Poultry Loan Guidance Expanded for Pork Operations
US - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday announced that USDA will expand guidance currently in place for loans to contract poultry operations meant to protect them from questionable business practices...

Direction Set to Lead World-Class Food Industry
US - 'Leading a world-class food industry - Responsible. Sustainable. Professional. Profitable'. This is the new vision for the National Pork Board that was introduced to Pork Act Delegates at the National...

USMEF Pleased with Agreement on Pork Exports
US - On Friday, 5 March, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United States and Russia had reached an agreement to reopen the Russian market to US pork and pork products.

Market Preview: Congrats to Dale, Then Down to Business
US - Weekly US Market Preview provided by Steve R. Meyer, Ph.D., Paragon Economics, Inc.

Russia Agrees to Reopen Pork Market to US
US - The United States and Russia have reached an agreement to reopen the Russian market to US pork and pork products.

AMI President Supports Policy to Increase Ag Exports
US - Increased agriculture exports are a must for US producers, says the AMI president.

AMI Supports Goal to Double Exports Within Five Years
US - The American Meat Institute (AMI), along with more than 50 other food/feed agricultural organisations is urging Congress to strongly support President Obama’s pledge to double US exports within five...

Compliance with Farm Bill Requirements Ensured
US - The 2008 Farm Bill established new requirements for swine contracts under the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.

China Needs to Open Market to US Pork
US - In a letter sent late last week to US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, 22 senators urged them to do “everything within your means” to get China...

Coalition Urges Passage of FTAs to Spur Job Growth
US - Pointing out that exports generate 8,000 US jobs for every $1 billion of agricultural goods exported, an ad hoc coalition of food, feed and agricultural entities yesterday urged Congress...

NPB Looking to the Future at Pork Industry Forum
US - Recovery and reinvigoration will be the focus of the National Pork Board during the board's 3-4 March meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

Efforts Continue to Restore Market Access for Pork
US - Efforts to resume US pork exports to Russia got a boost last week from face-to-face discussions in Moscow between US industry representatives and Russia’s top veterinary officials.

Pork Congress Delegates Take Aim at PRRS
US - Delegates to the recent Iowa Pork Producers Association's annual meeting took aim at Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), passing two resolutions that could lead to eradicating the...

Industry Working Toward a PRRS-free Minnesota
MINNESOTA, US - The Minnesota pork industry is on the path to eradicating Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) disease.

New Framework for Animal Disease Traceability
US - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will develop a new framework for animal disease traceability.

Call for Stronger Animal Disease Traceability System
US - In response to a statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on 5 February, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is reaffirming its call for a strong, national animal disease traceability...

NPB Still in Support of Premises Identification System
US - The announcement last week by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) eliminating the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) does not change the objective pursued by the National Pork Board,...

State Environmental Regulations Compiled
US – Environmental regulations can be confusing and challenging for poultry and livestock producers. In some cases, merely keeping track of all the different regulations can be a daunting task.

USDA Announces Framework for Disease Traceability
US - Agriculture Secretary Vilsack has announced that USDA will develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States, and undertake several other actions to further strengthen...

$24M Grant from NIFA for Animal Health Research
US - USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) on Tuesday (2 February) announced $24 million in grants to study animal heath, reproduction, breeding, genetics and nutrition.

AFBF Urges Ag Committees to Back Trade Agenda
US - Combined, the Colombia, Panama and Korea free trade agreements represent almost $3 billion in increased US agricultural exports.

Expedition of Passage of Trade Agreements Urged
US - American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman is urging members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee to take the lead in achieving President Barack Obama’s goal...

As Canadian Imports Dip, Demand for Iowa Corn Cut
IOWA, US - As recently as 2008, the Canadian province of Manitoba sent almost 2.8 million newly weaned pigs to Iowa to eat enough corn to grow from 14 pounds to the 270-pound weight for slaughter.

Farmland Foods First to Receive USDA Designation
US - Farmland Foods said yesterday that it became the first US pork producer to receive USDA's "Never Ever 3" (NE3) designation for the company's "SIMPLY NATURAL" line of fresh pork products.

NPPC Applauds New Undersecretary Nomination
US - President Obama on Monday announced his intent to nominate Elisabeth Hagen, M.D., as USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety.