Weekly livestock news: November 9, 2020

Scientists propose tax on meat and livestock to help avert future pandemics

Policymakers should consider levying taxes on livestock production and meat consumption to reduce the risk of future deadly pandemics, international researchers said in a recent report. “Over-consumption of meat…(is) bad for our health. It’s unsustainable in terms of environmental impact. It’s also a driver of pandemic risk,” said Peter Daszak, a zoologist who chaired the study. Outbreaks of influenza viruses and new pandemic strains have emerged largely because of “incredibly dense production of poultry and pigs in some parts of the world, driven by our global consumption patterns,” said Daszak, who acknowledged the idea of a livestock levy or meat tax is controversial, but said it’s worth it to prevent future pandemics. “Changing your diet so that you have a sensible consumption of meat is really important for reducing the risk of pandemics, and for conserving biodiversity and nature,” said another researcher. Reuters reports.

New business models in store for farm supply co-ops, report says

Challenging fundamentals and disruptive forces that have been in place since before the pandemic may be the catalyst for farmer supply cooperatives to rethink their business model, says a new report from CoBank. Competition with agricultural retailers, farmer income stress and tight financial margins are all causing challenges for co-ops. The country has seen a 24% drop in cooperatives since 2009. “The farm supply space remains dynamic, and cooperatives have several tools to strengthen their operating model,” said Kenneth Scott Zuckerberg, lead economist of grain and farm supply at CoBank. “Beyond pursuing internal operational excellence, co-ops are uniquely positioned to help guide the digital transformation of agriculture.” Co-ops can create value by pursuing economies of scale, diversifying product offerings and revenue sources, and simplifying operations, the report said. Cooperatives could partner with each other, drawing on other co-ops’ transportation, logistics and infrastructure assets, such as fertilizer blending. Feedstuffs reports.

Farmer optimism hits record high in latest Ag Economy Barometer reading

Farmer confidence is at its highest in the five-year history of Purdue University’s Ag Economy Barometer, the latest monthly results show. Confidence rose by 27 points to 183 in October, the highest reading since the barometer began in 2015. More farmers than ever said their farms were in better financial condition than a year ago, and a solid majority expected good times in the near to medium term, Successful Farming reports. “The late summer/fall rally in commodity prices, combined with government payments arising from the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP2), appeared to be the primary drivers behind the sentiment improvement,” Purdue economists James Mintert and Michael Langemeier wrote.

Major ag industry conventions move online this winter

The pandemic has led many conference organizers to shift their farm industry events online this winter. The American Farm Bureau Federation and the Commodity Classic have both announced their annual conventions will be held virtually in January and March, respectively. The Cotton Council will hold its Beltwide Cotton Conferences virtually, in January. And EuroTier is also going online this year, in February. Other conferences have been postponed, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Midwest Poultry Federation. USDA’s Agricultural Outlook Forum is scheduled for the end of February, with details pending, and the National Farmers Union’s conference is scheduled to be held in person in San Francisco, also in late February.

Erysipelas rises in Ontario pigs

Veterinarians in Ontario have seen an increase in the prevalence of erysipelas in swine across the province over the last three years, Farms.com reports. The bacteria can cause illness and mortality on farms, and carcass condemnation at abattoirs. The reason for the increase in cases is unclear, said swine veterinarian Ryan Tenbergen. Erysipelas “is widespread in pig populations,” Tenbergen said. “Up to 50% of apparently healthy pigs carry the bacteria in their tonsils and other tissues. It has also been shown to survive well in facilities and on equipment….The good news is that commonly available disinfectants kill the bacteria. Antimicrobial therapy early in the course of infection often results in a good response. Vaccination programs are generally successful in prevention of clinical disease, but currently, vaccination for erysipelas is not a standard across farms.”

Groups call for ban on medically important antibiotics in Europe

Following the detection of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in chicken meat, two German nongovernmental organizations are urging consumers to purchase only organic poultry, WattAgNet reports. They’re also calling for a total ban on the use of medically important antibiotics for food producing animals in the European Union. Just over half the chicken meat samples tested were contaminated with pathogens showing antimicrobial resistance, according to a new study. The groups Germanwatch, which advocates for environmental and economic causes, and Doctors against Factory Farming said the results were “alarming.” They called on the European Commission to prohibit the “dangerous use” of the highest-priority critically important antibiotics in an upcoming review of their future use.