Thursday, April 30, 2015

11 new Minnesota, Iowa avian influenza cases confirmed

Third Ontario avian influenza case confirmed

Avian influenza confirmed in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin

USDA researchers working on avian influenza vaccine

Proposed Hillandale egg farm, feed mill faces opposition

AFIA releases downloadable presentation on careers in Ag

Frisia Food incorporates new Meyn technology

USPOULTRY hosts Biosecurity Webinar addressing ON-Farm Waterfowl Mitigation Practices

Columbia Farms replaces defeathering line

H5N1 avian influenza in Niger for first time since 2006

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Avian influenza confirmed in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Kentucky is 18th state with avian influenza confirmation

Five probable avian influenza cases in Iowa

Avian influenza hits six new flocks in four states

Pilgrim’s to cut antibiotic use in chicken by 25%

  • Andrea Gantz
    Pilgrim's plans to eliminate the use of antibiotics in 25 percent of its chickens by 2019.
    From WATTAgNet:
    Pilgrim's has plans to eliminate all antibiotics from 25 percent the chickens it produces by 2019, Bill Lovette, CEO of Pilgrim’s, recently announced. Pilgrim’s, the second largest poultry company in the United States, currently has about 5 percent of its birds raised without the use of antibiotics.
    The move is being made in response to the growing demand for antibiotic-free chicken, both from consumers and from companies that Pilgrim’s supplies.
    The company also announced that it is working to end the use of antibiotics that are deemed important in human medicine, which responds to a growing trend of companies phasing out such antibiotics amid concerns about their use leading to antibiotic resistance. Quick service restaurant chain McDonald’s and retail chain Costco both announced in March that they would be phasing out chicken raised with antibiotics also used in human medicine.
    Other restaurant chains, such as Chick-fil-A, have initiated plans to totally eliminate chicken raised with antibiotics from company locations.
    Headquartered in Greeley, Colorado, Pilgrim’s processes 28.72 million birds weekly, according to the WATT Global Media Top Companies Database. The company, which is a subsidiary of Brazil-based meat and poultry company JBS SA, has 24 slaughter plants, five cooking plants, 30 hatcheries and 24 feed mills.

Brazil’s Cocari sells poultry plant to Aurora Foods

ForFarmers launches share buy-back program

BRF invests US$19 million in Singapore venture

Website helps farmers combat mycotoxins

Old, previously unseen crop diseases found in New York

Top US Cobb700 flock award goes to Arkansas family farm

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Senator calls for more AI compensation for farmers

New avian influenza cases in Minnesota, Wisconsin

House ag leader: More avian influenza research needed

Arbor Acres annual South Africa roadshow focuses on feed

Research provides insight for ventilation of broiler houses during hot weather

Hormel CEO: Avian influenza will impact company earnings

HKScan to establish new Asian offices

Rabobank: Pork prices moderate in first quarter

DuPont Diagnostics announces VWR as exclusive distributor in U.S.

Canada introducing new rules on animal antibiotic use

Monday, April 27, 2015

USDA: Avian influenza cases to decline in spring, summer

Minnesota declares avian influenza state of emergency

  • Freeimages.com/jzlomek
    Minnesota's governor has declared a state of emergency to deal with the rapidly spreading avian influenza outbreaks.
    From WATTAgNet:
    Due to the high number of cases of avian influenza that have been confirmed recently in Minnesota, Gov. Mark Dayton has declared a state of emergency. With the declaration, Dayton has authorized the National Guard to be called up for duty if needed.
    The state of emergency was called for on April 23, one day after the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed 13 new outbreaks of H5N2 avian influenza in commercial turkey flocks. Several new avian influenza cases have since been confirmed in Minnesota and in neighboring states. The outbreaks have affected more than 2.6 million birds in the state and the virus continues to spread.
    Several days prior to Minnesota’s state of emergency declaration, a similar declaration was made in Wisconsin by Gov. Scott Walker.
    H5N2 avian influenza has been detected in three Wisconsin poultry flocks, affecting tens of thousands of chickens and turkeys. The virus was discovered in a commercial flock of 126,000 turkeys in Barron County, as well as in a flock of 40 mixed breed birds in Juneau County, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) reported on April 16. The state’s first confirmed case of avian influenza was reported on April 13, infecting a flock of about 180,000 egg-laying chickens in Jefferson County.

Second avian influenza case reported in North Dakota

Minnesota avian influenza cases adding up

North American Meat Institute celebrates 25 years of support for 'Meating the Need'