TheBeefSite Newsletter - 6 January 2010

TheBeefSite Weekly Newsletter

Wednesday 6th January 2010

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Food Strategy Unveiled

The UK food and farming industry was given a glimpse into the future this week when the environment secretary, Hilary Benn, outlined the government's strategy for the future at the Oxford Farming Conference.

With farming and food businesses contributing more than Â£80 billion to the economy and employing 3.6 million people, Mr Benn stressed the importance of the sector.

The Food Strategy sets out the challenges facing Britain in maintaining a secure food supply at a time of rapid population growth and climate change, and following the big price increases seen in 2008 following droughts and the rise in the price of oil.

Mr Benn said: "Food security is as important to this country's future wellbeing - and the world's - as energy security. We need to produce more food. We need to do it sustainably. And we need to make sure that what we eat safeguards our health.

"We know that the consequences of the way we produce and consume our food are unsustainable to our planet and to ourselves. There are challenges for everyone involved in the food system, from production right through to managing food waste."

Scientists in the UK and on the island of Jersey have developed a weather early warning system to help protect cattle, and the prize Jersey cattle in particular, from bluetongue.

The team is using meteorological data to help predict the conditions - temperature and wind - that could carry the host midges across the English Channel from continental Europe.

There has been a set back for the US beef industry this week as Taiwan did an about face on its acceptance of some US beef products. After lengthy negotiations had secured a market for US beef, the Taiwanese authorities decided to reimpose the ban because of political pressure from within the country.

Chris Harris

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 5 new features this week:

The Value Of The Red Meat Industry To Australia
Red meat production and live exports of sheep and cattle accounted for nearly 22 per cent of the total gross value of Australian agricultural production in 2007-08, according to a new report from ABARE for for the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

China - Livestock And Products Annual Report
The Livestock and Products Annual report for China by the USDA Food and Agricultural Service (FAS) predicts that beef production will continue to fall in 2010 due to low returns.

Understanding Bovine Respiratory Disease
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a complex infectious disease and one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in stocker and feedlot operations. Daniel Scruggs, veterinarian with Pfizer Animal Health, looks at what contributes to BRD and provides advise to help producers minimise its impact on businesses.

Dehorning Of Calves
Neil Anderson, a lead veterinarian with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture looks at the benefits and practice of disbudding and dehorning of calves.

Russian Federation - Livestock and Products Annual Report
Pork production is expected is rise in 2010, with imports are flat, while beef output is predicted to be lower than 2009 and increased imports, according to Morgan Haas and Mikhail Maksimenko in the latest GAIN report from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. Meat consumption will likely fall.