(USDA/APHIS) — In July 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) sought public comment on a petition from a vaccine manufacturer seeking approval to produce foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine consisting of a modified non-infectious and non-transmissible strain of the virus on the U.S. mainland. Today (12/1/2020), APHIS is reopening the comment period for …
Cost of 2020 Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is a bit different this year because of COVID-19. But, did consumers pay more or less this year for the items that make up the traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner? Rod Bain has a story that answers that question. American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist John Newton shares the cost of some of this year’s Thanksgiving Day dinner items, per the 2020 …
Farmers Earn 12 Cents of Thanksgiving Food Dollar
(NAFB) — For every dollar Americans spend on Thanksgiving dinner this year, farmers and ranchers will earn about 11.9 cents. The National Farmers Union says that marks a slight drop from 2019 when farmers claimed 12.5 cents of the Thanksgiving food dollar. Though farmers’ smaller share of food expenditures could be blamed on dropping commodity prices in previous years, it’s …
Chilled and Ground Seasoned Pork Major Drivers for U.S. Pork in Japan
During the recent U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Strategic Planning Conference, USMEF Vice President of Marketing, Jesse Austin, updated pork producers and exporters on two product categories that are critical to U.S. pork’s success in Japan – chilled pork and ground seasoned pork. Joe Schuele has more details. Japan has traditionally been the leading value market for U.S. pork, with …
U.S. Pork Producers ‘Give-a-Ham’
(NPPC) — The National Pork Producers Council launched the “Give-a-Ham” challenge, a national social media campaign encouraging hog farmers and those involved in the industry to donate pork to organizations serving the food insecure, and challenging others to follow suit. The “Give-a-Ham” challenge begins today and runs through the end of the year. “With so many Americans struggling with COVID-related …
Amino Acid Helps Shore Up Defenses of Swine
(USDA/ARS) — A third round of feeding trials conducted by a team of USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists has again shown that a dietary supplement called L-glutamine can naturally promote growth and wellness in pigs. Jay S. Johnson, an animal scientist with ARS’s Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, Indiana, and his Purdue University collaborators are …
U.S. Meat Production Poised for More Growth
Producers of every commodity in the meat sector will likely boost production in 2021. But according to a story from Gary Crawford, the U.S. beef industry is likely to post only a modest increase in production. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World …
Pork Exports Remain on Record Pace; Beef Exports Trend Lower
(USMEF) — September exports of U.S. pork increased 10% year-over-year, keeping 2020 exports on a record pace, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef exports were fairly steady with last year in major Asian markets but trended lower overall. Pork exports reached 222,475 metric tons (mt) in September, with value increasing …
China Looks at its Ban on Ractopamine Residues in Meat
China’s zero-tolerance policy on ractopamine residues in meats is keeping some U.S. pork and beef products from being sold there. But according to a story from Gary Crawford, China is taking another look at its policy. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World …
NPPC Petition Leads to U.S. Trade Sanctions Against Thailand
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced it is suspending $817 million in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program because the country hasn’t made sufficient progress providing the United States with “equitable and reasonable market access” for pork products. The decision follows a 2018 petition by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) asking the USTR …