Incentives for Dutch Producers to Leave Industry
NETHERLANDS - The southern Dutch province of North Brabant is proposing a financial incentive worth €6.5 million for intensive livestock farmers to leave the industry.

China to Focus on Animal Epidemic Control
CHINA - At a high-level meeting on animal disease last week, the Vice Agriculture Minister stressed the need for increased efforts to control African swine fever, A H1N1 flu, and zoonotic diseases...

Commission Says Members Can Choose over GM Crop Cultivation
EU - The European Commission has announced its upcoming proposal on choice for Member States to cultivate or not genetically modified organisms (GMO) and approves five decisions on GMOs.

Pig, Poultry Farmers Get 50 Per Cent Imports Tax Cut
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Customs director Rafael Camilo recently said the 50 per cent reduction on import fees for poultry and pig farmers seeks to protect those sectors and lead to lower prices of important...

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...

Hog Industry Programme Uptake at 25 Per Cent
CANADA - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates 25 per cent of Canadian pork production is now being funded by loans offered through the federal Hog Industry Loan Loss Reserve Programme, writes Bruce...

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.

Pork to Reappear Shortly in Chinese Grocery Stores
CANADA - Canada Pork International expects Canadian pork to begin appearing in Chinese grocery stores shortly, according to Bruce Cochrane.

Hopes to Cut Time Sows are Restrained in Stalls
AUSTRALIA - The Aussie pig industry could be on the verge of an animal welfare breakthrough.

Govt Seeks to Use More British Food
UK - More government departments are sourcing domestically produced food.

NFU CONFERENCE - Call for Fairer Farm Gate Prices
UK - The greed of the supermarkets is leading to the exodus of many farming families from the industry, writes ThePigSite senior editor Chris Harris.

Canada Donates to OIE for Animal Health Activities
FRANCE - The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has receives a C$2 million contribution from Canada for animal health activities.

Agriculture MEPs Back Study into New Quality Logo
EU - Meeting Tuesday (23 February) MEPs on the Agriculture Committee back a study launched into a new "European quality logo" which would be reserved "exclusively for agricultural goods resulting entirely...

Pork Board Alleged to be Damaging Industry
NEW ZEALAND - The Pork Industry Board continues to damage its own brand with the revelation it is fighting to keep pigs in sow crates, Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley has alleged. ...

Canada to Resume Pork Exports to China
CANADA - The Canadian pork products will be back on the Chinese market after Canada secured a certification agreement allowing pork exports to China, Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said on T...

Scheme Cuts Red Tape of Environment Regs
UK - The National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Environment Agency have launched a new initiative to cut red tape and reduce costs for farmers.

NFU CONFERENCE - Opposition Launches New Agenda for Agriculture
UK - A shake up of the food and agriculture industries has been promised following the forthcoming general election in the UK if the opposition Conservative party wins control, writes ThePigSite senior...

Improved Responsiveness to Programme Expected
CANADA - The Canadian Pork Council is hopeful changes announced this week to the Hog Industry Loan Loss Reserve Programme will improve the programme's responsiveness, according to Bruce Cochrane.

Pigs Relax to Music Before Slaughter
CHINA - A pig deserves at least 12 hours of solitude, walking, patting, and music if possible before it is slaughtered, a central China city has ruled.

More Time to Apply for Hog Industry Loan Programme
CANADA - Canadian pork producers now have more time to apply for government-backed long-term loans. The deadline to apply for a loan under the Hog Industry Loan Loss Reserve Program (HILLRP) has been extended...

NFU CONFERENCE - Fighting the British Corner in Europe
UK - The voice of British farmers has to be heard in the forthcoming negotiations over the Common Agricultural Policy in Europe, writes ThePigSite senior editor, Chris Harris.

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.

Belgian Campaign Starts to End Castration
BELGIUM - A journalist is calling for a ban on the castration of male pigs, which, he says, is a producedure only carried out in his country because of exports to Germany.

NFU CONFERENCE - Farming for the Future
UK - Food production should be on the front pages of all political agendas, not a footnote to them - this was a key message from the president of the National Farmers Union, Peter Kendall, writes ThePigSite...

EU Council Agrees on Better Welfare Labels
EU - At its meeting yesterday (22 February), the Agriculture and Fisheries Council agreed that consumers need more information to make purchasing decisions based on animal welfare but Ministers disagreed...