Page 894 of articles about news

Vietnam - Cholera kills hundreds of pigs in Ha Tinh

13-Feb-2009
An additional of 200 pigs were found dead in hamlet 4, Cam Quan commune, Cam Xuyen district in the central province of Ha Tinh, said Nguyen Thanh Binh, head of the provincial Animal Heath Agency, on Feb. 12. Samples taken from the dead pigs tested positive for the cholera bacteria. So far, the disease has killed more than 600 pigs in the locality.

USA - Vilsack: Food safety should be under one agency

13-Feb-2009
The peanut recall offers a prime opportunity to merge all federal food safety oversight into one agency, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Friday. Right now, the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture share oversight responsibilities, along with other government agencies, dividing authority along lines that don't always make sense. For example, the FDA oversees eggs in the shell, while the Agriculture Department is responsible for processed egg products.

EU - Agricultural Prices in 2008

13-Feb-2009
According to the estimates for Agricultural Price Indices (API) that the Member States have supplied to Eurostat, output prices in nominal terms are reckoned to have increased by 6.5% in the European Union (EU 27) in 2008 compared to 2007. When adjusted for inflation (deflated or in real terms) the result is a 2.7% increase in 2008, following a 6.5% rise in 2007. The increase in the total output index was driven by the rise in real prices of Animal output (6.6%), while Crop output remained at almost the same level as in 2007.

Holland – Improvement in sanitary conditions of swine herds

13-Feb-2009
The PVV has agreed to finance the continuation of the project of improvement in herd sanitary conditions started two years ago. During the first years surveys were made and measures were applied. It is hoped that the improvements will be seen in 2009 thanks to the implemented measures. (Original in Dutch. Read Google translation here).

China - January inflation down to 1 per cent; warning signs of deflation

12-Feb-2009
According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), few commodity prices continued to increase potently, especially food stood up at 4.2 per cent and fresh vegetables prices up 19.6 per cent; but there was relief on pork prices, highest meat consumption in China down by 13.3 per cent in January.

Brazil – SC begin exporting to Chile

12-Feb-2009
A cooperative in Santa Catarina, the only Brazilian state believed to be free from foot and mouth disease without vaccination, has begun exporting pig meat to Chile. Exportation to Chile is considered to be a first step towards conquering the European and Japanese markets. (Original in Portuguese. Read Google translation here).

United Kingdom - Bpex adverts banned over welfare claims row

12-Feb-2009
Part of a major advertising campaign from Bpex to promote the British pig industry has been banned after animal welfare groups complained to the UK advertising watchdog. The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled against a recent advert published as part of Bpex’s ‘pigs are worth it’ campaign which described the industry as having ‘very high welfare standards’.

Brazil – Consumption of pig meat increases by 64% in 15 years

12-Feb-2009
In the last 15 years the consumption of pig meat has increased from 8 kilos a year per capita in 1993 to 13 kilos in the first half of 2008, which means an increase of nearly 64%. In the last two years the tendency has been confirmed: increasing from 12 kilos per capita in 2007 to the 15 kilos estimated for the end of 2008. (Original in Spanish. Read Google translation here).

EU - EFSA: Project to study alternatives to carcass destruction systems using the bunker system

12-Feb-2009
Following a request from the Spanish Competent Authority, the Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the Project to study alternatives to carcass destruction systems using the bunker system. The application concerns an on-farm combination of several steps. The first of these is represented by the hydrolysis process or, alternatively, the crushing and pasteurization of pig carcasses and other pig by-products (placentas and embryos) using a bunker system.