Ag in the News

02/22/2008

National and International

LIVE FROM USDA: Agency to determine soon if Hallmark was isolated incident
WASHINGTON – USDA will soon begin increased humane handling observation at all federally inspected U.S. slaughter plants to determine if the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. video that led to the largest recall in history was an isolated incident, USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety Richard Raymond told Meatingplace.com. MORE!

LIVE FROM USDA: Smithfield's Pope plays 'Darth Vader' role at conference
WASHINGTON — USDA's Agricultural Outlook Forum began Thursday with a parade of officials cheering the new-found prosperity of rural America, partly at the hands of ethanol-driven grain demand and strong exports. MORE!

Second worker arrested in Hallmark/Westland case
A second Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. worker has been arrested on charges of animal cruelty that forced the Chino, Calif.-based company to issue the nation's largest-ever beef recall. MORE!

Harris Teeter vows to give preference to animal-welfare-friendly suppliers
Harris Teeter, the North Carolina-based retailer with nearly 200 stores in seven states, has promised to give preference to suppliers focused on animal welfare, according to a news release from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. MORE!

Wendy's to roll out new items to boost sales in '08
Dublin, Ohio-based fast food chain Wendy's will introduce new inexpensive sandwich wraps and a hamburger to its lineup in 2008 as a way to boost store traffic and generate increased sales, Reuters reported. MORE!

Wrap Up

USDA Outlook Forum wraps up today. USDA's Annual Outlook Forum wraps up today near Washington, DC, with the key being forecasts for 2008-09 for crops and 2008 for livestock. Here's a link to read highlights of the updates from USDA.

Export Sales this morning. For the week ended Feb. 14, traders expect: wheat sales from 300,000 to 500,000 MT; corn sales from 600,000 to 800,000 MT; soybean sales from 550,000 to 900,000 MT; meal sales from 100,000 to 150,000 MT; soyoil sales from 10,000 to 20,000 MT; and cotton sales from 200,000 to 250,000 running bales.

China ag disaster aid. China has sped delivery of around $9 billion in aid/subsidies to farmers to help them cope with damage from winter storms. Its part of a effort on both the national and local level to help agriculture recover from damage this winter.

Manitoba helps hog, cattle producers. Manitoba has put together a loan program to help hog producers, with three-year deferral of principal payments under the plan with interest rates set at 4.5%. For cattle producers, the province will defer principal payments on existing BSE recovery loans for three years, with principal and interest due to resume in the fourth year.