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...

BPEX Confidence Survey Under Way
UK - The annual BPEX confidence survey has now been sent out across the whole industry.

Antibiotic Rule - a Small Step and a Sad Indictment
ANALYSIS - The US Food and Drug Administration's decision to ban 'extra-label' or unapproved uses for certain antibiotics is a small step in the direction towards reducing the potential risk of antibiotic...

AVMA Responds to Order Limiting Use of Antibiotics
US - The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) announced Friday that the FDA's order prohibiting certain uses of cephalosporins in food animals appears consistent with the current AVMA position...

OFC - Reduce Waste to Meet Food Demand
GLOBAL - In the next 25 to 50 years, food production will have to double to keep up with growing populations and growing consumption, writes ThePigSite editor in chief, Chris Harris.

New Efforts Announced Aimed at Controlling PRRS
CANADA - A new two-year project announced earlier this week will bring together pork producers, veterinarians and industry to pilot a strategy aimed at reducing the transmission of porcine reproductive...

Spelman: Alliances Will Shape CAP That Fits
UK - Caroline Spelman says alliances forged with other EU member states will help increase the power and influence held by British agriculture.

FDA Issues Order Restricting Cephalosporin Use
US - The FDA has issued an order to restrict the use of cephalosporin antibiotics, which are given to some cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys before slaughter.

ASF: Govt Bans Movement of Pigs in Entebbe
UGANDA - The government has instituted a ban on movement of pigs in Wakiso District following an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) that has claimed many pigs.

UFU President Outlines Priorities for 2012
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - UFU President John Thompson has taken some time to reflect on the challenges and achievements of the past year as well as to look ahead to the coming year.

OFC - CAP Reform to Meet Increasing Food Demand
UK - An increasing demand for food requires a Common Agricultural Policy that encourages efficiency and does not stifle it, writes Chris Harris.

OFC - UK Punching Above its Farming Weight
UK - A new report prepared for the Oxford Farming Conference shows that there has been a shift in power worldwide in agriculture as a result of globalisation of markets and the growth of multinational...

Pig Levy Increase Proposal Submitted to Govt
AUSTRALIA - Australian pork producers are one step closer in their quest to obtain an increase in the pig slaughter levy. Late last year pork producers voted to endorse the proposal to increase the pig...

2012 - Australian Year of the Farmer
AUSTRALIA - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Sid Sidebottom, have welcomed 2012 - the Australian...

Seoul to Expand Help for Fishing and Ag Sectors
SOUTH KOREA - The South Korea government will expand its support for the fishery and agricultural sectors to ease their losses from a massive influx of outside products under free trade agreements (FTAs),...

HK & Macao Assured of Safe Produce
CHINA & HONG KONG - China's central government has pledged to provide enough safe agricultural products to Hong Kong and Macao during the Spring Festival.

Russia Bans Import of German Pork Consignment
RUSSIA - Specialists of the Rosselkhoznadzor Administration detected law violations at temporary storage warehouse "Sirius" during border veterinary control.

Pork Price Manipulation; Six Jailed for Tainted Pork
CHINA - A Chongqing Municipality court Wednesday sentenced a gangster death for killing a person in an attempt to manipulate pork price in the city markets.

End of Ethanol Tax Credits Affects Feed Market
ANALYSIS - The US ethanol tax credit, which is worth roughly $6 billion, is due to end at the turn of the year, writes ThePigSite Editor in Chief, Chris Harris.

Funds to Protect Wildlife & Manage Flood Risk
UK - Farmers and rural communities across England are set to benefit from nearly £100,000 to reduce the risk of flooding, maintain farmland and create new wildlife habitats, Environment Minister Richard...

Research Funds Boost Fight against Pest Animals
AUSTRALIA - The fight against invasive animals has received a boost with new funding for research projects announced Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig.

China Bans Production and Sale of Ractopamine
CHINA - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced Friday, 23 December, that the country has banned the production and sale of ractopamine, a controversial feed additive used to...

Police Seize 500kg of Illegal Beef and Pork
RWANDA - Police seized a truck in Ntarabana Sector, Rulindo District, containing 500kg of beef and pork last week and arrested five people transporting unchecked beef to Kigali City.

Agricultural Incomes - Not as Bright as They First Appear
ANALYSIS - The figures released by Eurostat this week on farm workers incomes and farm production in the EU on the surface appear to make happy reading, writes ThePigSite Editor in Chief, Chris Harris...

Russia Joins WTO - A 'Win-Win'?
GENERAL - World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade ministers agreed Russia’s application to join the global trade rules body last week, after 18 years of negotiation - but what does it mean for UK agric...

€14M for EU Reference Laboratories in 2012
EU - The European Commission has adopted the proposal endorsed by the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal health held on 6 December 2011 to earmark €14 million for the support of EU Reference...

NPPC Urges Bolstered Confidence in Futures Market
US - Pointing out that pork producers depend on risk-management tools, including futures contracts, to deal with the volatility in feed grain and hog prices, the National Pork Producers Council early this...