TheBeefSite Newsletter - 3 November 2010

Wednesday 3rd November 2010

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Future Feed Supply/ Price Uncertainties

The European Commission has announced that it will release stocks from cereal intervention stores later this month, to curb the increase in feed prices.

It has been agreed that 88,112 tonnes of soft wheat and 2.71 million tonnes of barley should be sold from the EU intervention stocks through a tender system. Much of the remaining stocks – around 2.8 million tonnes – will be used as part of the Commission’s aid programme.

Commissioner Daçian Ciolos has said that he plans to keep close control of both volume and the price of the stocks coming onto the market, to make sure that the market is not disrupted.

Speaking at Cropworld 2010, National Farmers' Union Deputy President, Meurig Raymond has said the increasingly complex EU legislation will make it difficult for cereal growers to increase productivity.

With a global shortage in feed supplies, it is imperative that production increases. However, Mr Raymond says that legislation such as the Pesticide Registration Regulation, Nitrate Vulnerable Zones legislation and Water Framework Directive will all burden farmers with large extra costs, for negligible benefits.

Any legislation must be flexible, scientifically based and give farmers across Europe a level playing field. Over regulation in Europe will only have a negative impact on production, affecting livestock producers and consumers, he said.

In the US this week, over 300 participants from around the world have taken part in a conference which aims to tackle the issue of beef sustainability.

Only in its early days, the conference looked at why beef sustainability is important, and allowed multiple stakeholders from all sectors throughout the beef supply chain to start a conversation on how best to deal with this challenge.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

Branding is the Key to Marketing
Branding will be the secret to the successful marketing of British beef and lamb onto the French Market, writes TheMeatSite senior editor Chris Harris.

Prevalence And Control Of BVDV
A study conducted by the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System looks at the prevalence and control of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) on US cow-calf operations between 2007-2008.

Use Of Nutritional Supplements For Cows
Feed is a major proportion of the total cost of beef cattle production, which is why this fact sheet by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), looks at the use and benefits of nutritional supplements.

2011 Forecast: Trade Higher On Beef Demand
US - Exports of broiler meat, beef and pork are all forecast to rise, according to the Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Genus - Value through science and genomics

Company News

BRD Forum Discusses Latest Respiratory Research
EU - The Merial Ruminants team successfully organised the first Merial Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) Forum in Lisbon, on 30th September and 1st October. The event was attended by veterinary practitioners and researchers from 15 European countries.

Global Beef Cattle Industry News