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Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, today set out in detail the latest stage of the Commission's ongoing campaign to help European Union dairy farmers out of the current market crisis. The package of measures, presented today to the European Parliament, follows up the Commission's report from July and looks at both short-term measures and actions to secure the longer-term future of the dairy sector. The Commission has already started the process of allowing Member States to pay temporarily aid of up to €15,000 to farmers. It also proposes that the dairy sector should be covered by an emergency clause which already exists for other farm sectors, to allow a quicker response to future market disturbances.

U.S. corn production in 2009 will be stronger than previously because farmers
are getting better yields, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday.

BERLIN (AP) — The global economic crisis isn't over yet, despite positive signals from Europe's biggest economies, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned in comments published Saturday.

Inflation in Ukraine in 2009 could exceed 15%, Accounting Chamber of Ukraine Board Chairman Valentyn Symonenko has said.
"According to our estimates, in spite of the fact some seasonal deflation was observed in August, the inflation of consumer prices on the market will exceed 15% by the end of 2009," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.

Symonenko said, referring to the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, that Ukraine's GDP in the first half of 2009 fell by 19.7% year-on-year.