Page 561 of articles about news in Swine news

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Biological Hazards was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on a Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) of Salmonella in slaughter and breeder pigs. The assessment would provide the input for a future cost/benefit analysis of setting a target for reduction in slaughter pigs at EU level. EFSA commissioned a QMRA modelling the pig meat food chain from farm to fork.

Organic Farming Department will be established at the Plant Growing Directorate of MAF.

According to the State Statistics Committee pig numbers were up by 14.1%, to 7.85 million animals.

In the framework of article 31 of Regulation EC 178/2002, the European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority for assistance in preparing an annual technical report of the results of residue monitoring in food of animal origin in the Member States. The present report summarises the monitoring data from 2008 in the 27 Member States.

Hog futures jumped to a 13-year high as wholesale pork surged, signaling demand for the meat is increasing as animal herds shrink.

In December 2009, the pig population amounted to 65,918 heads, an increase of 0.6 per cent, or 407 pigs over 2008.

Irish exporters struggled to compete with supplies from the UK market, where the average price in euro terms fell by 7% due to sterling weakening. Volume shipments to the UK declined by 5% as a result, but the UK market share of total Irish exports remained unchanged at 51%.

EU Directive 2008/120/EC describes the existing EU pig welfare legislation, and repeats the intention of the Commission to evaluate the legislation on the basis of scientific evidence. In anticipation of this review, the Dutch ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality asked Wageningen UR Livestock Research to describe the present situation regarding the translation of Directive 2008/120/EC into national legislation by the member states.

According to FAPRI 2010 U.S. and World Agricultural Outlook, recovering from a 12 per cent drop in 2009, pork trade grows by 2.8 per cent (122,000 metric tons; mt) annually in the next decade, reaching 5.52 mmt in 2019. Pork production increases in the next decade at a rate of 1.9 per cent (1.85 mmt), reaching 115.46 mmt in 2019.

The Veterinary Services Department has licensed eight companies to import a total of 1,600 tonnes of frozen pork from foreign abattoirs.

Australia’s livestock industries and the Federal Government are investing in a new five-year $5 million research program to address vulnerabilities in Australia’s readiness to control Foot and Mouth Disease.

After a year and a half of work and continuous meetings, last March was approved the construction of the first swine research center in South America was agreed, it will be situated in the locality of Pirque on the outskirts of Santiago.

The Ontario Pork Industry Council (OPIC) will receive an investment of $175,000 to improve and address any potential gaps in the Ontario pork industry’s emergency response system.

Sales of organic products in the UK fell by 12.9% in 2009 to £1.84 billion, according to the Organic Market Report published by the Soil Association.

During the first three months of this year, the exports of pig meat reached 125,466 tonnes, which is less than the 134,800 tonnes exported during the same period of 2009.

The Commission publishes two reports which demonstrate the need for further progress in the European Union on the issue of anti microbial resistance. The first is a pan-European survey which reveals some worrying trends in public attitudes towards the use of antibiotics. The results indicate that citizens need more information on the correct use of antibiotics, even though 37% of respondents remember having received information on not overusing antibiotics in the last 12 months. The second document is a progress report, adopted today, on the 2002 Council Recommendation on the prudent use of antibiotics.