Classical swine fever in three pig farms in North-Rhine Westphalia
EU - Germany applying Community measures for the control of this disease.

EU pig prices: Bird flu set to influence markets and stabilize prices
GERMANY - The spread of bird flu across Europe is likely to have an influence on the European Pig market and prices reports ISN in their weekly report.

European pork production to increase 1% this year
UK - European Union pork production will increase about one percent this year, according to a US Department of Agriculture report.

European food retailers face tough 2006
EU - Declining European food retail performance is set to fall further in 2006 as retailers get caught between consumer demands for cheaper prices and manufacturers demands for greater returns. New evidence suggests rising production costs and...

New Technical Developments at Eurofins Make Dioxin Analyses Fast and Affordable
EU - With new technical developments Eurofins speeds up dioxin analyses and makes them more affordable. In the past, the analysis of dioxins was often a special discipline far removed from routine testing and thus complex, expensive and time-consuming....

EU imports set to rise
EU - Talks in the WTO aimed at opening up the EU to agricultural imports may not have as serious an impact on livestock producers as some commentators have predicted, according to speakers at the Meat and Livestock Commission's annual conference. The...

EU sets dioxin and PCB levels for food and feed
EU - The European Commission has set maximum levels for dioxins and PCBs in food as fears grow in three EU countries, where pig and poultry feed was found to be contaminated with the family of cancer-causing chemicals. The limits will take effect...

Pigs tested for dioxin, 650 EU farms quarantined
EU - Germany has slaughtered pigs from five farms for testing and hundreds of farms in Belgium and the Netherlands remained quarantined on Wednesday as authorities probed levels of the carcinogen dioxin in pig meat.

EU proposes animal welfare labelling for food products
EU - The European Commission proposes to create a special "animal welfare" label for meat and fish products.

Meat inspection for Trichinella in pork, horsemeat and game within the EU
EU - A new EU directive relating to meat inspection for Trichinella, expected to come into force in 2006, imposes important modifications to current legislation.

Microbes in Manure Can Minimize Potential Pharmaceutical Pollution
US - Bacteria are usually viewed as “the enemy” and targeted with potent antibiotics to curb their ability to cause infection. But according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, microbes--including several types of bacteria--can be a farmer’s...

EU's antibiotic growth promoter ban only has short-term effect
EU - By this month-end, the EU will have placed a complete ban on antibiotic growth promoters; the last four antibiotics currently being used - flavophospholipol, monensin sodium, salinomycin sodium and avilamycin - will be completely phased out.

EU trade offer 'could lead to huge job losses'
EU - Job losses on a massive scale and a decrease in self-sufficiency are the obvious consequences of the EU's recent proposals to the World Trade Organisation, meat traders claimed this week. Increased market access to the likes of Brazil...

EU market could be swamped by cheap meat claim traders
UK - Job losses on a massive scale and a decrease in self-sufficiency are the obvious consequences of the EU’s recent proposals to the World Trade Organisation, meat traders claimed this week (w/e 27 November). Increased market access to the...

OIE Pig Health News for the week
EU - Report by the OIE on Pig Disease investigations in Australia, Aujeszky's Disease in Bolivia and Classical Swine Fever in Nicaragua.