President Biden’s proposal to lower consumer beef prices misses the mark on why costs have increased, the country’s largest meat industry trade group said Monday.

Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, said labour shortages and shutdowns of meat production facilities because of COVID-19 are the real culprits — not monopolies and price-fixing as Mr. Biden contends.

“The market has already begun to balance itself. All of the government spending announced again today is too late for consumers and producers,” Ms. Little said in an interview. “The White House is eager to announce $1billion in spending — again — on expanding meat packing capacity but has not engaged packer processors since the summer.”

President Biden is blaming the increased beef pries on anti-competitive practices in the meat industry. He accused four meatpacking companies of running a near-monopoly in the sector, saying they control 85% of beef processing, while another four firms control 54% of the nation’s poultry processing.

Mr. Biden on Monday will announce a $1 billion plan to expand independent beef, pork, and chicken processing to boost competition. The money will finance worker training and technical assistance to independent companies.

The president also wants meat producers selling their cattle to offer more information about their pricing.

“When dominant middlemen control so much of the supply chain, they can increase their own profits at the expense of both farmers — who make less — and consumers — who pay more,” the White House said in a fact sheet on the plan.

Ms. Little said there are still many unanswered questions about the administration’s plan, including how much the government-sponsored processors will pay employees and what the administration sees as a reasonable price for beef.

As the meat industry sees it, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down production plants, farmers were left with nowhere to send their beef.

By Jeff Mordock  / The Washington Times

The UK’s advertisement watchdog has rejected complaints by vegan groups that AHDB’s recent meat and dairy adverts were misleading the public.

The complaint, made by the Vegan Society and numerous others, surrounded AHDB’s recent £1.5 million advertisement campaign ‘We Eat Balanced’.

They were aired earlier this year, and showcased to the public the benefits of eating meat and dairy as part of a balanced diet.

The campaign, which attracted 487 complaints in total, represented a first for the industry as it was delivered in partnership from across the pork, beef, lamb and dairy sectors.

But the Vegan Society had issued a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in February, saying the commercials ‘sent the wrong message’ to those ‘considering a plant-based diet’.

In particular, the society, along with other plant-based organisations and animal rights groups, said the campaign’s message that only meat and dairy contained vitamin B12 had ‘presented a false narrative’.

According to the society, livestock are ‘routinely fed with vitamin B12 supplemented feed, equivalent to supplementing a vegan diet’.

It added that it had also submitted an open letter to the ASA, claiming that the campaign “is not in line with Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance that organisations ‘Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.’”

But in a ruling made on Tuesday (17 August), the ASA rejected the complaint, pointing to the government’s own guidance on healthy eating and balanced diets, which includes meat and dairy.

AHDB’s chief communications officer Christine Watts responded by saying the organisation was ‘delighted’ with the ruling and were ‘grateful for the careful consideration they gave to all the points which were raised’.

“For British farming this is an important day as we can continue to communicate the benefits around consuming red meat and dairy as part of a balanced diet.

“We work hard to ensure our campaigns are robust and evidence-based,” she said.

by FarmingUK 

By Louise Cullen / BBC NI

The number of independent butcher shops in Ireland fell by 65% over an almost 30-year period, according to the coordinators of a butchery apprenticeship programme.

There were around 2,300 independent butcher shops in Ireland in 1990, but by 2019 that figure had fallen to about 800.

According to the 2016 Census, there were approximately 6,300 butchers working in Ireland across the entire meat industry.

Aisling O’Brien  / Agriland

After faltering for the past two weeks, liveweight lamb prices have again moved upwards this week. In the week ended 22 December the GB liveweight NSL SQQ increased by almost 9p, to 280.43p/kg. Throughputs were slightly lower than in other recent weeks at 115,000 head, reflecting that the Christmas kill is now over.

Meanwhile, the GB deadweight NSL SQQ reflected the previous move in liveweight prices, dropping 11p, to 620.4p/kg for the week ending 18 December. Estimated kill for that week totalled 237,000 head, 24% down on the same week last year.

By Rebecca Wright / AHDB

AHDB

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 3 (Reuters) – Argentina on Monday extended its suspension of exports of some beef cuts with little international demand until the end of 2023, a measure previously agreed with the sector.

“The measures contribute to generating a balance between the Argentine market and the export of meat products,” the government said of the decision.

“Export administration is established for some beef cuts that are preferred by the Argentine market and for mass consumption,” it added

Reporting by Hernán Nessi; writing by Peter Frontini / Reuters

The number of pigs on German farms has fallen to the lowest in 25 years and more farmers are giving up keeping them because of weak demand and low pork prices, Germany’s national statistics office has said.

Germany’s pork market has suffered this year from disruption to exports caused by the pig disease African swine fever (ASF), anti-pandemic lockdowns, plus a general trend away from meat eating.

The number of pigs on German farms in November 2021 fell by 9.4% on the year to around 2.45 million animals, the agency said.

Some 18,800 German farms were involved in pig production in November, down 7.8% on the year.

“The reasons include the low demand from retailers and for export along with low pork prices,” the office said.

China and other buyers banned imports of German pork in September 2020 after the first case of ASF was confirmed in wild boar in east Germany near the border with Poland. German pork sales inside Europe continue.

Germany’s government needs to develop a strategy to help farmers and prevent its farmers losing market share to those in other countries, Torsten Staack, CEO of German pig farming association ISN, said.

“In order to understand the difficult situation among German pig farmers, it must be remembered that in the same period in other countries, for example Spain, production has increased by the same level,” he said.

Spain has taken over a large proportion of Germany’s pork exports to China.

German pig prices were stable this year, currently around €1.23 a kilogram slaughter weight, but down from €1.47 a kilogram before the first ASF case in September 2020.

News by Reuters, edited by ESM.

A pocket-sized booklet full of facts, figures and trends for the Welsh lamb, beef and pork industries has been released.

The latest statistical guide to Wales’ red meat industry has been launched by industry levy body Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).

The ‘Little Book of Meat Facts’ is an annual publication produced for anyone with an interest in the sector, covering the financial year from April 2020 to March 2021

The data provided covers everything from the size of agricultural holdings and market trends to trade data and consumer habits during this time period.

It follows an extraordinary year as a result of Brexit and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The guide shows that, despite all the disruptions and changes during 2020/2021, the industry remains key to the economy in Wales.

HCC’s data analyst, Glesni Phillips said: “We usually launch the Little Book of Meat Facts earlier in the year, but Covid restrictions meant that statistics weren’t readily available until later than usual.

“However, the end product contains all the usual information, from general statistics which provide an overview of Welsh agriculture, followed by specific sections on cattle, sheep and pigs.”

She added: “Here in Wales, it is the backbone of rural communities. Large numbers are employed in the sector and the contribution of red meat production to the economy is significant.”

by Farming UK