Page 581 of articles about news in Swine news

The Caribbean is a strong growth market for U.S. meat exports. Last year, the area accounted for almost $150 million in U.S. beef and pork exports. The island region was also the largest destination for U.S. lamb, purchasing about half the value of all U.S. lamb exports.

A new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported in Sichuan province.

The European Commission presented a White Paper laying out a European framework for action to improve Europe's resilience to climate change, emphasising the need to integrate adaptation into all key European policies and enhance co-operation at all levels of governance. Complementing the White Paper, the report "Adapting to climate change: the challenge for European agriculture and rural areas" summarises the main impacts of climate change on EU agriculture, examines adaptation needs, describes the implications for the CAP and explores possible orientations for future action. It aims at further engaging Member States and the farming community into a debate and action on adaptation needs that result from climate pressures.

The United States may need to consider mandatory farmer participation in a livestock traceback system, but insight must first be gathered from opponents of the idea, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Friday.

Improvements to NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI)’s field veterinary services will enhance animal health across the State’s valuable livestock industries, Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said.

EU27 real agricultural income per worker1 fell by 3.5% in 20082, after increasing by 9.3% in 2007. This decrease was the result of a fall in real agricultural income (-5.7%) and a reduction in agricultural labour input (-2.3%). The increase in the value of animal output in 2008 was mostly due to a rise in producer prices (+5.6%), while output volume (+0.1%) remained nearly stable. The increase in the price of pigs (+9.1%) was only partly offset by a fall in volume (-1.6%).

The number of pigs slaughtered in Australia annually - 4841.8 million - is at its lowest level since August, 1997. This is according to Australian Pork Limited's latest import, export and domestic production report.

The aim of the Commission proposal is to limit the exposure of consumers to pharmacologically active substances intended for use in veterinary medicinal products for food producing animals as well as residues thereof in foodstuffs of animal origin. This includes foodstuffs imported from third countries .The intention of new legislation was not to compromise but rather to enhance the availability of veterinary medicinal products in the EU which continues to be a problem for many veterinary practitioners. Finally, and in accordance with the principles of better regulation, the readability and clarity of the existing legislation should be improved.

The funds from the 2008 Instrument for Pre Accession Assistance (IPA) National Programme will be used for supporting reforms aimed at approximating the Serbian legal system and standards with those of the EU. To that effect, over a quarter of the €168 million will go to projects which are directly related to the introduction of the acquis communitaire and improve Serbia's capability to assume the obligations of EU membership. For example, the Serbian transport sector will be supported in streamlining its efficiency and project preparation and implementation; there will be support to implement standards for hazardous waste management and to expand medical waste management to additional health centres; and measures to control and eradicate rabies and swine fever in Serbia will be introduced, etc.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today launched its new website, www.fsai.ie, which is a comprehensive source of information for food businesses on every aspect of food safety, food hygiene management and food legislation. The FSAI website which received over 180,000 hits in 2008, representing a 58% increase on 2007, has a wide range of new features and improved navigation tools to help people access information quickly. They include an online complaint function and an automated subscription service.

The Russian government has no plans to fence off the domestic market from import, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. “Unfortunately, we cannot close the domestic market to import because this will cause prices for basic goods inside the country to skyrocket,” Putin said at a meeting with the United Russia party leadership on Wednesday. Putin noted that the government had already reduced fowl and pork imports in hope that “domestic producers will make up for this amount”.

On 16 February 2009, the Government of Philippines announced that a slaughterhouse worker who has daily contact with pigs tested positive for antibodies against the Ebola Reston virus. This brings to six, out of a total of 141 people, who have tested positive for Ebola Reston antibodies in the Philippines since testing began in December 2008. All six people who were antibody positive reported occupational exposure to pigs.

“Substantial amounts” of Irish pork products which were recalled from 40 overseas markets because of the dioxin scare in December are still being held in overseas warehouses and ports.

Officials in North Cotabato are working out a way to market pork products in Metro Manila in frozen form to boost the income of local hog raisers. North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel F. Piñol said negotiations have been underway with an unidentified pork buyer in Manila who could provide better prices for the local hog raisers.

An innovative £300,000 project to bring together pig farmers across Yorkshire and the Humber to improve the health of pigs has just got under way. It is jointly funded by BPEX and Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency, using funding from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).

For obvious ethical reasons, the use of animals in scientific experiments needs to be limited and their welfare improved. But this must be done without hindering research in Europe into fighting diseases, says the EP Agriculture Committee. In adopting on Tuesday a report drafted by Neil Parish (EPP-ED, UK), the Agriculture Committee backed these goals by a large majority.