USDA Says Meat and Animal Product Exports up in 2018

All major U.S. animal protein sources experienced growth in exports in the first half of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. The Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service said this week that trade data for the first half of the year indicate year-over-year growth for U.S. exports of all major meats as well as dairy and eggs. Dairy …

Hurricane Changes Fly-in Schedule for Ag Groups

Hurricane Florence is adding another wrinkle to the farm bill process as farmers are being asked to return home Wednesday (09.12.18) as part of the National Pork Producers Council legislative fly-in. Pork producers this week were there to talk trade, the farm bill and labor issues with lawmakers, according to the Hagstrom Report. NPPC also seeks “proper regulatory authority for …

USDA, FDA Announce Joint Public Meeting on Use of Animal Cell Culture Technology

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced a joint public meeting to be held on Oct. 23-24 to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry. The joint public meeting, hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service …

Swine Fever Spreads; FAO Calls Emergency Meeting

China reported another four cases of African Swine Fever. The trade website Meating Place Dot Com says that brings the total number of cases to 13 since the virus was first found in the country last month. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization called a three-day emergency meeting of experts to propose responses to halt the spread of the …

African Swine Fever Accelerating in China

China reported a new case of African swine fever this week, raising risks of a further spread of the disease. The new outbreak is the seventh reported since early August. A Rabobank analyst told Reuters that “it looks like it’s accelerating,” and creating the expectation that farmers will start selling off pigs before they are forced to cull animals if …

Meats Battle for Market Share

Production of all the major meats will likely increase next year, and according to a story from Gary Crawford, that could set up a fierce battle for market share. Meats Battle for Market Share Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune …

China Suspends Hog Transportation Due to Swine Fever

China has suspended transportation of live hogs from provinces infected with African Swine Fever. Reuters says the Chinese Ag Minister will also shut down all live hog markets in the infected provinces. Pork is a staple meat in China, which has reported five cases of swine fever in five different provinces over the past month. The outbreak is prompting Chinese …

USDA Food Safety Official: Consumer Reports Article not Accurate

A USDA food safety official says this week’s Consumer Reports article critical of USDA meat and poultry residue testing procedures is not accurate. Gary Crawford has the story. USDA Food Safety Official – Consumer Reports Article not Accurate-1 Carmen Rottenberg, Administrator of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, in reaction to this week’s Consumer Reports article, says USDA does extensive …

Beef and Pork Export Values Expected to Soften in 2019

The tit-for-tat trade war with China means a lower forecast for the value of U.S. beef and pork exports next year. The Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service said in its latest quarterly Situation and Outlook Report released this week that forecasts total exports of beef, pork, dairy, poultry and other livestock products combined are expected to decline $300 million …