The International Trade Committee today calls for an analysis of potential risks to the UK’s food security arising from the New Zealand trade deal.

In a new report on the UK’s trade agreement with New Zealand, the cross-party Committee of MPs raises concerns over the elimination of tariffs on New Zealand goods and the impact of opening UK agri-food markets to cheaper imports.

Much of New Zealand’s beef, sheep-meat and dairy are cheaper than those produced in the UK due to lower production costs.

With the Government’s impact assessment predicting that the UK’s agriculture, forestry, fishing, and semi-processed food sectors could contract due to increased competition, the Committee questions whether the pros and cons of tariff liberalisation have been fully considered.

While concluding that, on balance, the agreement should be ratified, the Committee outlines that it presents few new opportunities for UK exporters, and suggests more export opportunities or greater safeguards for the sector could have been negotiated.

The MPs criticise the absence of a single, unifying Government trade strategy and call for the publication of a clearly defined vision for trade, showing how it balances different priorities in the best interests of consumers and businesses. The Government’s approach to negotiating new deals is characterised as reactive and hasty, and not joined-up across departments. The Committee notes that current Treasury plans to raise taxes on higher-alcohol content beverages could negate measures in the agreement aimed at reducing the price of New Zealand wines.

The Committee also expresses shock that the UK is signing trade deals without thoroughly understanding how they interact with the Northern Ireland Protocol. MPs call on the Government to provide reassurance on how agreements between the UK, the EU and New Zealand will interact so that Northern Ireland can benefit from the trade deal in the same way as the rest of the UK.

The report calls for MPs to be given the opportunity to debate the agreement during the Parliamentary scrutiny period, with the ability to show their support, or otherwise, for it through a vote.

 

 

UK Parliament

Northern WA’s only major abattoir will undergo a $35 million expansion in a bid to boost its processing capacity by 60 per cent. 

It comes just six months after Kimberley Meat Company (KMC) reopened the facility — about 100 kilometres east of Broome — after it was mothballed in 2020.

As part of the expansion, the KMC abattoir — owned by Yeeda Pastoral Company — will extend its boning room, cold storage capacity, yard size, and add a rendering plant to the facility.

It also plans to open a butcher shop in Broome.

The expansion will allow the facility to increase its annual throughput to 85,000 head of cattle with a daily processing increase from 250 to 400 animals within the next year.

KMC chief executive David Larkin said the development would also provide pastoralists with the option to sell feeder cattle to the facility, rather than just heavier slaughter cattle.

“There are a lot of good feeder cattle that are produced in the Kimberley and we think we can add value to those, increase our numbers and give the producers another option other than live export,” he said.

 

By Stephanie Sinclair / ABC Kimberley

New research has shown that British Aberdeen-Angus beef is a one of the most popular premium meat brands for UK supermarkets to stock.

The mystery shopper data analysis was carried out by the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society and revealed that the native breed is a popular choice for the UK consumer across of big-name supermarkets including Aldi, Asda, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer.

According to the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, farming the popular breed has a variety of benefits including high growth rates, its ability to withstand unpredictable weather and the fact the cattle can be fed with low cost feed.

Though it is a premium product, the mystery shopper research found that British Aberdeen Angus beef is still extremely popular amongst UK supermarkets, something that Robert Gilchrist, the Society’s CEO has said to be a testament to the hard work farmers put in to producing beef with such a high meat-eating quality.

“It is especially reassuring to see such a strong brand presence in both discount retailers and the more high-end supermarkets,” said Gilchrist.

 

New Food

Perthshire butcher Simon Howie has revealed his energy costs have increased 10-fold since the start of the crisis.

The entrepreneur has said it’s bringing a “significant” challenge to his butchery business.

He has been left with no choice but to pass on increased costs to customers.

“It puts a lot of pressure on the business,” he said.

“It means we’re having to do our best to pass these cost increases on.

“But that’s not an easy thing to do in the current climate.”

Mr Howie said the business’ price per kWh has increased 10-fold recently.

He also accused energy companies of “bullying” behaviour through its increase in prices.

“Energy is being priced based on the value of gas,” he added.

“Anecdotally the country can come off fossil fuels because we’ve got so much renewable energy, yet we’re finding the price of electricity is going up between five and 10 times.

“Why is that? We don’t produce most of it from fossil fuels. There’s only one gas fired power station in Scotland. Why are we being penalised by our energy costs?

 

by Gavin Harper / The Courier

Six of the outbreaks in Norfolk were on chicken and turkey farms run by Mr Gorton.

He said he lost 100,000 birds, which is 10% of his stock.

“We’ve never known it as bad as this… we just don’t seem to be able to get it under control,” he said.

Mr Gorton said avian flu would “normally die out over the summer but it’s actually getting worse”.

 

Chinese authorities on Friday stepped up efforts to stabilize pork prices with the release of 20,000 tons of pork from central reserves while reiterating their resolution to combat the fluctuation of pork prices.

A batch of 20,000 tons of pork from central reserves was released for bidding on Friday. It is the sixth batch of central reserves to be released by China in 2022. A total of 107,100 tons of pork have been released into the market in the past five rounds of issuance since September, Beijing News reported.

The issuance of the central pork reserve comes as China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country’s top economic planner, said that it would step up efforts to stabilize pig prices amid soaring pork prices.

NDRC said on its official WeChat account on Friday that all localities are required to increase the release of pork reserves in order to meet the demand for key festive consumption such as New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year, and in areas where prices are too high.

The NDRC stressed that at present, pork reserves at the central and local levels remain sufficient, and there is a solid basis for dealing with the abnormal fluctuation in pork prices.

 

By Global Times

Cattle farmers in Botswana, one of Africa’s top beef exporters to the European Union, have welcomed renewed beef exports to Europe.

The move follows a two-month ban that followed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and the culling of thousands of cows.

Botswana officials on Monday said the August outbreak near the border with Zimbabwe has been brought under control, although a ban on cattle from the area remains in place.

Due to tough restrictions, beef exports to the European Union had been suspended because of the outbreak in August.

But farmers like Bathusi Letlhare said they are now relieved following Monday’s announcement of the partial lifting of the ban.

“It is a welcome development because the EU is one of the main markets for our beef,” Letlhare said. “They pay good prices, and this, in turn, benefits farmers a lot. It is always bad when we have an FMD outbreak and the market has to be closed.”

Letlhare added that the frequent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have had an adverse impact on the economy.

“I can say 80 percent of households have livestock, and when FMD breaks out and certain markets are closed, it becomes a big challenge to farmers,” Letlhare said. “Farmers cannot move cattle to markets, and there is no income to farmers, and the whole economy is affected.”

 

Mqondisi Dube / Voice of America 

Oct 20 (Reuters) – London-based Hoxton Farms said on Thursday it had raised $22 million from investors to build a pilot plant to produce animal fat from stem cells, aiming to tap into the growing market for less carbon-intensive foods.

Many people in developed countries are looking to cut their consumption of traditional meat, but some find plant-based alternatives less satisfying to eat or cook with.

Hoxton Farms seeks to address the issue by producing animal fat from stem cells that can then be used as an ingredient in plant-based products.

“The result is not an alternative. It’s real fat tissue, just made in a different way,” co-founder Max Jamilly told Reuters.

“Coconut, sunflower, palm, and canola oil taste funky, degrade quickly, burn easily, melt inconsistently,” he said in a statement.

By Juliette Portala / Reuters

Exports of Welsh lamb to new markets have rocketed by 227 per cent, demonstrating ’real appetite’ for renowned red meat brands, Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) chair Catherine Smith has said.

The countries now taking the meat include Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Addressing delegates at SIAL Paris during a reception event hosted by HCC, Ms Smith revealed exports of Welsh lamb to Europe had also increased 22 per cent compared to last year, before paying tribute to Welsh farmers efforts in producing sustainable food.

“Independent research shows that lamb and beef produced in Wales has a lower carbon footprint compared with that from other parts of the world,” she said.

“We rely on healthy soils, natural rainwater and a respect for the land which has been instilled in us through generations.

“We are committed to becoming a global exemplar of how to produce quality food, sustainably and efficiently.”

 

by Hannah Binns / Farmers Guardian

Avian influenza Prevention Zone has been declared across Great Britain making it a legal requirement for all bird keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures.

Following an increase in the number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds and on commercial premises, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across Great Britain to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

This means that from midday on Monday 17 October, it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Great Britain to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu.

Implementing the highest levels of biosecurity measures on farm is the most effective way in reducing the risk of disease spreading and is the best way to protect flocks. The introduction of the AIPZ comes after the United Kingdom has faced its largest ever outbreak of avian flu with 190 cases confirmed across the United Kingdom since late October 2021, with over 30 of these confirmed since the beginning of the month. The East of England has been particularly badly hit with outbreaks in poultry and captive birds. There have also been outbreaks in the south west and in wild birds at multiple sites across Great Britain.

Avian influenza circulates naturally in wild birds and when they migrate to the United Kingdom from mainland Europe over the winter they can spread the disease to poultry and other captive birds. Maintaining strict biosecurity is the most effective method of protecting birds from the virus.

Keepers with more than 500 birds will need to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading. Backyard owners with smaller numbers of poultry including chickens, ducks and geese must also take steps to limit the risk of the disease spreading to their animals.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advises that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency advises that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

Continues..

 

Gov.UK