This Week's Pig News Round–Up
ANALYSIS - One of the largest pig meat producers in the EU has announced its plans to raise pig welfare standards at home, which will push up pork prices, and to seek expansion possibilities in China,...

Expert Presents 2012 Global Weather Outlook
ANALYSIS - Drew Lerner, president and senior agricultural meteorologist of World Weather, recently presented global weather expectations for 2012 to US grain farmers and livestock producers at the Allendale...

Rabobank: Prospects for Pork Bright in Q1 of 2012
GLOBAL - Prospects for the pork industry appears bright during the beginning months of 2012. Many segments of the pork industry returned to profitability in 2011 and as a result, stronger margins are expected...

Downward Trend in Slaughterings Forecast for 2012
GLOBAL - Pig slaughterings in the European Union grew two per cent year-on-year during the first three quarters of 2011.

North America: Where's the Snow?
ANALYSIS - There has been virtually no snow up in Canada, no snow in the northern US Plains, and the Upper Midwest has seen only two snow events this winter and neither was hugely significant, so we wonder...

This Week’s Pig News Round-Up
ANALYSIS – Several reports in the news in the last week highlight recent advances in pig production, writes senior editor, Jackie Linden. Topics range from vaccine efficacy and feeding GM maize to the...

Success in Strengthening Canada-US Relations
US & CANADA - The Chair of Manitoba Pork Council reports efforts to strengthen relations among Canadian and US pork producers have been highly successful, Bruce Cochrane writes.

No Adverse Effects of Genetically Modified Maize
GLOBAL - A three year feeding study has shown no adverse health effects in pigs fed genetically modified (GM) maize. The maize, which is a Bt-maize bred for its insect resistant properties, was sourced...

Drought and Floods Hitting Agricultural Production
GLOBAL - A strange mixture of drought and foods appears to be affecting agricultural and livestock production across the Americas - both North and South.

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...

This Week's Pig News Round-Up
ANALYSIS - With new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) announced recently in Russia and South Africa, the disease is becoming a global threat, writes Jackie Linden, senior editor of ThePigSite. Also...

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...

New ASF Outbreaks in Russia and Africa
ANALYSIS - Recently announced outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in three regions of Russia have put Belarus on alert for the disease, according to Jackie Linden, senior editor of ThePigSite. There...

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.

FAO Food Price Index Ends Year with Sharp Decline
GLOBAL - Food prices fell in December 2011 with the FAO Food Price Index dropping 2.4 per cent, or five points from November, FAO said yesterday....

Big Dutchman Co-Founder Passes Away
GENERAL - Jack DeWitt, who founded Big Dutchman in 1938 with his brother, Dick DeWitt, passed away at his home in Zeeland, Michigan on January 6th, 2012.

IPVS 2012: Registration & Abstract Submission Open
US and SOUTH KOREA - On behalf of the Organising Committee of the 22nd International Pig Veterinary Society Congress (IPVS 2012), AASV welcome you to Jeju, Korea. The Congress will be held in the Jeju...

This Week's Pig News Round-Up
ANALYSIS - FDA has announced it is to tighten the use of antimicrobials in farm animals, prohibiting the cephalosporins except in exceptional cases, writes Jackie Linden, senior editor of ThePigSite. This...

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.

PIC Announces First Shipment from US to Russia
US and RUSSIA - PIC has completed delivery of 1,071 high-health breeding pigs from the US to key account Gvardia in the Stavropol Region of Russia.

Highest Ever Corn Bills to Curb Hog Farm Profits
SOUTH AMERICA - The revival in crop prices on South America weather concerns has left livestock farmers on track for their most expensive year for corn, crimping hopes for hog farm profitability.

Pork Commentary: Swine Industry Gets Support
CANADA & US - The North American Swine Industry is mostly situated where grain and soybeans are grown. The high price of these crop commodities has increased farm land values in North America in there...

Pig News Round-Up
ANALYSIS - The pig market in the US finished 2011 in a strong position, based on the latest USDA inventories and recent pig meat export figures, writes Jackie Linden, senior editor of ThePigSite. With...

New Terminology for Flu Virus Infecting Humans
GLOBAL - Standardisation of the terminology for the variant A(H3N2) virus recently infecting humans has been agreed by FAO, OIE and WHO. The virus, which has been found in 12 human cases in the US, has...

Russia Lowers Meat Import Quotas
RUSSIA, BELARUS & KAZAKHSTAN - The Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union (CU) has lowered the amount of pork and poultry meat that will be imported into Russia this year.

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.

OIE Extends Risk Prevention Activities
GLOBAL - The OIE World Animal Health and Welfare Fund has extended its biological risk prevention activities.

Endocrinology: the Answer to Seasonal Infertility?
GLOBAL - For years the annual cycle of infertility has had major implications for the pig industry globally, from indoor producers in Korea to outdoor units in Scotland, writes Stephen Waite, Head of Science...