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Category: Newsflash

California bill to thwart animal investigations killed

After weeks of opposition from animal welfare advocates, labor groups and First Amendment experts, a California assembly member withdrew a bill that would limit undercover abuse investigations before it could advance past its first step.

California now joins Arkansas and Wyoming in declining in recent weeks to advance bills that seek to punish the documenter of farm animal abuse rather than the abuse itself. In Tennessee, however, lawmakers on Wednesday were close to approving a bill similar to the one in California.

Bird flu poses risk to US processors: Fitch

The impact of the bird-flu virus could spread to companies from other countries with a significant business presence in China, according to Fitch Ratings. The ratings firm said companies such as McDonald’s Corp., Tyson Foods, Inc., JBS S.A. and Yum! Brands could be affected if poultry consumption in China continues to decline. "We believe rising consumer fears around avian influenza in China [or elsewhere if human-to-human cases develop], could cause a meaningful pullback in chicken consumption with fewer restaurant visits, lower retail chicken sales and reduced export activity.

Deadly bird flu spreading in China, unclear how

Health officials in China are scrambling to uncover how multiple members of three families in Shanghai and a young boy and girl from neighboring homes in Beijing became infected with a new strain of bird flu. The H7N9 virus, which has killed 17 and sickened at least 82 people since March, is thought to pass from birds to humans. But its spread within families and neighborhoods has flamed fears about possible human-to-human transmission. 

China says bird flu death toll rises to 13

Two people in the central Chinese province of Henan have been infected by a new strain of avian influenza, the first cases found in the region, while the death toll […]

USDA trims broiler forecast for 2013

USDA’s broiler production forecast for 2013 was trimmed this month and is now expected to be 37.504 billion pounds, 15 million pounds less than the department’s estimate last month, but […]

CPF goes to Washington D.C.

The California Poultry Federation Executive Committee (EC), Chairman Richie King, Vice Chairman Mike Leventini and Secretary Treasurer David Pitman, joined CPF President Bill Mattos and Washington, D.C. lobbyist Charles Hansen on their annual lobby trip to Washington D.C. this week. On Monday and Tuesday they visited with USDA executives including Dr. Daniel Engeljohn, Asst. Administrator, Office of Field Operations; Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Ed Avalos; APHIS Associate Administrator Kevin Shea; FSIS Administrator Al Almanza; Veterinary Services Dr. Lee Ann Thomas who works with the NPIP program; AMS executives Rex Barnes and Craig Morris. The EC also met with members of Congress Jared Huffman, Doug LaMalfa, Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy, Gloria Negrete-McLeon, Jim Costa, David Valadao, John Garamendi, Jeff Denham and Devin Nunes, along with the agricultural legislative assistants with Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. They discussed issues dealing with the Renewable Fuels Standards and the industry work to eliminate corn from the ethanol mandates, immigration reform and opening export markets.

Bill to reform ethanol mandate introduced in House

Welch (D-VT) today introduced the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Act to help ease concerns created by the ethanol mandate and protect consumers, energy producers, livestock and poultry producers, food manufacturers, retailers and the U.S. economy.

"I commend Congressmen Goodlatte, Costa, Womack and Welch for their leadership in introducing this legislation that will provide much needed relief to U.S. chicken producers and family farms that raise chickens," said National Chicken Council President Mike Brown. "After EPA’s refusal last fall to grant a waiver from the RFS in the face of the worst drought since the 1950s, it is abundantly clear the RFS is broken and needs to be reformed."

 

Diverse stakeholders applaud Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) reform

A diverse array of agriculture, business, environment, hunger, taxpayer, and public interest groups hailed U.S. Representatives Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT) for introducing the Renewable Fuel Standard Reform Act. Their response to today’s press conference held at the House Triangle, reiterated  the devastating impact the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has had on the economy and consumers across the country and around the world.