World Hog news:

[Mustang Sally Farm]

One of Ireland's Largest Pig Farms Closes
IRELAND - One of country's biggest pig farmers, Rory O'Brien, has ceased production, citing poor returns and high costs.


With the pig industry in the midst of escalating feed prices, lack of credit and low pigmeat prices, one of Ireland's biggest pig farmers has begun to clear out a 2,300-sow herd on his farm, according to The Independent of Ireland.

Rory O'Brien ranks in the top five pig farmers in the country in terms of scale but he is in the process of winding down his family business at Killicane, Mitchelstown, County Cork.

Mr O'Brien has denied suggestions that the decision to exit the pig industry was due to difficulties with off-farm investments and insists that the sow clear out was due to disease reasons and falling returns.

"The most efficient pig farmers in this country have costs of production of 165 to 170 cents per kilo but are only paid 135 to 136 cents per kilo," he said. "You couldn't sustain those level of losses. We took a look at it and decided there was no point in continuing."

Pressure on Mr O'Brien's business has been building for several months, coinciding with rising feed costs.

However, he insisted that processors and retailers, not just feed costs, are also to blame for the current pig industry crisis.

He said: "There is no commitment to Irish pigmeat. The factories, secondary processors and shopkeepers have zero respect for Irish farmers. The farmer's share is down to 17 per cent of the shelf price – something has gone wrong somewhere."

The Cork farmer warned that unless prices to farmers rise, there will be no Irish pig industry "within 12 months".

"It's a race to the end and farmers are the victims," he said.

The pig crisis reached fever pitch in recent days and Mr O'Brien claimed that some farmers were struggling to feed their pigs because they had no money.

"At least we saw it in time and took the decision to get out. There was no point whatsoever in continuing to generate losses on that scale. It would have been downright bad business," he said.

The Independent reports that Mr O'Brien plans to continue to operate two smaller pig units at Kilworth in County Cork, and Toomevara, Country Tipperary, and remain in partnership in a third unit in Clonmel, County Tipperary. He has also vowed to restock his home farm within two years if the trade improves.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Two Million South Korean Livestock Culled
SOUTH KOREA - The authorities have ordered the culling of some two million livestock to fight foot and mouth disease (FMD).


South Korea has ordered the culling of close to two million livestock across the country in order to slow the spread of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease (FMD), the government said today (17 January), reports Yonhap.

The farm ministry said it has ordered a little over 1.98 million cattle, pigs, goats and deer destroyed on 4,155 farms since the first FMD case was confirmed on 29 November last year.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

More Declines in US Market Pigs (January 2011)
By Chris Harris, Editor-in -Chief. Our snapshot of the ongoing global pig industry trends as reported in January 2011
The latest US census records a drop in hog and pig numbers in the US of 1.2 per cent compared to 2.6 per cent a year ago, according to the latest issue of Whole Hog.

The breeding herd was also down, by 0.9 per cent and the number of market pigs fell by 0.8 per cent but the Whole Hog reports that this is a vast improvement on the figures from the last census.

In Europe, the Whole Hog says that the German breeding herd and pig numbers are stable.

The total number of pigs in Germany is 26.87 million according to the latest census, just 0.1 per cent up on the census in November 2009.

The breeding herd is reported to be 2.23 million.


New Peak of 2011 Pig Price Cycle Looks in Reach
The Whole Hog says that the New Year has opened on a positive note for exporters.

The global pig price cycle has moved up and the Whole Hog says that if the momentum carries on, the price cycle could break through the 2005 peak.

Globally, pig meat production grew by just one per cent in 2010 to 107 million tonnes, the second poorest growth in a decade.

Production is down in both the EU and US and only China is showing any significant growth in Asia, the Whole Hog says.

In China, production is up by two per cent to 50 million tonnes.

The Whole Hog says that the FAO reports that weather conditions have affected grain stocks and it is posing the question of whether the world is heading for another food crisis.

The immediate effect of high feed prices has been to cut the expansion in pig production, which will firm up the market as supplies become tight, the Whole Hog says.

In Europe, there have been three consecutive months when pig prices have been up.

However, the Whole Hog warns that another month will show whether this is a trend and in the next month, Europe will also see what effect the dioxin scare in Germany has had on the market.

In the Euro-zone, the average price for pigs has risen by 5.5 per cent over the year to reach €139.25 per 100kg.

Canadian Trade Pattern Shifts
Canada's pork exporting companies have been shifting their focus.

While exports between January and October last year grew by 3.9 per cent, trade has been falling to markets such as Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, but have been growing to the USA, Japan, Mexico, Russia, China and the Philippines.

For the US, however, exports are failing to show a solid recovery.

The October figures show a one per cent fall in exports compared to October 2009, but the year-to-date figure of 1.522 million tonnes is up by 1.9 per cent.

The Whole Hog says that US exporters will be lucky to show a two per cent rate of growth for the full year.

The Australian trade balance is continuing to improve – slightly – with imports declining and exports either level or starting to rise.

In October, Australia exported 3,001 tonnes of pig meat worth A$9 million, a rise of nine per cent on October 2009.

Japanese pig meat imports have grown in the first nine months of 2010, with Canada making the most significant gains.

Canadian pig meat imports increased by 11 per cent on 2009 and imports of US pig meat are up by 4.8 per cent.

However, the Whole Hog reports that pork imports to South Korea to October last year have fallen across the board by 2.4 per cent.

The US has seen the greatest decline – down by 14 per cent – but is still the number one exporter of pig meat to South Korea. Canadian imports are down by five per cent, Danish imports are down by nine per cent and Chilean imports down by 0.3 per cent


Chris Harris, Senior Editor

[Mustang Sally Farm]

, January 20, 2011Print
World's Fastest Growing Piétrain Lands in N America
NORTH AMERICA - The Hypor Maxter has landed in North America.
 

Originating in Europe where the Piétrain is the dominant terminal breed, the Maxter is known as the world’s fastest growing Piétrain. With the European experience having been validated in recent Canadian commercial trials, semen from this new North American population will be available across Canada and the United States in 2011.

Hypor is pleased to announce the addition of the Hypor Maxter to its North American terminal boar portfolio. Exceptionally lean, efficient and fast growing, this Piétrain line sits next to Hypor's Kanto and Magnus Duroc terminal lines (including the DGI and Shade Oak populations). The addition provides producers in Canada and the United States with a comprehensive selection of terminal lines designed to optimise on-farm efficiency while meeting the diverse needs of the North American pork industry.

Originally developed by France Hybrides in 1971, the line was acquired by Hypor in 2008. The Hypor Maxter has achieved widespread commercial success in Europe where it is recognised for being the fastest growing Piétrain in the world. Recent Canadian commercial trials using imported semen have validated European results and demonstrate significant opportunity for the genes in the North American pork value chain. With ever increasing pressure on cost of production, the time was right to introduce the Hypor Maxter line to North America.

Hypor Maxter great grandparent males and females were imported to Manitoba, Canada in July 2010 from Hypor's Sichamps nucleus in France. Once Hypor and federal inspection processes were complete, the Hypor Maxters were moved from the isolation facility to the Lockport, Manitoba nucleus facility in November 2010. Maxter boars are also being placed in Hypor's Greenhill Gene Transfer Center and semen will be available for phase two commercial evaluation with strategic partners across Canada and the United States in early 2011 and for widespread commercial use in fourth quarter 2011.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Thursday, January 27, 2011
Foot-and-Mouth Disease in South Korea Signals Regional Risk
ASIA - FAO is calling for veterinary and border control authorities in Asia to be on alert for animals showing signs of infection by Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), following an unprecedented outbreak of the livestock-affecting sickness in South Korea.


Since late November 2010, South Korean authorities have imposed quarantines, initiated a vaccination campaign that is targeting nine million pigs and three million heads of cattle, and culled 2.2 million livestock. The overall cost of this effort is estimated at around $1.6 billion.

"The current FMD dynamics in eastern Asia, as well as the magnitude of the outbreak in South Korea, are unlike anything that we've seen for at least a half century," said Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer. "This makes preparedness and monitoring extremely important right now."

"Authorities in Asia should make sure they are in a position to detect any instances of the disease and respond rapidly in an appropriate way. FAO is advocating proactive vaccination campaigns designed to stop the spread of the disease," he said.

"FMD must be tackled as a regional problem, which is why FAO through its Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is planning to organize a meeting of chief veterinary officers of East Asian countries to discuss the current situation and possible coordinated responses," added Subhash Morzaria, Asia Region Manager of FAO's Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Operations.

Mr Lubroth also noted that when responding to outbreaks, countries should adhere to accepted practices that adequately take animal welfare and environmental impacts into account.

Virus circulating across East Asia
Media reports of an FMD outbreak in North Korea have not been confirmed by authorities there.

In recent years FMD has made an unparalleled spread through China and entered eastern regions of Russia and Mongolia for the first time. FMD recently affected an estimated 1.5 million Mongolian gazelles, whose migration may have helped carry the virus into China. FAO sent an emergency response team to Mongolia to help authorities cope with the disease.

The overall situation in Asia is cause for concern, said Mr Lubroth, especially given the approaching Lunar New Year holiday, during which large numbers of people will be on the move in the region, many h4of them carrying meat products and some transporting animals.

Hard to contain, a nightmare for farmers and vets
FMD is a highly contagious disease affecting cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, swine and other cloven-hoofed animals. It causes blisters on the nose, mouth and hooves and can kill young or weak animals. There are several types of FMD viruses. The type causing the outbreak in South Korea is Type O.

The disease does not pose a direct health threat to humans, but affected animals become too weak to be used to plough the soil or reap harvests, and farmers cannot sell the milk they produce due to infection by the virus.

One of the early signs of the disease in infected animals is the excessive production of saliva and nasal discharges. The FMD virus may survive for several hours outside the infected animal, especially in cold and humid environments. This means it can be transported on almost any object that has been in contact with contaminated saliva or other discharges.

The cost of cleaning farms and culling animals is a burden for farmers, and trade restrictions based on disease outbreaks can have major impacts on both local and national economies.

Costs resulting from an FMD outbreak in the UK in 2001 have been estimated at 13 billion euro.

Vaccination is key
With FMD introductions on the increase, the question arises whether large scale culling should remain the preferred method of dealing with FMD occurrences, or if vaccination should play a much more important role.

"Emergency vaccination with the aim to disrupt disease transmission and assist progressive elimination is increasingly applied, particularly during the peak of an epidemic, so as to buy time during culling operations. Vaccination can also be applied to protect animals and keep them alive and productive," said Lubroth. "Today we have tests that can distinguish between animals that were infected and animals that were vaccinated, making it easier for countries to re-obtain certification of FMD-freedom after recovering from an outbreak," he said.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Tuesday, February 01, 2011Print This Page
2010 Pork Exports Up in Volume, Value
BRAZIL - Pork export volumes in both November and December 2010 made double-digit declines compared to the same months of the previous year. For the year as a whole, exported volume was 11 per cent higher than the year before and the US dollar value of those sales was up more than nine per cent.


According to ABIPECS, Brazil exported 43,008 tons of pork in November 2010, which is 18.8 per cent less than the same month last year. The average price per ton in US dollars – $2,677 – was 22.9 per cent higher than the same month last year. The value of November's sales was US$115.1 million, just 0.3 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year.

The figures for December exports also show a drop in volume (-16.9 per cent compared to the same month in 2009) at 35,528 tons. Despite the average price in US dollars being 19.5 per cent higher than a year before at $2,588, the value of the month's exports was down marginally (0.70 per cent) compared to December 2009 at just under $92 million.

For the calendar year of 2010, pork exports were down 11.0 per cent to just over 540,418 tons, compared with 607,490 ton for 2009. The value of 2010 sales was $1.341 billion, which is 9.3 per cent higher than in 2009 ($1.226 billion). At $2,481 per tonne, the average US dollar price per ton of the 2010 sales was 22.9 per cent higher than in 2009, when the average stood at $2,019.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Wednesday, February 02, 2011Print This Page
S Korea Culls Over 3 Million Livestock to Control FMD
SOUTH KOREA - South Korea's quarantine authorities said Wednesday that they ordered the culling of more than 3 million animals to control the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).


The farm ministry said 142 cases of the highly contagious disease have been reported nationwide so far, including an outbreak in Hongseong, 150 kilometers south of Seoul, late Tuesday, after the first outbreak was confirmed on 29 November.

It said that while nationwide vaccinations were ordered for all 13 million heads of cattle and pigs in the country, with inoculations administered from Dec. 25 onward, the outbreak is estimated to have caused damage exceeding a minimum 1.5 trillion won (US$1.34 billion), although the number could easily exceed the 2 trillion won mark.

The government has destroyed a total of 148,000 heads of cattle, 2.87 million pigs and over 7,000 goats and deer as the disease has spread across six provinces and two large cities.

Quarantine experts said that because so many people will move around the country during the three-day-long Lunar New Year holiday that runs through Friday, there is a risk of people inadvertently spreading the highly contagious animal disease.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Wednesday, April 06, 2011
CBG Spends $400 Million to Get More Pork Eaters
JAMAICA - Large agro-producer Caribbean Broilers Group (CBG) has invested over $400 million to get more Jamaicans eating pork despite anti-pork preferences of many Jamaican consumers.


Concurrently the group wants to invest more funds in order to eliminate bacon importation within three years, Jamaica Observer reports.

The island has one of the lowest pork consumption rates in the world roughly one-seventh of the global average, according to Dr Keith Amiel corporate affairs manager at CBG in an Observer interview yesterday. The hurdles includes the dominant chicken diet and second the anti-pork influence of Rastafari and Adventist groups, he stated.

"There has been confusion in the Jamaican context because of the approach to pork by the Rastafari Adventist and other groups. The most eaten meat in the world is pork and in Jamaica we eat only six kilogrammes a year whilst Cuba next door eats 42 kilogrammes," stated Dr Amiel who added that the average person in the world eats 40 to 45 kilogrammes. "So in Jamaica we are low and out. Yet we have this international image of Boston Jerk Pork and Jamaica Jerk Pork and so on."

He reasoned that opportunities exist to increase local pork consumption by filling supply shortfalls in beef and mutton of which $100-$150 million of the latter meat is imported a month.

The CBG which also produces CB Chicken spent an initial $200 million investment in its pork facility at New Pork East in Bodles and also a pig farm in Lucea seven years ago. Yesterday Amiel revealed that the group more than doubled that investment based on the 20 per cent growth of local pork market.

"It represents the success of those initial investments and since then much more money has been invested into the pork products," stated Dr Amiel who was mum on expenditure in order to respect private shareholder confidentiality.

He however stated that further investment would commence shortly in an attempt to eliminate the island's bacon and pig-parts importation within three years. The tourism sector has mainly fueled this growth, he explained.

"The Europeans eat an awful lot of pork, sausage and bacon. The idea is to expand this aspect of the business," he said."We will increase production so as to make the island self-sufficient and satisfy the requirements of the tourist industry which is increasing at a rapid rate. Especially European tourists."

The island eats some 130,000 pigs a year and employs some 6,000, according to Dr Amiel quoting a government report. The poultry industry by contrast employs 30,000.

The New Pork East facility focuses on pig research, development and breeding pig stock utilising imported semen from Canada. He noted that poultry is a mature industry with Jamaicans eating that meat daily.

"Chicken has even become a breakfast meat," he stated then alluded to the fact that chicken's dominance once mirrored Pork's fledgling status."We have been able to grow that industry successfully."

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Uncertain Times Ahead for Producers
The world's biggest pork exporters are likely to be vulnerable to trade disruption as the result of disease, and increasing regulations in the EU and US will push up the costs of pig and poultry production. These are Rabobank's predictions for the next decade, writes Jackie Linden, Senior Editor.

David C. Nelson, global strategist for Rabobank International, presented his predictions for the pig and poultry industries at the opening ceremony of the VIV Asia trade show in Bangkok, Thailand, in March.

He expects disruption of world trade patterns for pork as the result of disease,such as the current foot and mouth disease (FMD) crisis in Asia. Mr Nelson also predicts rising production costs in the US and EU as further welfare and environmental regulations are introduced in those countries.

Introducing his topic – Focus 2021 – Mr Nelson explained that producer prices have not risen significantly in past years because the increase in agricultural land has matched the growth in the human population. GDP growth, however, is accelerating demand for animal proteins, especially in Brazil, China, India and Indonesia, he said.

At the same time, the increase in crop yields has been slowing down for decades.

In Brazil, Mr Nelson said, the costs of land and fertilisers, as well as currency fluctuation, have increased costs of production and crop prices.

Another area growing in importance to supply global grain needs is Russia's Black Sea region. The proportion of its wheat crop exported rose over the last decade from five to 25 per cent. Productivity should be increased there, suggested Mr Nelson, although yields are variable. Productive area has increased lately.

Me Nelson identified the Black Sea region and parts of Brazil as 'Cereal traps' where the distances to ports and/or poor infrastructure hamper exports. Russia has solved this problem by expanding animal protein production in the Black Sea region.

He went on to describe the 'China Corn Conundrum'. With soybean imports last year increasing by 60 million tonnes, equivalent to 45 million tonnes of soya bean meal. Assuming a ratio of 2:1 in the requirements of corn to soybean meal, experts expected China's corn imports to increase by 90 million tonnes. In fact, corn imports increased just 30 million tonnes, leading to speculation over the use of China's imported soy last year.

Feed costs were high in both 2008 and 2011 but Mr Nelson explained that the situation this year is different as there is not light at the end of the tunnel. Even with a fair US corn crop and the expected increase in planted area, the harvest is unlikely to produce a comfortable 15 per cent stock-to-use ratio.

In terms of key global animal protein issues, Mr Nelson noted the changed in global meat company rankings. In recent years, Brazilian companies have tended to take over from US companies. In future, he expected to see the rise of Chinese and Russian companies into this league table. Intra-country consolidation is a likely feature in the US and EU, he said.

Russia was the top destination for meat exports but government policy for greater self-sufficiency in pork and poultry meat means that the world's leading meat exports will need to seek new markets in the coming years.

Disease outbreaks are likely to be a key issue for the global pork industry, according to Mr Nelson. The recent FMD outbreak in South Korea is known to have hit great grandparent stocks so the recovery of the pig industry there may take years to recover.

FMD is also an issue in China, where the sow herd is down three per cent over the last year, and pig meat output is forecast to be back to its 2005/06 levels, albeit at higher prices. As a result, China may increase pork imports substantially this year although with such high prices, will the gap in the market be met by increasing imports of grain or pork, Mr Nelson asked.

Previously, Russia led the rankings as a pig meat importer but the growing level of self-sufficiency there will free up the global market to some degree.

In conclusion, Mr Nelson said he sees the key features in global meat trade as pork trade disruption resulting from serious pig disease and rising production costs in the US and EU arising from a growing burden of welfare and environmental regulations.

March 2011

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Friday, April 08, 2011
Brazil's Pork Exports Gain Again in February
BRAZIL - Pork export volume in February was almost eight per cent higher than in the same month of the previous year but the value of those exports was up more than 20 per cent in US dollar terms.


According to ABIPECS, Brazil exported 39,060 tons of pork in February 2011, which is 7.6 per cent more than the same month last year. The average price per ton in US dollars – $2,575 – was 11.5 per cent higher than one year ago. The value of February's sales was almost US$100.6 million, which was 20.0 per cent more than February 2010.

For the year to date, the volume exported was 73,869 tons, just 2.0 per cent below the equivalent figure for 2010. The value of those export is up 11.1 per cent at $193.6 million. The average price is $2,621 per ton, which is 13.3 per cent above that of one year ago

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Monday, April 11, 2011
PorkFest in Full Swing
AUSTRALIA - Some of the country's best chefs together with major grocery retailers and more than 1200 butchers across the country have launched April’s International PorkFest to a hungry audience.


Consumers around the country are being encouraged to have a month-long love affair with pork by cooking up an international storm using different cuts and different cuisine styles, according to Australian Pork Ltd.

From schnitzel, Bolognese, lasagne, Aussie BBQ cutlets and ribs, Asian pork belly, hock, won tons or char sui to Latin pulled pork, tonkatsu, roasts with crackling or suckling pig, the meal ideas are endless considering pork is the most widely consumed meat on the planet.

April is a time when a flush of pigs conceived in the cooler post summer months boom onto the market. Australian Pork Limited (APL) is hoping the inaugural International PorkFest will be a great opportunity for consumers to ‘pig out’ and for the nation's pig farmers to make up some lost ground from the devastating effects of costly feed grain over the past years of drought, combined with the huge impost from losing 70 to 80 per cent of the bacon and ham market to subsidised imported pig meat that goes into local small goods production.

APL CEO, Andrew Spencer, said: "The International Festival of Pork celebrates a seasonal abundance of pork. There's plenty of it, it's excellent quality and affordably priced. April will be like going on a world tour while staying in Australia and having your porcine passport stamped in the most delicious way."

While Coles, Woolworths and local butchers showcase pork throughout the month, the PorkFest has also invaded the menus of hundreds clubs, pubs and restaurants across the country. Leading pub group ALH is right behind the PorkFest with 200 of its hotels expected to serve about 30,000 portions of pork cutlets by the end of April. While top restaurants such as Sydney's Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Flying Fish and Pendolino; Melbourne's Bluestone, Gingerboy and Pearl Restaurant and Bar; Brisbane's Ecco, Lurleen's, Azafran and Citron; Perth's Jackson’s Restaurant, Must Wine Bar and Restaurant and Clarke's of North Beach as well as Jolley's Boathouse Restaurant, Urban Bistro and The Wine Underground in Adelaide – they are all flying the pink flag.

Celebrity chefs Miguel Maestre (TVs Boy's Weekend and Aperitif Restaurant), Lauren Murdoch (Felix Restaurant and Bar), Nino Zoccali (Pendolino Restaurant) and Alvin Quah (TV's Masterchef) are the faces of the month-long festivities, letting consumers know how to cook their favourite cuts of pork using treasured family cultural recipes.

Whatever the cuisine, the style of cooking, the time of day or the occasion, April is the perfect time to put Australian Pork on your fork.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Industry Concerned about Imported Disease
NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand Pork is deeply concerned about new Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF) standards issued today (13 April 2011) that relax biosecurity around imported pork.


New Zealand Pork says that not only could the lower standards undo the historic welfare code embraced by the industry in December, but also weaken New Zealand's biosecurity for the whole agricultural sector, according to Scoop.

The proposed relaxing of biosecurity standards could allow the exotic disease Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) to enter New Zealand and infect local pigs – impacting the pig welfare transformation already underway throughout the country.

Pork imported to New Zealand from countries with PRRS must currently undergo treatment to deactivate the disease. Under the new proposals this requirement would be eliminated. This opens the door for transmission of the disease.

New Zealand Pork CEO, Sam McIvor, says: "New Zealand pork producers have committed to world-leading animal welfare standards and are extremely concerned about the risks from the proposed relaxing of biosecurity standards around imported pork.

"It just doesn't make sense to introduce pig welfare standards on one hand while putting them at risk of this imported, highly distressing disease on the other.

"Like many others in the economy our pork producers are doing it tough at present. The changes farmers are making do come at a cost. The last thing they need is to be undermined by the potential for new and exotic diseases introduced as a result of short-sighted legislation," he said.

Mr McIvor says the new MAF biosecurity standards would put New Zealand's overall biosecurity in jeopardy.

"There is real concern within the primary production sector about the precedent this sets for an increase in risk to New Zealand's biosecurity generally. The value of New Zealand's exports in world markets is due in large part to our world-class healthy production base. This message has been reinforced by industry in its submissions on the Biosecurity Law Reform Bill currently before Parliament.

"New Zealanders are concerned about animal welfare – why put this at risk?" Mr McIvor said, according to Scoop.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

Monday, April 18, 2011
Import One Pork Disease, Get the Second One Free?
NEW ZEALAND - Proposals by the Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries (MAF) to relax import health standards for raw pork from the United States, Canada, Mexico and the European Union (EU), is like playing Russian roulette with the entire agricultural sector.


“Although MAF have stated that there is only a 1 in 1227 year risk of an outbreak of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) from imported raw pork, this doesn’t account for other serious animal diseases carried in raw meat,” says John Hartnell, Federated Farmers biosecurity spokesperson.

"Take Bulgaria, which is a member of the EU. Bulgaria has been struggling to put down an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, which has infected pigs and other livestock and fresh outbreaks were confirmed only last week.

“The potential for not just PRRS but other diseases to be carried in raw pork is real. Pigs are one of the greatest risk vectors for ruminant diseases and we don’t want to import one disease and get a second one for free

“I’m sure MAF believes its calculations, but a disease doesn’t stop to check the calendar to see what year it is. ‘1 in a 1227 years’ could well be next year?

“After all, the odds of a standard ticket winning last weekend’s $34 million Powerball were 1 in 3.8 million but that didn’t stop two people from doing just that. MAF’s odds seem more numerology than science – a belief in the numbers and not what a trend maybe telling us.

“This is not a case of protectionism. We live for free trade but that does not mean unquestioning trade.

“What we're talking about is retail ready raw pork that can be delivered from the export carton straight to a supermarket’s shelf or to any food service outlet in the country. There is potential for raw meat to host exotic diseases.

“The move to relax import health standards for raw pork is the thin edge of the biosecurity wedge Especially when agreement has just been finalised, which will see New Zealand pork producers adopt world-leading animal welfare standards.

“This considerable investment will now be overshadowed by the increased risk that this industry now faces.

“As an island, we're still thankfully free of most exotic pests and diseases due to sound biosecurity. It’s time to put aside the calculator, open up our eyes and start matching activity with old fashioned common sense,” Mr Hartnell concluded.

[Mustang Sally Farm]

, April 21, 2011
Sydney Show Suggests Pig Industry is Rebuilding
AUSTRALIA - Pig numbers at the Sydney Royal Easter Show have increased this year, suggesting the worst is over for pig producers. Up to 50 per cent of producers left the industry because of the introduction of imported pig meat from Denmark, lower prices for pigs and demands by the big retailers, who want producers to phase out sow stalls.


Chairman of the Royal Agricultural Society pig committee, Paul Hassab, says when the Royal Easter Show was still being held at Moore Park, they used to get 1,200-1,300 pigs attending.

"Those days are gone, and the number of pigs being exhibited got down to just 50 three to four years ago," he said.

"Now we've got about a dozen exhibitors and just over 300 pigs, and if we can maintain that, it would be great."

According to ABC, David Middleton, who has been a producer for 40 years, says in the north and north-west of NSW, 600 piggeries have shut down over the last five years.

"There are big changes underway and most producers have had enough," he said.

"There's not enough money it in, it costs a lot to change, so many are retiring.

"It will take a big change to move pigs from dry sow stalls to group houses.

"We don't use them...and pigs are not always happier ranging free."

Mr Middleton thinks that despite the problems, things are turning around for producers, with consumers keen to buy Australian pork.

"Woolworths have got behind us quite a bit and a lot of the local butchers are really getting behind it and I think it's working.

"We're certainly trying, but I don't think we're going to push those imports out."

Despite the increased numbers at the Royal Easter, the auction did not go well.

Mr Middleton sold one boar for $750, but he's not dissatisfied.

"If you think you're going to show and make money, you don't. You do it for the pleasure and the prestige.

"There's a show at Gunnedah at the end of the month and we usually sell them all there."

Brian Badgery, RAS councillor for pigs, says the auction was "disappointing".

"It's been very hard work, I'm sorry to say.

"There's a lot of interest in the coloured pigs, but generally not a lot of movement.

"The prices are reasonable, but maybe people are holding off to close a deal by private treaty."

Only two pigs were sold and the top price was $750, well below the $3000 record set in the late 1980s.

Auctioneer Mike Brady says there aren't many pig producers in Sydney and it's not surprising the selling was slow.

They switched to an open auction this year, but will probably return to a private selling arrangement next year.

Overall, Mr Hassab says the quality of the pigs at the show is the "best we've seen for 8-10 years".

[Mustang Sally Farm]

2011 Trade Forecast Update: Pork Higher; Beef and Broiler Meat Stable
Global pork output in 2011 has been increased to 52.5 million metric tonnes (MMT), up from the October 2010 estimate of 51.5MMT, according to the latest Livestock and Poultry World Markets and Trade report from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
 

Summary
Record global pork production is largely a function of efficiency gains in China, and higher slaughter weights in the EU, which are expected to more than offset the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) related drop in South Korea. Expanded world trade is driven by strong demand from South Korea, China and the Ukraine.

World Pork Production Slightly Higher
Chinese production is raised slightly from October’s forecast, as high pork prices and stronger demand encourage expansion by modern, more efficient producers.

The EU is revised upward in line with higher than expected slaughter and weights. Restructuring in the hog industry is expected to accelerate, as the most inefficient farms and some backyard production leave the industry.

Historical revisions were made to the Russian swine and pork data. High feed prices and limited feed availability in late 2010 constrained previously forecast expansion.

South Korea is reduced by one-third – the lowest level in nearly 20 years – as a result of the worst FMD outbreak in the country’s history. The culling of 30 per cent of the swine herd, combined with the two- to three-month waiting period before restocking FMD-affected farms, will temporarily reduce the pig crop.

The US forecast is raised slightly due to higher expected slaughter and heavier weights.

World Imports Raised Mostly on South Korea
Shortages in South Korean domestic pork supplies are expected to be partially offset by a nearly 50 per cent jump in expected imports. To facilitate those imports and help curb rising prices, the Korean government created a special zero duty tariff-rate-quota (TRQ) for frozen pork bellies and other cuts. Even with larger imports however, pork consumption is expected to fall, as high prices cause consumers to shift to other meat proteins such as fish, poultry, and imported red meats.

China is raised as robust demand outpaces modest production gains.

Ukraine is revised upward in response to stronger demand.

World Exports up as the EU and the United States Capture Rising Asian Demand
EU is forecast significantly higher with strong demand from Asia and Russia. The EU will likely fill much of the Korean zero duty TRQ for frozen pork bellies, while expanded pork shipments to Russia are expected in place of live hogs for slaughter.

The forecast for the United States is unchanged although stronger shipments are expected in the first half of the year due to strong demand from South Korea and China. Along with the EU, US pork is expected to account for a portion of the Korean zero-duty TRQ for pork cuts given its readily available supplies and strong price competitiveness.