Weekly livestock news: March 27, 2023
What do recent bank failures mean for agriculture?
Like members of many industries, farmers may be worried after the recent collapse of two banks. With good credit across the agriculture sector and FDIC insurance giving confidence to community bank account holders, chances of similar bank failures are relatively low at the moment, Daryl Timmerman, a senior swine lending specialist at Compeer Financial, writes in National Hog Farmer. Producers should focus on how they can manage factors in their “circle of influence” by assessing risks when doing annual budgeting, Timmerman says. Richard Brock of Brock Associates joined Feedstuffs 365 in a recent podcast to discuss the implications of the bank failures for the agriculture sector.
Animal protein industry faces regulatory and labor challenges as productivity plateaus: Rabobank
Persistent health challenges, tight labor supplies, volatile feed costs and disruptive regulations continue to test the U.S. pork and poultry industries, limiting productivity and industry growth, a new report from Rabobank says. After a decade of growth, productivity has plateaued in these industries, according to the banking and financial services company. Analysts expect the animal protein industry to overcome short-term health and genetic challenges, but regulations on antibiotic use, animal housing and product labeling may be more difficult to overcome, Feedstuffs reports.
Two bird flu vaccines effective in lab, Dutch government says
Two vaccines tested by a Dutch veterinary research center have proved effective against highly infectious bird flu in a first experiment conducted in a controlled environment, the Dutch government said. “Not only did the vaccines give poultry used in the lab protection against disease symptoms but they also countered the spreading of bird flu,” the government said. One vaccine was produced by Ceva Animal Health and the other by Boehringer Ingelheim, an official document on the Dutch government website showed. Reuters reports.
USDA allocates $15.8 million to livestock disease prevention efforts
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is allocating $15.8 million to 60 projects aimed at combating livestock diseases. The projects, spanning 38 states, will receive funding from the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program included in the 2018 farm bill. Projects include on-demand training for foreign animal disease diagnosticians at Texas A&M AgriLife and learning modules on avian influenza at the University of Minnesota. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association received funding to prepare for future outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, Feedstuffs reports.
Missouri counties can’t regulate CAFOs, state supreme court rules
A Missouri law prohibiting counties from imposing regulations on industrial hog facilities doesn’t violate the state’s constitution, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled. The unanimous ruling upholds a county-level decision, saying county ordinances attempting to set rules for industrial farms are invalid, the Missouri Independent reports. The issue arose because of disputes over Missouri’s policing of concentrated animal feeding operations. The state’s policies on CAFOs have become more lenient in recent years, with the legislature saying most recently that county ordinances can’t be “inconsistent with, in addition to, different from or more stringent” than state rules.
Tractor Supply Company grants will support farmers through Brighter Future Fund
In honor of its 85th anniversary, Tractor Supply Company has made an $850,000 donation to American Farmland Trust. The donation will support AFT’s Brighter Future Fund, providing 85 grants of $10,000 each to help farmers improve farm viability; access, transfer or permanently protect farmland; and adopt regenerative agricultural practices. Applicants may include one or more individual farmers or farm families. Grants will primarily be awarded to those who have been historically underserved or lack access to traditional methods of funding. Applications open July 1.
