Page 15 of articles about environment in Swine news

The Dutch pig-farming sector is operating within a competitive European market, and production costs play an important role in the sector’s competitiveness. At €1.41 per kg of slaughter weight in 2009, the Netherlands’ production costs are fairly average compared with those in rival countries within Europe. However, Dutch pig farmers pay a relatively high price for the disposal of manure: 5% of the production costs.

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) today launched its Opinion on mutilations and environmental enrichment in piglets and growing pigs. The Opinion advises Government about the impact on young pigs’ welfare of the various mutilations that they may be subject to during their lives. The procedures include tail docking, tooth clipping, identification and castration.

Manitoba Pork is proud to present a strong vision for long-term sustainability on behalf of the province’s pork producers. The plan, called Embracing a Sustainable Future, is to be shared with all Manitobans.

In a unanimous decision issued today, a federal court ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cannot require livestock operations to obtain Clean Water Act (CWA) permits unless and until they have a discharge of manure into a waterway of the United States.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Miroslav Naydenov met with farmers on a regular meeting, held in Plovdiv. Formation of the Advisory Board on livestock breeding to work on problems in the sector were discussed at the meeting Various representatives of the sector, experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and members of trade unions.

The Commission has published a new report by the Joint Research Centre looking at the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) effects of European livestock. It was commissioned to provide an estimation of the net emissions of GHG generated by EU animal production on the basis of a life-cycle assessment.

Farmers have welcomed a bid to develop technologies aimed at increasing the use of organic pig and poultry manure on tillage farms.

Manitoba pig producers will soon have access to more than $26 million to help them improve manure management and to reduce the risk of water contamination. This strategic investment was announced today by federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Stan Struthers.

Cattle, swine, and poultry farms in France, considered to be installations classified for environmental protection (ICPE), will enjoy relaxed environmental regulations when regrouping or modernizing, according to a public decree on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 in Frances Official Bulletin.

The carbon footprint of Irish food products have been rated as amongst the best in the EU according to a major study just published by the Joint Research Centre of the EU Commission.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the expansion of a USDA initiative to help farmers and ranchers conduct energy audits and improve their overall energy efficiency.

In the last 3 years, the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture (SAGARPA), through the Shared Risk Trust (FIRCO), has earmarked 300 million pesos for the installation of 305 bio-digesters on 305 farms. Keeping in mind that for every peso donated by the federal government, the producers provide two, the total investment in the installation of bio-digesters increases to 900 million pesos.

The GIRO Foundation Technological Centre (Catalonia) and the Danish Centre CBMI (Innovation Centre for Bioenergy and Environmental Technologies) have won a European Commission open competition to make a European inventory of livestock waste treatment activities and to define future trends that need strengthening in the EU 27.

Quebec pork producers have taken the initiative to assess their carbon footprint in response to consumer concerns over issues of greenhouse gas (GHG) generated by pork production. Results of a study by OCO Technologies found this footprint is below the worldwide average. The carbon footprint for pork production in Quebec is 4.16 kg of CO2 produced per kg of pork carcass.

During the 11th Five-Year Plan period, the central government has spent 21.2 billion yuan on the development of biogas in rural areas.

Taiwan’s hog output has surpassed rice since 1986 to become the No. 1 item of agricultural and livestock products. The average annual hog output was NT$57 billion in the recent three years, accounting for 16% of the total agricultural output, according to the annual agriculture report. The pig head survey in May 2010 showed that there were 6.126 million heads of pig in Taiwan and port consumption still accounted for some 50% of the total domestic meat consumption, demonstrating the importance of the pig industry in both production and consumption.