meat
A recap: Congress constrains whole-grain rule, beef checkoff
The government funding bill approved by Congress would relax a requirement for schools to use more whole-grain rich foods and block USDA from creating a new beef checkoff program.
World meat prices up 8 percent in 2014, says FAO
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization says its meat price index rose by 8 percent during 2014 while the other elements in its Food Price Index - cereal grains, vegetable oils, dairy products and sugar - fell.
NAS report lists priorities for food animal research
A report from the National Academy of Sciences suggest four priorities for research to assure an adequate meat supply for a world population that could reach 10 billion by 2050.
Earliest date for mechanically tenderized meat labels – 2018
Food Safety News says "the earliest consumers will see labels on mechanically tenderized beef in grocery stores will be 2018" because the administration failed to complete work on the regulation during December.
Slow progress on label for mechanically tenderized meat
Consumer groups fear the slow pace of rule-writing may delay until 2018 the labeling of mechanically tenderized meat, says Food Safety News.
COOL appeal may come in the new year
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told DTN it may be January before the United States files an appeal of the World Trade Organization ruling against U.S. country-of-origin meat labels.
Appeal and negotiate on COOL, don’t repeal it, say backers
The United States should appeal an adverse WTO ruling on country-of-origin labels on beef, pork and chicken meat, said four farm and consumer groups.
Grocery chain is asked to use its leverage to save antibiotics
Grocery chain Trader Joe's should help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics by putting stricter standards on its meat suppliers, says Consumers Union.
WTO again says U.S. meat-orgin labels distort world trade
For the second time, the World Trade Organization ruled U.S. meat-origin labels are a violation of global trade rules. The ruling, which can be appealed, opens the door to retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods if the regulations are not modified. Appeals generally are not successful at this stage at WTO but they can delay an adverse decision for a couple of months.
Looking for protein
If there are artisanal butchers, there ought to be tasty, locally made meat alternatives, writes Kristina Johnson at Civil Eats, pointing to surveys that show sizable interest in the products.
CSPI petitions to classify salmonella as meat adulterant
The consumer group Center for Science in the Public Interest re-filed a petition that calls for USDA to classify four strains of antibiotic-resistant salmonella bacteria as a food adulterant.
WTO rules against US meat-label rules for second time
The World Trade Organization has ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico in the six-year-old dispute over U.S. rules that require packages of beef, pork and poultry to carry labels saying where the meat was produced, says the Wall Street Journal.
Brazil looks for larger ag sales to Russia
The Russian ban on food and ag products from Western nations including the United States is likely to mean more business for Brazil, says Reuters.
Foes try to de-fang meat-labeling law in USDA bill
Foes hope to shorten the lifetime of the country-of-origin meat labeling law with help of the Agriculture Department funding bill pending in the House.
Beef, pork and egg prices rising higher than expected
The Agriculture Department forecasts sharply higher beef, pork and egg prices this year although its overall estimate for U.S. food price inflation is unchanged at 3 percent. In its Food Price Report, USDA said it now now expects a 6 percent increase in beef prices for the year, with pork up 3.5 percent and eggs up 5.5 percent.
Appellate court to hear mandatory meat-label case
The U.S. Court of Appeals in DC is scheduled to hear arguments today over USDA regulations that require cuts of beef, pork and poultry meat to carry labels saying where the meat was born, raised and slaughtered, says Feedstuffs. It's the latest hearing for a case that began July 2013.
US meat consumption rate is down 9 pct in a decade
Americans are consuming 9 pct less red meat and poultry per person than a decade ago, the result of rising prices and lower production. The 2007/08 recession also was a factor. Per capita consumption is estimated for 200.6 lbs this year, compared to 222 lbs in 2004, according to the Agriculture Department.
Eat less meat, reduce climate change gases
The executive summary of a European study, "Nitrogen on the Table," says if Europe reduced its meat consumption, it "would reduce nitrogen air and water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, while freeing up large areas of farmland for other purposes such as food export or bioenergy."
Reports of three new human cases of bird flu include California child
Arizona health officials said two workers employed at poultry farms have recovered from mild cases of bird flu while the public health agency in Marin County, north of San Francisco, said it was investigating a possible bird flu infection of a child. If confirmed by the CDC, the U.S. total for bird flu infections would rise to 61 people in eight states this year.