News in brief

JBS buys up Brazilian chicken firm

14-Nov-2012 - JBS SA has announced the acquisition of Brazilian specialist chicken processor Agroveneto. The company said the deal was valued at approximately R$128m and was subject to approval by the authorities and the company’s board of directors.

US poultry trade urges action on Russian relations

13-Nov-2012 - The US poultry industry has joined calls for the government to act fast to establish Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with Russia.

Canada sets sights on priority export markets

12-Nov-2012 - Canada has increased trade opportunities for meat processors by focusing on 10 priority markets, according to a new report from the Harper government.

EU call to clamp down on livestock antibiotics

12-Nov-2012 - A motion from the European Parliament’s health committee has called on the European Commission to introduce tough new controls, restricting the availability of new third- and fourth-generation antibiotics to the livestock sector.

Ukraine increases poultry exports

09-Nov-2012 - In September, the volume of Ukraine’s poultry exports exceeded the volume of its imports for the first time since it gained independence 21 years ago.

UK to introduce country-of-origin labelling on meat products

07-Nov-2012 - The UK government has today (7 November) announced plans to introduce country-of-origin labelling on meat products.

News in brief

Bird flu hits Indian government poultry agency

06-Nov-2012 - The Indian government agency charged with the development of the national poultry sector has been hit by an outbreak of bird flu on one of its turkey farms, the Office International des Épizooties (OIE), the world animal health organisation has said.

Customs Union imposes more import restrictions

02-Nov-2012 - The Customs Union has restricted the import of poultry from the Indian province Karnataka, and banned imports of ruminants from Austria.

Maple Leaf’s meats move back towards profit

01-Nov-2012 - Maple Leaf Foods saw a return to operating profit in Q3 2012, with a drop in pig business profits offset by a strong performance in prepared meats and fresh poultry.

KFC UK commits to more sustainable packaging

31-Oct-2012 - KFC UK & Ireland has made new commitments to sustainable sourcing after coming under pressure from Greenpeace over its packaging.

Burger King profits down as sales grow

30-Oct-2012 - Burger King (BKW) saw profits fall during the third quarter of 2012, with total revenues down 25.8% to $451.1m as a result of refranchising, the company reported yesterday.

GPS develops meat export catalogue

30-Oct-2012 - UK exporter GPS Food Group has launched a new meat export catalogue to help increase sales in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Welfare awards recognise European achievements

29-Oct-2012 - Some of Europe’s leading food companies were recognised for their contribution towards raising animal welfare standards at an award ceremony in Paris last week.

New poultry stunning rules may affect quality, warns Dutch firm

29-Oct-2012 - New European Union (EU) rules on animal welfare, applicable from January 2013, might affect the quality of EU-made poultry meat, a spokesman for a major Dutch poultry producer has told an international conference in Brussels on the protection of animals in slaughterhouses.

Russia sees rapid growth in turkey production

26-Oct-2012 - Turkey is the fastest growing sector of the Russian livestock industry and is forecast to increase by 133% by 2020, according to industry experts.

New report points to global meat production slowdown

26-Oct-2012 - Global meat production is slowing down as a result of disease outbreaks and adverse weather conditions, according to a new report from the Worldwatch Institute.

USMEF director warns Europe over food policies

26-Oct-2012 - Europe could be isolating itself from the world food market and risking food security by refusing to adopt new technologies, a leading figure in the US meat industry has warned.

Ukraine continues to struggle against livestock industry crisis

25-Oct-2012 - Despite government measures to support livestock production, the Ukrainian meat industry is still in crisis, according to recently published production data.

Anti-GM sentiment grows in CIS

17-Oct-2012 - Opposition to the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in animal feed is growing in the CIS countries of Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Belarus.

Meat industry is big business in China

15-Oct-2012 - The leader of China’s meat industry has told the country’s annual national meat conference that his sector is starting to consolidate and move away from its past reliance on small businesses.

OSI set to become largest poultry producer in China

10-Oct-2012 - A global meat processing company, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in China, is on its way to becoming one of the country’s biggest poultry processors.

Russia’s extension of zero-rate agriculture tax welcomed

09-Oct-2012 - A major meat processor has commended the Russian government’s decision to extend the zero rate of income tax for agricultural producers.

Study reveals economic impact of US poultry

05-Oct-2012 - The US poultry industry provides more than a million jobs and contributes over $265 billion to the economy, according to a new study.

2013 Humane Slaughter Award open for entries

05-Oct-2012 - A UK welfare charity has started a global search for organisations or individuals that have made significant advances towards developing humane slaughter methods.