Argentina - Beef up (Joel Richards)

Argentina is famed worldwide for the quality of its beef. Argentineans eat an average of over 50 kilos of meat every year, making it one of the most carnivorous countries in the world. The beef industry is what pushed the country's economy forward over a century ago and it's still a key component of its agricultural exports. China is now the number one buyer of Argentine beef, overtaking the European market. But, as "Americas Now" correspondent Joel Richards discovered the beef and ranching industry is at a crossroads for a whole range of reasons.

Mexico - Endangered Cactus (Franc Contreras)

When we think of global threats of extinction, exotic animals usually come to mind. But many rare plants also are at risk of disappearing forever. And that is a major concern -as plants are the foundation of all food chains. Few scientific studies have ever examined plant species facing extinction, until now. Biologists from across the Americas have produced the first full assessment of cacti species. It found nearly one-third of these desert plants face extinction. CCTV's Franc Contreras takes us to a special botanical garden in Mexico, dedicated to conserving rare and threatened cactus species.