AsiaPacific | False Alarm: Thailand health officials said a recent outbreak o...
AsiaPacific
Thailand’s Livestock Development Department maintained that a disease outbreak that killed chickens in two provinces was not the highly infectious bird flu. Yukol Limlamthong, the department's director-general, issued the clarification yesterday after Japan, Poland, and Malaysia expressed concerns about the safety of Thai chicken shipments. He said the department had already submitted a clarification letter enclosed with scientific investigation results to the three countries. The three countries are significant buyers of Thailand’s chicken output. Japan alone accounts for approximately 260,000 metric tons – approximately 57 percent of the country's total chicken exports
Americas
Canadian Dairy Commission Announcement Fails to Consider BSE Fallout
OTTAWA, Dec 15, 2003(Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- Today, the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) announced a price increase to producers of two cents per litre of milk ($2.20/hectolitre). This increase is an additional step taken by the CDC to move towards fulfilling its commitment to close the price gap to ensure that 50% of dairy producers can cover their cost of production by the year 2006. However, it ignores the incremental cost burden that producers must currently bear.
The Canadian Dairy Commission has missed a great opportunity to help ease producer strain caused the mad cow (BSE) crisis. The impact of BSE on the producer cost of producing milk is about $2.80 per hectolitre. The compensation program announced by the federal government in November amounts to about $0.66 per hectolitre, which is insufficient to relieve producers' reduced margins resulting from the BSE crisis.
Statement by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman Regarding the Conclusion of the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
“The United States and four Central American countries – El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua – today concluded a free-trade agreement that further advances trade liberalization and expands economic opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers and exporters.
Europe
Policy Change Should Lead to EU Cereal Area Increase
The European Union (EU) Commission has proposed a policy change intended to spur crop production in 2004, in response to extreme weather and below-average yields in 2003. The Commission would like to modify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reduce the minimum amount of land that must be left fallow (set-aside) from 10 percent of total base area to 5 percent.
The minimum set-aside rate has varied between 5 and 15 percent over the past decade, but has been stable at 10 percent since 1999. The goal of the set-aside program is to prevent over-production and preserve farm income by providing a financial incentive for removing marginally productive or environmentally sensitive land from cultivation. The EU set-aside program is similar to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the United States, but it is more flexible, with some notable differences, says USDA.
Brit dies from Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
A British man who received a blood transfusion from a donor who was later found to have the human form of mad cow disease has died from the brain-wasting illness, British officials government said.
USA
Hardee's, Carl's Jr. introduce low-carb burgers
Carpinteria, Calif.-based CKE Restaurants, parent to Hardee's and Carl's Jr., has unveiled low-carb burgers at both chains. When dining at a Hardee's, consumers now have the opportunity to try a low-carb Thickburger, and at Carl's Jr., consumers can now purchase a low-carb Six Dollar Burger.
Processor recalls more than 5,600 pounds of ground beef that could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
Sun Coast Beef and Provision Inc., Palmetto, Florida, establishment voluntarily recalled approximately 5,620 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The products subject to recall are 30-pound boxes of "Pure Ground Beef." The ground beef is packaged in 10-pound white plastic tubes. Each box and tube bears the company name and address as well as the establishment number "EST. 11107" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
AsiaPacific
Thailand’s Livestock Development Department maintained that a disease outbreak that killed chickens in two provinces was not the highly infectious bird flu. Yukol Limlamthong, the department's director-general, issued the clarification yesterday after Japan, Poland, and Malaysia expressed concerns about the safety of Thai chicken shipments. He said the department had already submitted a clarification letter enclosed with scientific investigation results to the three countries. The three countries are significant buyers of Thailand’s chicken output. Japan alone accounts for approximately 260,000 metric tons – approximately 57 percent of the country's total chicken exports
Americas
Canadian Dairy Commission Announcement Fails to Consider BSE Fallout
OTTAWA, Dec 15, 2003(Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- Today, the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) announced a price increase to producers of two cents per litre of milk ($2.20/hectolitre). This increase is an additional step taken by the CDC to move towards fulfilling its commitment to close the price gap to ensure that 50% of dairy producers can cover their cost of production by the year 2006. However, it ignores the incremental cost burden that producers must currently bear.
The Canadian Dairy Commission has missed a great opportunity to help ease producer strain caused the mad cow (BSE) crisis. The impact of BSE on the producer cost of producing milk is about $2.80 per hectolitre. The compensation program announced by the federal government in November amounts to about $0.66 per hectolitre, which is insufficient to relieve producers' reduced margins resulting from the BSE crisis.
Statement by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman Regarding the Conclusion of the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
“The United States and four Central American countries – El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua – today concluded a free-trade agreement that further advances trade liberalization and expands economic opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers and exporters.
Europe
Policy Change Should Lead to EU Cereal Area Increase
The European Union (EU) Commission has proposed a policy change intended to spur crop production in 2004, in response to extreme weather and below-average yields in 2003. The Commission would like to modify the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reduce the minimum amount of land that must be left fallow (set-aside) from 10 percent of total base area to 5 percent.
The minimum set-aside rate has varied between 5 and 15 percent over the past decade, but has been stable at 10 percent since 1999. The goal of the set-aside program is to prevent over-production and preserve farm income by providing a financial incentive for removing marginally productive or environmentally sensitive land from cultivation. The EU set-aside program is similar to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the United States, but it is more flexible, with some notable differences, says USDA.
Brit dies from Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
A British man who received a blood transfusion from a donor who was later found to have the human form of mad cow disease has died from the brain-wasting illness, British officials government said.
USA
Hardee's, Carl's Jr. introduce low-carb burgers
Carpinteria, Calif.-based CKE Restaurants, parent to Hardee's and Carl's Jr., has unveiled low-carb burgers at both chains. When dining at a Hardee's, consumers now have the opportunity to try a low-carb Thickburger, and at Carl's Jr., consumers can now purchase a low-carb Six Dollar Burger.
Processor recalls more than 5,600 pounds of ground beef that could be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
Sun Coast Beef and Provision Inc., Palmetto, Florida, establishment voluntarily recalled approximately 5,620 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, according to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The products subject to recall are 30-pound boxes of "Pure Ground Beef." The ground beef is packaged in 10-pound white plastic tubes. Each box and tube bears the company name and address as well as the establishment number "EST. 11107" inside the USDA mark of inspection.