The Federal Reserve’s Agricultural Finance Databook says lending activity in the agricultural sector increased slightly in the second quarter of 2018. The overall number of non-real estate farm loans was roughly two percent higher than at the same time in 2017. The slight increase was supported primarily by larger loans for livestock. In the short term, The Kansas City Fed …
Report Says Meat, Dairy to Become World’s Biggest Polluters
The world’s five biggest meat and dairy producers could soon take the top spot as the world’s biggest polluters. A new report from the nonprofit GRAIN and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy says meat and dairy could soon produce more greenhouse gasses than oil giants Exxon, Shell, and BP. Zero Hedge Dot Com lists those five ag companies …
Turkey Industry Reviewing Salmonella Controls Amid Outbreak
The National Turkey Federation says its members are fully cooperating with a CDC-USDA investigation into an outbreak of salmonella poisoning that’s been linked to raw turkey products. The industry website Meating Place Dot Com says the outbreak has affected 90 people across 26 states since last November. The US Centers for Disease Control says the turkey came from a variety …
Japan Reopens to American Lamb
Last week, USDA announced the government of Japan had finalized technical requirements that will allow U.S. sheep and goat exports into the country for the first time in almost 15 years. American Sheep Industry (ASI) Executive Director, Peter Orwick, says they have been working since 2003 to restore this export market. Japan Reopens to American Lamb This announcement comes after extensive work …
Egg Producers Urge Support for Commerce Language in Farm Bill
The National Association of Egg Farmers is urging lawmakers to support language included in the farm bill that seeks to uphold the U.S. Constitution commerce clause. The clause says Congress is to regulate commerce among states, but the group alleges certain states are implementing laws regulating how eggs are produced outside the state and then imported into that state. The …
UF Researchers Zero in on Potential Threat of New Mosquito Virus
A virus responsible for an illness outbreak in Venezuela is spreading to other parts of the Americas, says a University of Florida scientist who is closely monitoring the Mayaro virus. Most recently, the virus was found in a child in Haiti in 2016. Even though the virus hasn’t infected anyone in Florida or the U.S., Barry Alto, an associate professor …
U.S. Pork Calls for Level Playing Field on Regulatory Issues
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says pork producers now face a “regulatory land grab” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bearing the brunt of global trade retaliation, NPPC called on the Department of Agriculture to assert its “proper oversight” of two emerging issues: laboratory-produced cultured protein and gene editing in livestock production. The comments came after the …
Sommet De L’Elevage Livestock Show Coming Up in October
A 27th Edition that is Looking Extremely Promising With 1,500 exhibitors from 32 countries occupying 180,000 m² of show space, 2,000 animals and 95,000 visitors from the farming industry, the SOMMET DE L’ELEVAGE is now recognised as a reference among the world’s largest livestock shows. Judging and animal presentations, technical innovations, business meetings, farmer events and conferences covering the hot …
USDA Announces Japan to Accept Exports of U.S. Sheep and Goat Meat
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is announcing that the government of Japan has finalized technical requirements that will allow U.S. sheep and goat exports into the country for the first time in more than 14 years. “This success is a direct result of USDA’s dedication to helping America’s farmers and ranchers keep and find new markets for their products,” …
U.S. Pork Calls for Level Playing Field as FDA Makes Regulatory Land Grab
Already bearing the brunt of global trade retaliation against American agriculture, U.S. pork producers now face additional headwinds in the form of a regulatory land grab by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assert its proper oversight of two emerging issues critical to the future of …