Weekly livestock news: January 8, 2024

California’s new animal welfare law takes effect

A new animal welfare law in California that took effect January 1, mandating space requirements for pigs, cows and chickens, has some livestock farmers on edge. Proposition 12 prohibits sales in California of pork, veal and eggs from livestock whose confinement doesn’t meet certain minimum space rules. The rules mandate hog pens to be large enough for an animal to turn around. The National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation contend the requirements violate the constitution’s Commerce Clause because California represents less than one-sixth of domestic demand and sources most of its pork from other states. In the face of Prop 12, producers are finding themselves at a difficult crossroads. They can either comply with a law they say could risk the health and safety of their livestock, or they’ll lose out on market access in California, Michigan Farm News reports.

Meatpacking giants named in new round of price-fixing lawsuits

Another round of lawsuits has been filed against four meatpackers, Meat + Poultry reports. Cargill, JBS, Tyson and National Beef Packing Co. have been named in four complaints accusing the companies of conspiring to fix beef prices. The complaints were filed December 29 in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York. Plaintiffs include Quality Supply Chain Co-Op, Target Corp., BJ’s Wholesale Club and others. They say the conspiracy goes back to as early as January 1, 2015.

African swine fever continues to be a focus for the U.S. pork industry

African swine fever prevention and detection continues to be a focus for the U.S. pork industry. Dr. Paul Sundberg with the Swine Health Information Center said tremendous progress has been made since ASF was first detected in China several years ago and that the level of preparedness is unprecedented. “We’re at a state now with African swine fever that in my career we’ve never been at this level of prevention, response and recovery that we’ve been with any other foreign animal disease,” he said. Since ASF entered the Western Hemisphere in 2021, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has strengthened its partnership with Customs and Border Protection staff at ports of entry, increased inspection of passengers and products arriving from affected countries and advanced risk-based restrictions on imports of pork and pork products, Brownfield Ag News reports.

Avian flu cases continue to rise

The number of birds affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to rise, jumping by over 2 million since December 27, Feedstuffs reports. The total number birds in the United States affected by the virus since the initial discovery in February 2022 has now surpassed 79.5 million, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. As of January 3, APHIS data showed the largest case over the previous week was a commercial table egg pullet operation of 1.36 million birds in Hardin County, Ohio. California also reported three new cases in commercial table egg operations, and Michigan and Minnesota reported two turkey operations with the virus. The World Organisation for Animal Health reported that over 500 million birds have been lost to the disease worldwide since 2005. Even so, WOAH said the use of vaccination in poultry against HPAI remains the decision of each nation.

Missouri governor bans Chinese and Russian companies from buying land near military sites

Companies from China, Russia and other countries blacklisted by the United States no longer can buy land near military sites in Missouri under an order enacted by the state’s governor, The Associated Press reports. Governor Mike Parson’s executive order prohibits citizens and companies from countries deemed threatening by the federal government from purchasing farms or other land within 10 miles of staffed military sites in the state. Ownership restriction supporters often speculate about foreign buyers’ motives and whether people with ties to adversaries such as China intend to use land for spying or exerting control over the U.S. food supply. Foreign entities and individuals control less than 2% of all U.S. land, and Chinese companies control less than 1% of that, according to the latest available report from the USDA.

Minnesota cattle producer wants people to see industry’s dedication to conservation

A Minnesota cattle producer wants to change the perception that the livestock industry is harmful to the environment. “Because it’s all over the news (that) they are trying to shut down meat production, so we need to just try to make sure we’re getting the point across just how much our producers do believe in conservation,” feedlot operator Mike Landuyt told Brownfield Ag News. Landuyt, Region III vice president of policy for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, was sent by NCBA to the recent COP28 summit in Dubai. He said farmers can be more efficient without sacrificing productivity.