The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has denied a request by the National Chicken Council to allow for faster processing line speeds in packing plants. The decision follows a petition from NCC asking for young chicken plants to be exempt from the 140-birds-per-minute maximum line speed under the New Poultry Inspection System. USDA says the petition asked for no line speed …
Secretary Perdue to Speak at World Meat Conference This Summer
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will speak at this summer’s World Meat Congress in Dallas, Texas. Taking place May 30th through June first, Perdue will address participants on Thursday morning, May 31st, during the “Global Politics of Food” session. The U.S. Meat Export Federation, the organization hosting the global event, announced the appearance by Perdue. USMEF CEO Emeritus Philip Seng says …
Super Bowl Sunday Chicken Wings
Cathy Isom has some really surprising statistics about the most popular snack to be consumed by the billions on Super Bowl Sunday. That’s coming up on “This Land of Ours.” Super Bowl Sunday Chicken Wings Behind Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday comes in second place for Americans to consume the most food and beverages in one day. The most popular thing …
Red Meat Production Sets December Record
American red meat production totaled 4.40 billion pounds in December of 2017, up slightly from December of the previous year. For the calendar year 2017, commercial red meat production was 52 billion pounds. That was three percent higher than the previous year. Additional packing capacity helped make 2017 a very good year for pork producers. Large export demand at home …
Organic Groups Want Livestock Standards in Place
The USDA recently announced it would be withdrawing a series of organic livestock standards that were put into place during the Obama administration. Organic groups across the country are not happy with the move. John Siemon, CEO of the Wisconsin-based Organic Valley Cooperative, says one of the most important things the standards addressed was animal welfare. The battle over the …
National Pork Board Invests in International Marketing-Part II
The National Pork Board has relaunched its focus on international marketing by renaming and restructuring its trade committee. Pork Checkoff vice president of international marketing Craig Morris says the committee is now known as the International Marketing Committee. Committee The International Marketing Committee is being streamlined to better engage with strategic partners. Streamlined The National Pork Board has increased its …
National Pork Board Invests in International Marketing-Part 1
The National Pork Board has made a significant increase in its budget for international marketing. This comes at a time when the United States is faced with large pork supplies and record exports. Pork Checkoff vice president of international marketing Craig Morris said a successful 2018 is dependent on exports. Exports The U.S. Meat Export Federation will receive the largest …
Alternative Antibiotic Gives Piglets a Boost
An amino acid produced naturally in humans, swine and other species shows promise as an alternative to antibiotics and growth promoters for piglets. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists found that L-glutamine fed to piglets produced positive growth and health effects. This news comes at an opportune time in light of the 2017 Veterinary Feed Directive banning the use of antibiotics in swine …
Pork Checkoff Invests in International Markets
This past year was a very successful year for pork exports. National Pork Board President Terry O’Neel says the Pork Checkoff has made a significant investment in building international markets. Markets O’Neel, who raises hogs at Friend, Nebraska, says the National Pork Board ended this past year in strong financial shape. Many pork producers also enjoyed positive margins. Margins For …
NPPC Commends USDA for Maintaining Essential Livestock Market Programs
Two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs critical to the continuity of livestock market operations will continue during the current federal government shutdown. The Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program, managed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, is the sole source of market information on sales to packers of cattle, swine and lambs and on the subsequent sale of meat products. Inspection …