Page 772 of articles about news

Virtual boar winner

16-Aug-2010
Winner of ACMC’s ‘virtual boar’ competition at the British Pig and Poultry Fair is H F Hart Ltd, Homeleaze Farm, Gloucestershire. They win £1,000 worth of semen for their 450-sow breeding and finishing herd.

The future’s green! The future’s Olmix!

03-Aug-2010
The commonly held view amongst Western pig producers is that Asian pig producers use antibiotic growth promoters as a substitute for good husbandry techniques. No doubt some Asian producers do have this mentality, but increasingly there are worries about antibiotic residues in pork with the carry -over effects on the consumer and so progressive producers are looking to find green alternatives to AGPs.

Germany– Increase in Biogas plants

30-Jul-2010
According to the latest estimations from the Biogas Federation (FvB), during the last year the number of biogas plants increased considerably, so much so that there currently exists more than 5,000 fermenting warehouses with a potential that exceeds 2,000 megawatts (MW) installed on farms throughout the country.

USA - Family Farm Report, 2010: Most U.S. farms are family operations

30-Jul-2010
Most U.S. farms—98 percent in 2007—are family operations, and even the largest farms are predominantly family run. Large-scale family farms and nonfamily farms account for 12 percent of U.S farms but 84 percent of the value of production. In contrast, small family farms make up most of the U.S. farm count but produce a modest share of farm output.

United Kingdom - Food Standards Agency to keep crucial safety role

30-Jul-2010
Public confidence in food safety issues will be protected, as the Government confirmed its intention to retain the Food Standards Agency (FSA) with a renewed focus on food safety. The FSA in England will focus on its core remit of food safety policy and enforcement. The Department of Health will become responsible for nutrition policy in England, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will become responsible for Country of Origin Labelling, and various other non-safety-related food labelling and food composition policies in England.

Ireland - Teagasc propose changes to nitrates regulations

29-Jul-2010
Teagasc has proposed twenty-one amendments to the Draft European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) regulation 2010 as part of the consultation process to review the nitrates regulations. The detailed 120-page scientific document has been submitted to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

European Union - Commission authorises six GM maize for food and feed uses

29-Jul-2010
The European Commission adopted today five Decisions authorising GM maize 1507x59122, 59122x1507xNK603, MON88017xMON810, MON89034xNK603 and Bt11xGA21 and one Decision renewing the authorisation of Bt11 maize. These 6 decisions cover the authorisation for food and feed uses and import and processing but not for cultivation.

European Union - EFSA: Scientific Opinion on lime treatment of solid pig and poultry manure

29-Jul-2010
Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Biological Hazards was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on Lime Treatment of Solid Pig and Poultry Manure. A European association submitted a novel process and asked the European Commission to approve it as a safe means of disposal under Article 5 (2) (g) of Regulation 1774/2002/EC, i.e. as far as Category 2 material are concerned. The European Commission asked EFSA to i) assess the ability of the process submitted to safely dispose of Category 2 animal by-products and ii) in case the process is considered to present a risk, to advice on the risks of the use of that process and on possibilities for addressing them. After an information exchange with the applicant it was clarified that the terms of reference of the mandate were focused only on pig and poultry solid manure treatment and that the solid pig manure consisted of dewatered manure.