovations, have contributed to and been affected by increases in both agricultural productivity and the concentration of production. Can Brazil Meet the World’s Growing Need for Ethanol? by Constanza Valdes Brazil will need to sustain production growth in the ethanol sector in order to meet increasing domestic demand and maintain its export share.