Poultrymed | What's New ?

Pilgrim's Pride recalls breaded chicken wings

31.12.2010

Pilgrim’s Pride is voluntary recalling approximately 180,000 pounds (82 Ton) of breaded chicken wing products that contain an undeclared allergen, egg, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced.

Pfizer to Acquire Synbiotics a Veterinary Diagnostics Firm

30.12.2010

Pfizer agreed to acquire privately held Synbiotics Corp., a developer of veterinary diagnostics products. The pharmaceutical company said veterinary immunodiagnostics, is a sector growing an estimated 8% annually, twice the rate of the animal health industry as a whole.

New York considers banning non-therapeutic antimicrobials

30.12.2010

New York lawmakers are looking to curb antimicrobial usage by pre-filing new legislation that would make non-therapeutic antimicrobial use a misdemeanor offense. Senate Bill 80, pre-filed Dec. 10, 2010, would make it a misdemeanor to use non-therapeutic antimicrobials in cattle, poultry, sheep, swine or any other animals raised for human food consumption, including animals raised to provide non-meat products like milk and eggs

Russia cuts import quota for frozen poultry meat

30.12.2010

Russia

Russian authorities announced Dec. 27 that they will cut in half next year's import tariff rate quotas (TRQs). Russia will permit imports of frozen poultry meat of up to 600,000 metric tons in the coming year. The TRQ for 2010 was supposedly set at 780,000 mt, although exporters had trouble filling that quota because of Russia's changing import standards.

FSIS to require nutrition panels for fresh meat and poultry

29.12.2010

Effective Jan. 1, 2012, nutrition panels will be required on packages of fresh meat and poultry, according to an announcement by the Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) Wednesday. The panels will be required on packages of chopped or ground meat and poultry such as ground beef or turkey and either on packages of raw muscle cuts of meat and poultry such as chicken breasts and steaks or as point-of-purchase information.

Russia: Ban on imports of frozen chicken postponed

23.12.2010

Russia thought twice and decided not to ban the imports of frozen chicken. Still, the chilled meat is expected to get prioritized on the domestic market. January 1, 2011 was expected to stop the imports of frozen poultry to the Russian market as earlier inititated by Russian Chief Sanitary Inspector, Gennady Onischenko. According to him, modern technologies allow transportation of the meat in chilled (not deep-frozen) condition not to mention the fact that chilled meat is more healthy for consumers.

Russia sets poultry import quota for 2011 at 350,000 tons

20.12.2010

Russia’s Customs Union Commission has approved a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 350,000 metric tons for poultry for 2011, the National Chicken Council reported, citing a Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) report from Moscow. The BNA briefing did not indicate country-specific allocations, NCC said.

FDA publishes stats on antimicrobial use in food animals

16.12.2010

The Food and Drug Administration published a summary report that showed about 29 million pounds (13M Kg) of antimicrobials were sold in the United States in 2009 for use in food animals. The report was mandated by the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2008 to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, so there is no comparison data available.

Ban on battery hens: Parliament demands action against laggards

16.12.2010

Any attempt to evade the EU ban on battery cages for laying hens due to take effect in January 2012 must be resisted, says a European Parliament resolution approved on Thursday (16/12). Animal welfare must be safeguarded and unfair competition prevented from producers who continue unlawfully to use these methods. MEPs want the Commission to take "urgent action" towards Member States to ensure that egg producers comply with the ban. National action plans with "dissuasive sanctions" should be put in place, they say.

Turkey tycoon Bernard Matthews dies

26.11.2010

Turkey tycoon Bernard Matthews, Britain's biggest producer, has died. The business employs more than 2,000 people, farms some 7m turkeys a year, and has an annual turnover of more than £330m. From simple beginnings, with an initial investment of just £2.50 60 years ago, Bernard Matthews was responsible for taking the business from 20 turkey eggs and a second-hand paraffin incubator to a successful and thriving multimillion-pound company.

Ban on ritual poultry slaughter nixed in New Zealand

26.11.2010

Authorities had forbidden kosher slaughter, saying method of not stunning livestock before their slaughter is inhumane. New Zealand lifted a ban on Jewish slaughter of poultry, reaching a deal that allowed the practice of kosher slaughter to resume there on a limited scale after a prohibition was put in place last May.

UK publishes country-of-origin labelling guide

25.11.2010

UK food manufacturers and retailers published guidelines on country-of-origin labelling to encourage consistent information on food labels. The “principles on country-of-origin information”, drawn up by industry bodies including the British Retail Consortium and the Food and Drink Federation, come as European politicians discuss whether to bring in regulations across the EU. The guidelines apply to meat, processed meat and dairy products. The term ‘British’ can only be used for meat from animals born and reared in the UK. In the case of poultry, it can be labelled ‘British’ if reared in the country.

UK: two new regulations on poultry welfare laid before parliament

08.11.2010

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced the laying of two regulations on poultry welfare: No eggs will be imported from European countries that haven’t complied with the conventional cage ban after 2012. UK farming leaders welcomed the robust attitude taken by UK Farming Minister Jim Paice on the possibility of eggs produced by inferior systems coming into this country from other EU countries.

Russia to ban frozen poultry

03.11.2010

Russia will ban the sale of frozen poultry starting Jan. 1, 2011, according to a report by RIA Novosti quoting Gennady Onishchenko, head of the country’s Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare. “The transition to chilled poultry was approved in March 2008. There will be no turnover of frozen poultry in Russia from Jan. 1, 2011. It is an outdated and rough technology, which leads to a loss of many of the useful qualities of meat,” Onishchenko was quoted as saying.

UK: £12.6m to study agricultural emissions

03.11.2010

The UK government has announced the launch of a new £12.6m research programme designed to develop new techniques for measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. According to government figures, agriculture accounts for eight per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions, including 76 per cent of UK nitrous oxide emissions and 38 per cent of methane emissions.

Most egg production worldwide continues to be in traditional cage housing

26.10.2010

The vast majority of commercial egg production around the world continues to be in traditional cage housing, according to the latest statistics reported by the International Egg Commission (IEC) and released today by the United Egg Producers, America’s largest cooperative of egg farmers nationwide. Approximately 85 percent of eggs worldwide are produced in traditional cages, according to the IEC report.

FVO: Italy is not making any concerted effort to replace unenriched with enriched cages

22.10.2010

The Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) has reported improvements in slaughterhouse controls but has raised concerns over the apparent lack of preparedness for the battery cage ban as 84 per cent of egg premises still use conventional, unenriched cages.

Origin labelling to be extended to pork, lamb and poultry

22.10.2010

Member states have reached an informal agreement on extending country of origin labelling to pork, lamb and poultry, it emerged today. Top member state officials struck agreement on extending mandatory country of origin/place of provenance labels to the three meat types. .

Pfizer plan to acquire King Pharmaceuticals

13.10.2010

Pfizer will expand its painkiller and animal-health businesses by acquiring King Pharmaceuticals for $3.6 billion. The deal to buy King Pharmaceutical Inc. is Pfizer's largest since it bought rival Wyeth for $68 billion in 2009. Pfizer is paying $14.25 per share for King. That's a premium of 40 percent to the stock's Monday closing price of $10.15. King's animal health business (subsidiary, Alpharma, LLC.) is also part of the deal.

Soaring prices threaten new food crisis

10.10.2010

Fears of a global food crisis swept the world’s commodity markets as prices for staples such as corn, rice and wheat spiralled after the US government warned of “dramatically” lower supplies. An especially hot summer in the US, droughts in countries including Russia and Brazil and heavy rain in Canada and Europe have hit many grain and oilseed crops this year. This has raising concern of a severe squeeze in food supplies and a repeat of the 2007-08 food crisis.

UK: cameras in slaughterhouses ?

09.10.2010

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has tabled a proposal to introduce CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras into slaughterhouses in a bid to tackle animal welfare abuse.

Egypt encourages poultry, meat imports to fight rising prices

07.10.2010

Egypt

Egypt is offering import relief to counter the rising prices of meat and poultry, which have increased to levels exceeding the international rate — reaching 25 percent and 40 percent respectively. The inflation in poultry and meat [prices] has exceeded the normal limits and it is caused by the chaos in the market and the lack of government supervision. The prices of poultry will keep rising because the prices of the inputs needed for the industry, like corn and chicks, are increasing.

Hungary: Farmers see stock of laying hens falling

04.10.2010

The number of laying hens in Hungary has dropped dramatically since the country joined the European Union, and it could fall even further from 2012, when many poultry farmers will have to change the way they raise their livestock to meet stricter EU rules. The number of laying hens in Hungary has fallen to about 2,265,000 from 3,470,000 in 2004, when Hungary joined the EU.

WTO: US ban on Chinese poultry is illegal

29.09.2010

The WTO said that U.S. restrictions on imports of Chinese chicken, turkey and duck break some global commerce rules. The WTO said the U.S. was violating a number of its trade obligations by preventing Chinese chicken parts from entering the U.S. market, ruling against a measure in last year's U.S. federal spending bill.

New Zealand: Draft Code of Welfare for Broiler Chickens

29.09.2010

NAWAC has opened the Draft Code of Welfare for Broiler Chickens and submissions close on 8 November 2010. Codes of welfare advise owners or persons in charge of animals how they can comply with their obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to meet the animals' physical, health and behavioural needs to alleviate pain and distress.

China to Continue Duties on U.S. Poultry Products

28.09.2010

China's Commerce Ministry Sunday unveiled its final order in an antidumping investigation against U.S. poultry. Effective yesterday, Beijing is levying duties ranging from 50% to 104%, depending on the producer, on imports of products such as chicken feet. The Chinese government claims U.S. companies sell in the Chinese market at a price less than their cost of production. In a separate case in August, Beijing slapped countervailing duties of between 4% and 31% on the imports, claiming U.S. agricultural policies unfairly subsidize chicken production in America.

Veterinary Residues Committee annual report published

24.09.2010

The Veterinary Residues Committee (VRC) 2009 Annual Report on the surveillance of veterinary residues in food in the UK is now available online. The report details the checks that have been carried out on a range of residues of veterinary medicines in food. The VRC is an independent advisory committee overseeing UK surveillance of residues of veterinary medicines in UK-produced and imported foods.

NFU (UK): some EU Member States will not make the deadline for battery cage ban from January 2012

24.09.2010

Concerned about the apparent lack of preparedness for some EU Member States for the battery cage ban from January 2012, the National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling for a labelling system that will allow eggs from enriched cages to be distinguished from those from conventional battery cages. A study (completed in April 2010) commissioned by the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee on the future of the EU poultry meat and egg sectors reported that: “Very large proportions” of the flock in Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Poland and, to a lesser extent, Czech Republic, Hungary and France are not expected to be in compliance by the Directive’s deadline. The UK, on the other hand, features among those EU Member States that have already made significant progress towards banning so-called battery cages.

Poland: Poultry industry unprepared for battery cage ban

18.09.2010

A DG SANCO report on animal welfare in Poland warns of the apparent lack of preparedness for the ban on conventional battery cages for egg production for 2012. MEPs have once again rejected a call from Poland for a five-year delay to the implementation of an EU-wide ban on battery hen cages.

Japan to Resume Imports of Korean Poultry

08.09.2010

Japan's agriculture ministry announced on Tuesday (07/09) that it is lifting a ban on Korean poultry imports. The ministry had imposed the ban in May due to an outbreak of avian influenza but has now confirmed that Korean poultry products are free of the virus.

Aviagen Expands Diversity of Its Genetic Pool with Purchase of Peterson Farms Male Genetic Line

18.08.2010

Aviagen announced plans to purchase the “Peterson Male” broiler breeder genetic line from Peterson Farms, Decatur, AR. As part of the agreement, Aviagen will also acquire use of the Peterson brand name for broiler breeder stock. The Peterson male was the gold standard for broiler breeder males worldwide for many years.

Arsenic in Field Runoff Linked to Poultry Litter

16.08.2010

Arsenic in food supplements passes through chickens, then passes through the field

Fields amended with poultry litter can accumulate significant levels of arsenic, according to studies by USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and associates. These findings provide key information about the agricultural pollutants that can build up in agricultural soils over time—and possibly migrate into nearby streams and rivers. Poultry producers have sometimes supplemented chicken feed with Roxarsone, a compound containing arsenic, to control parasites and promote weight gain. Most of this arsenic is excreted by the birds and then becomes mixed in with sawdust and other litter materials used in poultry houses. Farmers typically use the litter as a nutrient-rich-and free-fertilizer for amending their crop soils.

Russia: Turkish Poultry Import Quota Would Be Raised

12.08.2010

In May, Russia and Turkey signed a number of protocols on agriculture, including two aimed at simplifying procedures for Turkish companies looking to export poultry and products to Russia.

Lohmann Animal Health and Suguna create a joint venture in India

11.08.2010

Lohmann Animal Health - a poultry vaccine manufacturer, having its manufacturing facilities in Germany and USA, joins hand with a poultry company in India - Suguna for a joint venture in India for manufacturing and marketing its range of poultry vaccines. The JV Company - Globion India Private Limited is located at Genome Valley, Hyderabad - India. The total amount of investment in the JV is approximately 15 Million USD.

W.T.O. nixes U.S. ban on Chinese chicken imports

29.07.2010

A ruling against the U.S. ban on chicken products from China was delivered by the World Trade Organization (W.T.O.) on July 28, according to China Daily. As a result, the U.S. market will soon open for Chinese finished chicken-breast exports, the report claimed. The W.T.O. indicated in its interim ruling in June the U.S. ban on Chinese chicken exports was not in accordance with its rules and regulations.

Sanofi-aventis and Merck Appoint Raul Kohan as CEO for the New Animal Health Joint Venture

28.07.2010

Sanofi-aventis and Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that Raul E. Kohan will be appointed Chief Executive Officer of their proposed Animal Health joint venture. Sanofi-aventis and Merck - intend to combine Merial with Intervet/Schering-Plough, to create a new global leader in Animal Health to be called Merial-Intervet. Mr. Kohan is currently President of Intervet/Schering-Plough.

EFSA looks at the welfare of broiler chickens and their breeding

28.07.2010

European Food Safety Authority

EFSA’s Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) has adopted a scientific opinion on the influence of genetic selection on the welfare of broilers and another opinion on the influence of housing and management on the welfare of broiler breeders. EFSA’s experts say that most welfare concerns are linked to fast growth rates, a result of genetic selection in chickens.

USDA approves resumption of chicken exports to Russia

27.07.2010

The Department of Agriculture has given the green light to U.S. chicken exporters to resume shipments to Russia after nearly a seven month ban by what was once the largest foreign market for U.S. chicken. The USDA also has released a list of 27 U.S. processing and storage facilities that are now eligible to begin making those shipments to Russia, although many more U.S. plants are expected to soon become eligible.

California's Gov. Schwarzenegger signs landmark egg Bill

12.07.2010

On July 6, 2010 California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed A.B. 1437, a bill backed by The Humane Society of the United States that requires that starting in 2015 all whole eggs sold in California must come from hens who were able to stand up, lie down, turn around, and fully extend their limbs without touching one another or the sides of an enclosure.

Egg production systems and carbon footprint

09.07.2010

Dr Imke de Boer, an associate professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, presented in a recent study her findings on egg production systems and carbon footprint. A carbon footprint quantifies the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) along the entire life-cycle of a product.

DEFRA acts on chicken welfare

08.07.2010

DEFRA has announced that broiler chickens that are reared for meat in the UK must be stocked at the 2007 EU Directive’s lowest suggested density. The 2007 EU Directive on the welfare of meat chickens (broilers) provides a maximum stocking density of 33 kilogrammes per square metre (approx 16 chickens) but gives Member States a discretion to permit the higher density of 42 kilogrammes per square metre (about 21 chickens) .

ARS Study Eyes Egg Quality and Composition

07.07.2010

There's no substantial quality difference between organically and conventionally produced eggs. That's one of a number of findings in an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study examining various aspects of egg quality. ARS food technologist Deana Jones and her team in the agency's Egg Safety and Quality Research Unit in Athens, Ga., found that, on average, there was no substantial quality difference between types of eggs. So, no matter which specialty egg is chosen, it will be nearly the same quality as any other egg. About 6.5 billion dozen shell eggs are produced each year in the United States, with a value of about $7 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service.

FDA: Draft Guidance on the Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobials in Food-Producing Animals

28.06.2010

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today released draft guidance to help reduce resistance to antibiotics used to treat humans—such as penicillin, tetracycline, and macrolides—with more careful use of the drugs in food-producing animals.The draft outlines the FDA’s current thinking on strategies to assure that antimicrobial drugs that are important for therapeutic use in humans are used judiciously in animal agriculture.

USDA to buy up to $14 mln of chicken to trim glut

18.06.2010

The U.S. Agriculture Department plans to buy as much as $14 million worth of dark meat chicken products to help producers facing a glut in stocks and decreasing prices. The U.S. chicken industry lost its top export market for dark chicken meat in January when Russia blocked imports due to concerns about a routine chlorine wash used by U.S. processors. Companies in the U.S. chicken industry, under normal circumstances, sell more than 700,000 metric tons of chicken legs to Russia every year – about 1.5 billion lbs.

Research: free-range eggs may be less healthy than regular eggs

17.06.2010

Contrary to popular belief, paying a premium price for free-range eggs may not be healthier than eating regular eggs, a new study reports. Scientists found that free-range eggs in Taiwan contain at least five times higher levels of certain pollutants than regular eggs. Their findings appear in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Egypt: Ban on live poultry to go nationwide

17.06.2010

Egypt

As of July 1, 2010, a ban on the selling of live poultry, which was in place since May 2009 across only five governorates, will be implemented nationwide. Under the new law, only licensed slaughterhouses with a resident veterinarian are allowed to handle live poultry.

WTO against US poultry ban

16.06.2010

An interim ruling by the World Trade Organization says a U.S. ban on imports of chicken from China violates Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, or the SPS Agreement - which spells out how governments can apply food safety and animal and plant health measures - as well as most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment and general elimination of quantitative restrictions under the WTO legal framework.

EU-27 Broiler Welfare Directive and Poultry Marketing Regulation to go into effect on July 1, 2010

03.06.2010

July 1, 2010 is the final implementation date of Council Directive 2007/43/EC of 28 June 2007, known as the poultry welfare directive. This directive lays down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production. As a general rule, this directive limits the stocking densities of poultry to 33 kg/m2, although Member States may still allow higher stocking densities under certain conditions. When an exemption is granted for higher stocking densities the maximum stocking density cannot exceed 39 kg/m2.

Russia plans 25 percent cut to U.S. poultry imports

03.06.2010

Russia says it will cut U.S. poultry imports by 25 percent and that it will get other countries to fulfill the amount. Russia, a major poultry importer, banned all chlorine-treated poultry imports starting Jan. 1, outlawing the 600,000 tons of poultry allowed from the U.S. under revised quotas. U.S. and Russian officials have adopted a plan for renewing trade of poultry between the two countries, Russia and the US reached a compromise by agreeing on the chemicals that satisfy both sides.

Dioxin in Organic poultry farms in Germany and the Netherlands

10.05.2010

Dutch and German organic poultry farms are locked because of dioxin contamination in animal feed, according to German and Dutch authorities. It involves eight farms in the Netherlands and nineteen farms in Germany that cannot sell their eggs for at least a week. The dioxin infection has been caused by contaminated corn from the Ukraine.

UK: Bernard Matthews acquires Lincs Turkeys

08.05.2010

Bernard Matthews Britain's largest turkey producers has announced that it has acquired Lincolnshire-based Lincs Turkeys which specialises in free-range and fresh turkey products. The addition of Lincs to the Bernard Matthews stable will increase its production capacity above 8m birds a year.

Canada: Egg Farmers Traceability Program

05.05.2010

The Egg Farmers of Canada are moving forward with a set of national traceability standards. Canada's egg farmers have got in on the federal program backing national-level commodity groups for development of traceability standards, to the tune of over $800,000.

China to Levy More Tariffs on U.S. Chicken Imports

28.04.2010

China will impose an additional duty on U.S. chicken imports of as much as 31.4 percent in response to what it called unfair subsidies for poultry farmers, threatening to deepen a trade rift. An initial investigation showed that the U.S. provides subsidized soybeans and corn to its poultry industry, hurting Chinese producers, the Ministry of Commerce said on its Web site today.

E.U. Push on Animal Welfare May Open New Trade Front With U.S.

27.04.2010

John Dalli, the European Union’s new health and consumer affairs commissioner. may open a new, potentially disruptive front: animal welfare.

China may slash imports of U.S. chicken by 55 percent this year

21.04.2010

China may cut imports of U.S. chicken by about 55 percent as anti-dumping tariffs take effect, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said in a recent report. An FAS attaché report posted Monday indicated China's imports of U.S. chicken in 2010 could drop to 150,000 metric tons from 335,000 metric tons forecast last year. The official USDA estimate, meanwhile, sees a reduction to 300,000 metric tons.

EFSA publishes technical report on veterinary drug residues in animals and food

19.04.2010

EFSA

Following a request for assistance from the European Commission, EFSA has published a technical report on the occurrence of residues of veterinary drugs in live animals and animal products.

FDA Issues Guidance on New Safety Rules for Shell Eggs

15.04.2010

Food and Drug Administration published guidance for small egg producers to help them comply with a 2009 federal egg safety regulation designed to prevent Salmonella Enteritidis in shell eggs during production, transportation, and storage.

Bangkok Ranch acquires Cherry Valley

08.04.2010

Thailand's Bangkok Ranch Group has bought UK-based duck giant Cherry Valley. Cherry Valley has more than 50 years experience in the production of Pekin meat-type ducks in the UK.

UK: Antimicrobial resistance report published

25.03.2010

A report on antimicrobial resistance in the UK has been published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The report summarises data collected in 2007 (or for the most recent previous year if there are no data from 2007) from across the UK for a range of bacterial organisms of medical and veterinary importance in the UK. This information was collated from a variety of sources, including surveys of healthy people, animals and food, as well as from the results of tests on medical or veterinary clinical diagnostic samples.

FSIS Proposes New Rule To Enhance Safety of Meat Products

25.03.2010

FSIS

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a new proposed rule that would require its regulated industry to promptly notify FSIS if any unsafe, unwholesome or misbranded meat or poultry product has entered commerce. Also, a company would have to prepare and maintain up-to-date procedures for the eventual recall of its meat and poultry products.

UK: Businessman jailed for 'free range' fraud

12.03.2010

A company boss, Keith Owen, was jailed for three years for his part in a scam which saw tens of millions of eggs falsely passed off as free range. The near two-year fraud also led to eggs wrongly labelled as organic being sold to consumers in supermarkets and other stores across the country. He also imported second-rate eggs from France and Ireland, but marked them up as British Lion standard eggs.

Norwegian poultry farms fail ESA hygiene test

11.03.2010

After control visits in Norwegian poultry farms, slaughterhouses and factories in January, the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) Surveillance Authority (ESA) concludes that the Norwegian Food Control Authority (Mattilsynet) does not have a good enough hygiene control system for the industry.

Dutch veterinarians stop using cephalosporins in poultry

10.03.2010

Following the growing concern about the prevalence of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL)-carrying bacteria in broilers, the Poultry Health Department of the Royal Dutch Society for Veterinary Medicine (KNMvD) urged veterinarians to stop using cephalosporins in poultry.

Sanofi-Aventis & Merck to Combine Animal Health Units

09.03.2010

Sanofi-Aventis and Merck & Co. will combine their veterinary medicine units to create the world’s largest animal-health business with combined sales of more than $5 billion and 14,000 employees. Sanofi exercised an option to join its Merial business with Merck’s Intervet unit to create the venture, which will be equally owned, the companies. The option was part of an agreement last year when Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based Merck sold half of Merial to Sanofi for $4 billion.

EU gets 'Euro-leaf' logo for organic food

06.03.2010

A new EU-wide "Euro-leaf" logo will be compulsory from 1 July for all pre-packaged organic food produced in any of the 27 EU member states. The green logo, featuring the 12 EU stars in the shape of a leaf, will be optional for imported produce. Existing national logos for organic food will be allowed to appear next to the new EU logo.

Izo: joint venture agreement with Merial

05.03.2010

Izo Spa an italian veterinary vaccine manufacturer, has recently accomplished the acquisition from Merial of a new manufacturing site in Chignolo Po (Pavia, Italy). In this site Izo will produce all Merial's live avian vaccines for the italian market and it will also conduce the QC of all ...

Extension of the deadline for using unenriched cages

23.02.2010

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council rejects call to extend battery cage deadline. The Council took note of a request made by the Polish delegation to postpone the date imposing the prohibition of unenriched cages for laying hens by five years. Council directive 1999/74 lays down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens and provides that the rearing of laying hens in so called unenriched cage systems is prohibited with effect from 1 January 2012.

Poland is seeking to postpone the cage ban until 2017

17.02.2010

Poland has now become the first state to formally ask for the ban to be put back. Its submission has gone to the EU’s Agriculture Council and was due to be discussed at a meeting of that council on February 22. Poland argues that imposing the ban in 2012 will lead to a shortage of eggs in the EU and result in lower standard and lower welfare eggs being imported from outside the union.

China to impose duties on US chicken

07.02.2010

China is imposing a hefty duty on U.S. chicken of up to 105.4. Imports of poultry products from the U.S. to China, which has been a profitable business for American poultry farmers, will now be subjected to harsh anti-dumping duties. The Ministry of Commerce which announced the decision said U.S dumping is hurting China's domestic poultry industry. Once the new directive takes effect Feb. 13, U.S. exporters, including Pilgrim's Pride Corp. and Tyson Foods Inc., will be required to deposit the duty with Chinese customs, pending a final decision on the matter.

Egypt: Live poultry sales to be banned as of July

05.02.2010

A government-appointed committee for combating the H5N1 and H1N1 viruses, decided to ban the sale of live poultry nationwide, starting in July. Live poultry will be gradually phased out to be replaced by frozen poultry produced by licensed slaughterhouses.

Brazil's Poultry Exports Fall by 20%

03.02.2010

The exports of poultry from Brazil have been 20 per cent less between November 2008 and February 2009. Over the last five years Brazil has been the world's third biggest exporter of poultry, but with the devaluation of 30 per cent of their currency companies have experienced serious difficulties, and falling prices.

Japan: Poultry meat production, 2008

01.02.2010

Japanese poultry meat production rose slightly in 2008. The total number of birds slaughtered rose by 0.9% year-on-year to 735 M, while the total live weight increased by 1.7% to 1.985 M tons. The number of broilers slaughtered was up by 1.1% at 630 M, with live weight rising by 1.9% to 1.787 tons.

Talks with Russia on U.S. poultry imports end

22.01.2010

Chicken importers in Russia are now looking for alternative suppliers after negotiations with U.S. experts stopped on Jan. 21 without a commitment to reopen the U.S. poultry’s industry’s largest export market. Russia, which spent $800 million on U.S. poultry in 2008, has banned imports from its largest supplier on concerns related to the use of chlorine in treating the meat a practice routinely used in the United States to kill bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Thailand, is prepared to replace U.S. poultry imports to Russia

21.01.2010

Thailand, a major chicken exporter in Southeast Asia, is prepared to supply poultry to Russia to compensate for U.S. imports that fail to comply with Russian standards. Russia imposed a ban on the import and sale of chlorine-treated poultry as of January 1, citing new safety requirements. The change in regulations primarily affects U.S. imports, and Washington said it would damage its poultry industry and push prices up for Russian consumers.

USA: Broiler production expected to increase in 2010

20.01.2010

Broiler-meat production during the fourth quarter of 2009 is forecast at 8.85 billion lbs. (4 M Tonnes) , down fractionally from a year earlier. The number of broiler eggs being set in incubators during fourth-quarter 2009 and the number of chicks being placed for growout has moved closer to the level seen in fourth-quarter 2008.

Tyson’s ‘Raised Without Antibiotics’ settlement approved by judge

18.01.2010

A federal judge signed off on a preliminary settlement of a class action charging Tyson Foods with falsely advertising that its chickens are raised without antibiotics. Tyson agreed to pay up to $50 to anyone who bought poultry that was labeled antibiotic-free. Payments will be capped at $5 million and do not include $3 million in attorneys fees.

Russia: Poultry Prices Rise After Chlorine Ban

14.01.2010

Russian poultry prices have risen as much as 20 percent since health officials banned U.S. imports Jan. 1, raising concern among domestic producers that they won’t be able to meet demand. Wholesale prices have reached about 70 rubles ($2.36) per kilogram, from about 58 rubles at the end of December.

California chicken farmers might consider relocating

14.01.2010

A year after Californians approved stricter rules on the treatment of farm animals, Idaho and other states are trying to lure away the Golden State's poultry and egg farmers with promises of friendlier regulations and lower costs. In Idaho, Republican state Sen. Tim Corder said he would introduce legislation designed to attract California chicken farmers who might consider relocating. In Nevada, Pershing County is aggressively recruiting poultry farmers in California, the nation's fifth-largest producer of eggs. Georgia's poultry industry also has reached out to some California farmers in a bid to woo them eastward.

Tyson settles consumer class-action suit for $5M

13.01.2010

Tyson Foods Inc. has settled a consumer class action suit targeting its chicken "Raised Without Antibiotics" claim. An agreement filed Tuesday (12/01) night in U.S. District Court in Baltimore provides that individual consumers will receive as much as $50 apiece. Tyson must shell out $5 million. Less $600,000 for administrative costs, $4.4 million is available to parties who bought certain products between certain dates in 2007 and 2009.

What's New ? - 2010