SAO PAULO, Sept 17 (Reuters) – The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has lifted a suspension of Brazilian meat imports from five meatpackers imposed this month after two cases of mad cow disease, according to Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry and a document seen by Reuters.

The SFDA document, dated Thursday, shows that the five plants are now authorized to ship beef to Saudi Arabia.

Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry confirmed to Reuters that the Saudi government has lifted its suspension.

Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, has seen sales to some countries, including No. 1 customer China, halted over the disease.

The United States will lift its ban on imports of British lamb, Boris Johnson has announced, a move the sheep sector says will help maximise trade opportunities for UK farmers.

A ban on both British lamb and beef imports to the US has been in place since 1989 due to concerns around BSE, commonly known as ‘mad cow disease’.

Boris Johnson made the announcement following talks with President Joe Biden at the White House.

“I can tell you today that what we’re going to get from the United States now is a lifting of the decades-old ban, totally unjustified, discriminating on British farmers and British lamb,” the prime minister said.

“It’s about time too. And what we’re wanting to do is make solid incremental steps in trade.”

The National Sheep Association (NSA) welcomed the announcement, saying it would increase demand for British sheepmeat within the US.

According to the trade body, the UK is the third largest exporter of sheepmeat globally, but American consumption of the meat is currently ‘very low’.

However, it said the new deal could help stimulate interest in lamb and mutton through “exporting high quality British sheepmeat that reinspires interest”.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “This creates another opportunity for our industry to maximise trade opportunities and we have always seen the US as being a potentially important market.

by Farming UK

A local butchers in Barking selling Halal meat has been found guilty in court for attempt to sell poor quality chicken to customers. 

Following an inspection by Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers on 23 August 2018 of Barking Halal Meat & Fish, officers discovered 500kg of untraceable chicken. While officers investigated the rest of the business, the manager, Mr Azar Irshad, quickly removed an unknown quantity of poultry. The initial 500kg was detained by officers.

As the investigation continued, intelligence showed that Mr Irshad was suspected of obtaining rejected supermarket chicken, which was understood to have been destined for pet food and was reselling it for human consumption for approximately a year.

During the inspection of the butchers located on 14 East Street Barking, council enforcement officers were subject to attempted bribes, which were obviously rejected. Fake receipts were also provided stating that he had received 1000kg of chicken in an attempt to legitimise the supply chain. The company on the receipts was contacted and satisfied officers that they had not supplied Barking Halal with the chicken, nor were they aware of Mr Irshad.

Due to Mr Irshad missing a number of court hearings and because of the Covid pandemic, the case was only heard at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 14 September, where the defendant was found guilty in his absence.

The Court fined the company £40,000 plus £5,075 costs and a £170 victim surcharge, which must be paid within 28 days.

In addition, a warrant has been put out for Mr Irshad’s arrest since February 2020.

www.lbbd.gov.uk

New-season liveweight lamb prices fell in the week to Tuesday, with markets seeing an SQQ average of 225.29p/kg.

This was a 9.6p/kg drop on a 6% lower throughput than the previous week. The fall came mostly in the first two days of the week, when the average was 6p/kg lower than for the week to Saturday (11 September).

The week to Saturday price showed the second consecutive weekly fall, after a steady trade since mid-August, and put the SQQ average about 20p up on year-ago levels.

Demand remains strong, however, especially for best export types. Finished lamb throughputs have been lower than in 2020 for most weeks since the new-season lamb crop started coming to market in significant numbers.

A very small drop in cull ewe numbers in markets for the week ended Tuesday saw trade hold steady at just over £76.50 a head.

By Suzie Horne and Charlie Taverner / Farmers Weekly

WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) – The Biden administration plans to take a tougher stance toward meatpacking companies it says are causing sticker shock at grocery stores.

Four companies control much of the U.S. meat processing market, and top aides to President Joe Biden blamed those companies for rising food prices in a blog on Wednesday.

As part of a set of initiatives, the administration will funnel $1.4 billion in COVID-19 pandemic stimulus money to small meat producers and workers, administration aides said in the blog post. They also promised action to “crack down on illegal price fixing.”

Four companies slaughtered about 85% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle that are made into steaks, beef roasts and other cuts of meat for consumers in 2018, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

A network of 100 farmers will highlight the benefits of meat and dairy as part of an industry campaign, as new research shows producers are getting better at telling the story of farming.

The ‘We Eat Balanced’ consumer marketing campaign, spearheaded by the AHDB, highlights the positive role meat and dairy can play in a sustainable and healthy diet.

The network of farmers will promote and share the key messaging on social media during the first part of the £3.5m campaign running to the New Year.

Throughout September and October, the benefits of beef, pork, lamb and milk, which contain vitamin B12, an essential nutrient not naturally present in plant-based foods, will be highlighted.

The network of farmers will also be sharing the high food and farming standards of UK meat and dairy production, which is some of the most sustainable in the world.

And with ongoing trade talks raising a wider debate around food import standards in the run up to COP 26, the campaign will share the story of British farming in the form of short videos.

The autumn phase of the campaign will be followed up in January 2022 with a new TV advert and supporting social media campaign.

AHDB’s head of marketing Liam Byrne said: “The pilot We Eat Balanced campaign which ran in January this year showed consumers were receptive to messages reminding them of the role beef, lamb, pork and dairy can play in a balanced diet.

by Farming UK

SAO PAULO, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia has suspended beef imports from some Brazilian meatpackers after the South American country detected two atypical cases of mad cow disease earlier this month, Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry said in a statement that the suspension took place on Sept. 6 and affected five slaughterhouses in Minas Gerais state.

“Technical information about the case has already been sent to the health authorities in Saudi Arabia,” it said. “Meetings are being held, but there is still no provision for the lifting of suspensions.”

Valor Economico newspaper had reported the suspension late on Monday.

Reuters 

During August, UK sheep meat production once again declined sharply on the year, according to the latest Defra data. Production for the month totalled 22,800 tonnes, down 16% (4,500 tonnes).

Lamb kill recorded a 18% (228,600 head) decline, to 1,010,700 head. This is exceptionally low for the time of year and below expectations in AHDB’s forecast. Estimated British slaughterings, produced each week by AHDB using data from the deadweight lamb price collection survey, did imply that a sharp decline would be recorded in the Defra data.

Ewe kill has once again been recorded at low levels, down 14% (16,800 head) year-on-year, to 105,900 head. There have been concerns in recent months over the accuracy of the Defra ewe kill is significantly more modest than in other recent months.

By Rebecca Wright / AHDB

The falling pig price is adding to an already near impossible situation on pig farms, as pigs continue to back up due to processor staff shortages and feed prices remain eye-wateringly high. 

Last week saw the SPP record its biggest fall since 2016, as it fell by 2.31p to reach 156.39p/kg, the lowest level since June. The measure, after five weeks of decline, is now nearly 5p down on a year ago, although still nearly 4p up on the five-year average.

According to AHDB, the further price falls are a result of constraints on slaughter and processing capacity due to staff shortages.

Recent falls in pig prices in most EU member states has ‘likely also played a role’, making pig meat imports into the UK more price competitive. At the end of August, the EU reference price stood at just 121.7p/kg, 21p down on where it stood in mid-June, with big falls in particular in Germany (117.5p/kg), Denmark (118.3p/kg) and the Netherlands (104.8p). The UK Reference price stood at 159.6p/kg.

by Alistair Driver / Pig World

by FarmingUK  Team