Page 745 of articles about news

The total number of pigs in the UK decreased by 0.9% since December 2009 to just under 4.4 million. The number of breeding pigs increased by 1.9% to 507 thousand in December 2010.

The full returns of the aid for private storage scheme that closed at the end of last month were made available today. The total mount of pork in the scheme is 131,752 tonnes at a maximum cost to the EU of € 58 m.

A parliamentary committee on Tuesday decided to put off its discussions on a ratification motion for South Korea's free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union until April, chief committee members said, as opposition members called for a full examination of the deal's possible impact on the domestic economy.

On 21-22 Feb. 2011, the Bureau of Veterinary of the Ministry of Agriculture held a national meeting on veterinary drug control in Xiamen, Fujian. It was stated at the meeting that the work on veterinary drug control should be guided by the Scientific Outlook on Development.

In 2009, the total antimicrobial sales have decreased of 13 % (159 tons) compared to 2008 and the sales have decreased of 19.3 % (255 tons) compared to 1999. The 2009 sales represent the lowest sales volume recorded during the 11 years period.

Levy rates to be charged to farmers, growers and others in the supply chain by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) for next financial year - from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 - have been approved by Ministers in Defra and the Devolved Administrations.

Quebec's hog farming sector has received approval from the province's ag and food marketing board regulator for its own form of supply management.

Total EU protein crop production (dried pulses, soybeans etc) currently occupies only 3% of the Union's arable land and supplies only 30% of the protein crops consumed as animal feed in the EU, with a trend over the past decade towards an increase in this deficit.

At €1.41 per kg of slaughter weight in 2009, the Netherlands' production costs are not much different from those in competing countries in Europe. Including costs of production rights, the production cost lies at €1.45 per kg, putting the Netherlands in a relatively unfavourable production cost position.

The swine and pork industry was hit the hardest by the FMD outbreaks with over 3.3 million head, or one-third of the total inventories, culled in order to contain the spread of the disease. All swine were vaccinated to stem the spread of the disease. Although the FMD crisis is expected to come to an end in mid March with the second round of vaccination now complete, Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) is predicting that the local swine industry won’t fully recover until 2014.

A team of animal health specialists from FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has arrived in North Korea to assist veterinary authorities there in responding to outbreaks of Foot-and-Mouth disease among pigs and cattle.

When negotiating international trade agreements, the European Commission must stop making concessions that can adversely affect European farmers, says a European Parliament resolution approved on Tuesday.