TheMeatSite Newsletter - 24 February 2010

TheMeatSite Weekly Newsletter

Wednesday 24th February 2010

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial - NFU Focuses on Food for the Future

Food production should be on the front pages of all political agendas, not a footnote to them. This was a key message from the president of the UK National Farmers Union, Peter Kendall, writes TheMeatSite senior editor, Chris Harris, who is attending the meeting.

Speaking at the opening of the NFU conference in Birmingham, Mr Kendall said that with an increasing global population, more food will have to be produced and the agricultural industry will be growing in importance.

He added: "If feeding nine billion people by 2050 were the whole picture, it would be daunting enough.

"What makes it different this time round is the threat of climate change, the pressure on our natural resources - water soils, biodiversity – and the fact that supplies of the fossil fuels are running out big time."

A recent study from the US has concluded that eating saturated fats does not increase the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke or cardiovascular disease.

Efforts to resume US pork exports to Russia got a boost last week in the form of face-to-face discussions in Moscow between US industry representatives and Russia's top veterinary officials. USMEF Senior Vice President, Thad Lively, who headed the US industry delegation, reported that US and Russian officials are very close to finalising an agreement on a new pork health certificate, which would remove one of the obstacles that has interrupted pork trade.

In the EU, the Agriculture and Fisheries Council agreed that consumers need more information to make purchasing decisions based on animal welfare although Ministers disagreed over the details.

And finally, it has been estimated that the worldwide annual turnover for halal food and industrialised products is US$580 billion.

Jackie Linden

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 3 new features this week:

Studies Step up Battle Against Illegal Growth Promoters
Due to the economic benefits that can be gained from the use of illegal growth promoters in beef cattle, their illegal administration continues, writes TheMeatSite senior editor Chris Harris.

Handling and Transport of Pigs - A Report to the Industry
This article by Penny Lawlis, Humane Standards Officer at OMAFRA, provides tips on improvement of transport of pigs from the producers' perspective as well as that of the pig's.

International Meat Review - 18 February 2010
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently issued US red meat trade statistics for December 2009 and for the year end.

Company News

Opportunities for Production, Processing in Asia in 2011
THAILAND - The organisers of VIV Asia 2011 say the show will offer world class opportunities for animal production and processing.

IFFA Offers and Optimistic Future
GERMANY - The Meat industry can take an optimistic view of the future, despite the effects of the global recession.

Complementary Programme at IFFA 2010
GERMANY - The German international meat industry exhibition IFFA 2010 will also host a multi-faceted complementary programme.

Global Meat Processing Industry News