Launch of 50th Anniversary of CAP Campaign
EU – The European Commission has launched the CAP@50 communication campaign to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Common Agricultural Policy, a cornerstone of European integration, that has provided...

High MRSA Bacteria Levels in Retail Pork Products
US - Retail pork products in the United States have a higher prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA) than previously identified, according to new research by the University...

Boar Corpse Identified as ASF in Tver Region
RUSSIA - Tver Interregional Veterinary Laboratory has investigated samples of pathological material taken from a wild boar, found on the territory belonging to Torzhokskiy society of hunters and fishermen,...

Last Restrictions on Pork Import from Lithuania
LITHUANIA - Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service said that Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance lifted interim restriction on pork export from Kaunas region as...

NFU Urges EPA to Use Existing Data for CAFOs
US - National Farmers Union (NFU) submitted commented yesterday to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Concentrated Animal Feeding...

Broadening Feedstocks Eligible for RFS
US - US Representative Pete Olson (Texas) is introducing bipartisan legislation to increase competition, stabilise food prices and enhance American energy security and global competitiveness.

Canadian Pork Council Elects New Chair
CANADA - At a recent meeting of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), Mr Jean-Guy Vincent received the country-wide support of his peers, and will lead the charge for the Canadian pork industry in the upcoming...

Does the Animal Welfare Strategy Go Far Enough?
ANALYSIS - Today, the European Commission has adopted a new four-year strategy that aims to further improve the welfare of animals in the European Union, writes Charlotte Johnston, editor of ThePigSite....

Animal Protein Feed for Fish Only, Says FEFAC
EU - Last year, the European Commission put forward a proposal to lift the 11 year old feed ban for non-ruminant processed animal proteins (PAPs) to non-ruminant farm animals on scientific and sustainability...

Minister Urges Greater Efforts to Boost Farm Exports
SOUTH KOREA - South Korea's agriculture minister on Thursday urged increased efforts to boost the country's food and agricultural exports, stating the country's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United...

EU Must Learn from Cage Ban, Say Pig Producers
EU - NFU Scotland has met EU Commission animal welfare staff asking that lessons be learned from the debacle that surrounded recent laying hen legislation ahead of the deadline for implementation of similar...

GAP: New Compound Feed Manufacturing Standard
GLOBAL - After an intensive multi-stakeholder consultation process, the revision of the GLOBAL G.A.P. Compound Feed Manufacturing Standard has been finalised.

How Strong are Links between Meat and Cancer?
ANALYSIS - A new study published in the British Journal of Cancer and produced by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm in Sweden has concluded that eating processed meats increases the...

Helping British Pig Exports Succeed
UK - A call has been put out to support the British pig industry and to back quality British pig meat after a UK pig meat processing company was blocked from exporting to China, writes Lucy Towers, ThePigSite...

UK Implementing Higher Animal Welfare Too Soon?
UK - Compassion in World Farming was disappointed to hear David Cameron’s lack of support for the UK bringing in higher welfare systems, ahead of the legal obligatory time and subsequently leading the...

Coordination on Food Safety & Animal Health Aid
GLOBAL - Strengthened coordination to improve results in a number of areas features in a new medium-term strategy for 2012-16. The strategy will help developing countries meet international standards on...

Welfare of Animals in Transport Still a Concern
ANALYSIS - Concern is growing again over the way livestock is being transported both for slaughter and as live exports, writes ThePigSite Editor in Chief, Chris Harris.

FAO-EU Project to Promote Climate-Smart Farming
GENERAL - FAO and the European Commission have announced a new €5.3 million project aimed at helping Malawi, Viet Nam and Zambia transition to a "climate-smart" approach to agriculture.

Govt Committed to Working with Hog Industry
MANITOBA, CANADA - Manitoba's Minster of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives says the provincial government is committed to working with the pork industry to ensure the province's pork processors have...

Nutrient Data in Time for the New Year
US - Two timely nutrient data sets provided by US Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are being used by the beef and pork industries to provide new Nutrition Facts labels for their products. Federal...

Meat Safety Boosted for Spring Festival
CHINA - The government will redouble its efforts to weed out illegal meat processing in the coming months, especially during the Spring Festival, in the interest of food safety, officials said on Friday....

Call for Reasoned Approach to Water Concerns
CANADA - The Economic Development Officer with the Town of Neepawa is calling for a responsible reasoned approach to addressing water quality concerns in Lake Winnipeg, Bruce Cochrane writes.

Failures in ASF Action Plan in Moscow Region
RUSSIA - In 2011, the Moscow Region Prosecutor's Office with specialists from the Rosselkhoznadzor veterinary service visited 15 pig farms and two military farms in the region to verify compliance of veterinary...

Food Safety Check Ahead of Spring Festival
CHINA - China will make "all-out efforts" to step up safety overhauls of food necessities in the production and logistics chains to prevent mishaps during the upcoming Spring Festival shopping season.

Egg Issue Prompts Raising of Pig Industry Concerns
SCOTLAND, UK - NFU Scotland will be in Brussels next week urging Commission officials to learn lessons from the debacle surrounding implementation of the laying cage ban.

Less Red Tape To Aid Agricultural Exports
AUSTRALIA - The Australian Government is boosting regional economies through $30 million in support and a further A$30 million per annum in reduced red tape for agricultural export industries.

Call for Action to Ensure Adequate Hog Supplies
CANADA - The Mayor of Brandon is urging the Manitoba government to take steps that will ensure the province's pork processors are able to access the supplies of hogs necessary to maintain the viability...

China's Food Safety Suffers 'Feeble Foundation'
CHINA - A senior Chinese official admitted Tuesday that the nation's food safety still suffered from a "feeble foundation."

Disappointment at Closure of USDA Facilities
US - National Farmers Union (NFU) expressed disappointment after US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the closure of more than 250 US Department of Agriculture (USDA) facilities.

Ministry Intensifies Fight Against ASF in Belarus
BELARUS - Because of the rapid deterioration of the epizootic situation of African swine fever (ASF) in Russia, the Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs of Belarus calls on regional authorities to take...