Page 576 of articles about news in Swine news

The Group of Eight rich nations took a first step Monday towards fighting speculators who have helped push up the cost of basic foods, sparking riots in several poor countries. The G8 agriculture ministers called for a study into setting up a global system to stockpile essential foodstuffs after three days of talks in northeastern Italy joined by key emerging and developing countries.

Vietnamese farmers will produce genetically modified plants commercially under the government instructions later this year, experts told a Ho Chi Minh City conference Wednesday.

The Food Fraud Advisory Unit (FFAU) is a group of 15* officials with extensive skills and experience in carrying out food fraud investigations. The FFAU members have agreed, with the support of their employers, to provide advice, on request, to any UK local authority involved in investigating food fraud. This could include any illegal activity relating to food or feed.

The ethanol industry must be wondering where the bottom is. Profits are slim or non-existent, and about 20 percent of all U.S. plants are shut down. In addition, ethanol's main by-product, which is sold as livestock feed, has raised potential food safety concerns.

Sulphurous compounds are the main source of the obnoxious smells from pig farms. Scientists from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences are focusing on these substances in an attempt to remove them and thus probably much of the odour currently emitted from pig houses.

German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner has come out strongly against a European patent application for a test to check pigs for a gene that makes them produce more meat.

Production is now forecast up 2 percent from last year, as expansion in China (nearly 50 percent of world production) overshadows lower production for most other major producers. Global pork imports are now forecast to drop 13 percent from last year, with lower imports expected for 8 of the top 10 importing countries. Pork exports are now cut by 12 percent from last year with global economic weakness, the credit crunch, and trade restrictive policies.

The Japanese government has authorized the entry of all pig meat from Chile from last Friday 17 April. This step assumes the overcoming of the case of contamination with dioxins that affected the swine industry in 2008. (Original in Spanish. Read Google translation here).

The OIE has published a new guide for OIE Members on their rights and obligations relating to the safety of international trade.

In the wake of a series of high-profile foodborne illness outbreaks, the focus has been on how to improve government food safety efforts at the federal level. A new report issued by the Department of Health Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services recommends the development of an integrated national food safety system that not only reforms federal food safety efforts, but also strengthens state and local government roles in detection and inspection.

After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. The proposed finding, which now moves to a public comment period, identified six greenhouse gases that pose a potential threat.

As of today, the issue on additional financing of projects started in the animal breeding last year is almost decided. The amount which is to be subsidized for these purposes will total to RUB74 billion, Elena Skrynnik, the Minister of Agriculture said.

Federal Agency for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) lifted temporary restrictions imposed on supply of products from 5 American meat processing plants (18674, 9201, 18079, 18435 and 37398) to Russia on February 10, 2009 in a view of violations of Russian legislation.

Funding is now in place to build a healthier, more efficient and more internationally competitive Yorkshire and Humberside pig herd.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the government to provide subsidised loans for livestock farmers to buy machinery and vaccines.

Russian meat production grew by 11.4% to 749 thousand tons in the first quarter of the current year compared to the same period in 2008, as Federal State Statistics Service reports.