Page 873 of articles about news

The Commission welcomes the political agreement on industrial emissions reached today at the Environment Council. The agreement brings the EU one step closer to new legislation on industrial pollution providing higher levels of environmental protection. The agreement strengthens the application of best available techniques and reduces harmful emissions from large combustion plants.

The human strain of the virus A/H1N1 was detected by Argentina’s Animal Health and Sanitation Service (SENASA) in the framework of epidemiology vigilance activities permanently displayed. The infected farm is located in San Andrés de Giles, province of Buenos Aires. (Original in Spanish. Read Google translation here).

The Council took note of the views expressed by the French delegation, supported by several delegations1, regarding the balance in the agri-food sectors, and of remarks expressed by other member states. As on 25 May, Commissioner Fischer Boel gave an overview of the initiatives taken by the Commission since last year. She referred in particular to the Commission's roadmap to improve the functioning of the food supply chain and to the work carried out by the High Level Group on Competitiveness of the Agro-Food Industry. She also indicated that the final report on the Commission's actions was expected for the end of 2009.

The Malaysian Parliament has finally passed the Animal Feed Bill 2008 after a 14 year delay. The Bill will facilitate the setting up of the Animal Feed Board that will supervise the quality of animal feed and supplements through import, production, sale and consumption controls.The Bill also requires farms to undergo inspection to prevent the use or misuse of prohibited drugs and chemicals. The Board will also introduce a "traceability system" as well as a database to keep all information in each chain of production such as the import of raw materials, manufacturing, storage, marketing and use.

The veterinary authorities have sent a report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about a new outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in pigs.

The Universty of Cordoba, and the companies Sociedad Cooperativa Andaluza Agroganadera del Valle de Los Pedroches (COVAP) and PigChamp Pro-Europa are developing a pioneer project in Andalusia whose aim is to control and minimize the presence of salmonella in the Iberian pig, thus improving the health of animals and the food safety of products.

A Senate subcommittee, which spent the past year investigating the impact of index fund traders on the Chicago wheat futures market, concluded that the new money pouring into traditional agricultural hedging market has significantly distorted the market.

In response to the summer 2008 listeriosis crisis that cost the lives of 22 Canadians, the Canadian Parliament’s Food Safety Subcommittee has published the report "Beyond the Listeriosis Crisis: Strengthening the Food Safety System."

BPEX has launched a campaign to encourage processors and retailers to make country-of-origin labelling clearer on pork products. The campaign comes after a YouGov survey revealed that consumers find labelling on pork products confusing and are concerned that products containing imported pork that does not meet minimum UK welfare standards can legally be labelled as ‘British’ or ‘UK’ produce.

In the current year Russia may import 1/4 of meat consumed in the country against 1/3 imported in 2008. The data was presented by Dmitry Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation.

This has been a tough year for meat-packer margins, especially in the pork sector, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center. LMIC notes that packer margins have suffered dramatically this year, averaging less than half of those posted in 2008.

COMMISSION DECISION of 22 June 2009 on the purchase of foot-and-mouth disease virus antigens (2009/486/EC).

The new legislation, based on a Commission proposal from 2008, considerably simplifies the existing procedures and it will help promote innovation and competitiveness in the European feed sector. It is also expected to lead to a more integrated single market for feed by reducing the administrative burden for feed operators. The regulation was endorsed by the European Parliament on February 5 and is expected to enter into force later this year.

The majority of East Anglia pigs are now in the region’s producer-run Swine Dysentery Eradication (Control) Scheme. And no breeding units in the scheme are positive for the disease.

The Council reached political agreement on a regulation improving welfare of animals at slaughter (13312/08).