Technical Articles

The National Chicken Council (NCC) is seeking an additional 90-day extension to the comment period for the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) proposed Salmonella Framework. Citing recent public meetings and unanswered questions, the NCC said more time is needed to fully analyze the proposal and provide meaningful feedback. FSIS recently hosted two webinars to help processors learn more about the risk assessments and models behind the proposal. NCC Senior Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Ashley Peterson said the webinars failed to clarify key technical and industry-related questions, according to an NCC release. The NCC's request comes after Congressional Chicken Caucus Co-chairs Representatives Steve Womack (R-Ari.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) also called for an extension, asking for an additional 180 days for review of the proposal. The FSIS has already extended the comment period to Nov. 7, but the NCC believes more time is essential for a thorough review. The full NCC extension request can be found here.

As cooler weather approaches in the U.S., officials warn of increased risk from the H5N1 bird flu virus and are taking measures to prevent a more infectious strain from emerging. Fall and winter bring greater chances for the virus to spread, as both livestock and flu viruses are more active. Human infections during the current outbreak have been mild, but each new host offers the virus an opportunity to adapt and potentially spread more easily among people. Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo from Brown University’s Pandemic Center emphasized the importance of monitoring for any human-to-human transmission, as such an event could trigger a global pandemic, she told CNN. The concern grew after a Missouri resident, with no known animal contact, was hospitalized with virus. The person has since recovered, and further testing is being conducted to determine if the virus is related to those affecting livestock. While there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, officials are ramping up efforts to prevent reassortment—when flu viruses mix and create a new, more dangerous strain. The USDA has ordered increased testing of cattle, especially as their movement increases this fall. Additionally, the CDC is urging farmworkers to get flu vaccines to reduce the risk of co-infections that could lead to reassortment.

Preliminary data on the use of a vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Philippines indicates that the two-week-old program is making a difference against the deadly virus, which has a nearly 100% death rate among infected hogs. The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that 18 of the 41 hogs that received the vaccine at two backyard farms in Lobo, Batangas, have developed antibodies against ASF so far. The program uses live vaccines from Vietnam, and the vaccinated hogs are expected to develop 90% antibodies against ASF from the 40% reported in the latest preliminary report, according to the Philippine News Agency. DA officials are optimistic about the long-term effects of the vaccination program despite the seven hog fatalities reported at two farms participating in the effort, the report said. The Philippine government in July announced plans to use the Vietnam vaccine, which had not been approved for international use at the time. The effort was prompted by the spread of ASF in 73 of the archipelago’s 82 provinces during the summer, government officials announced at the time. Currently, the DA is preparing to produce and roll out 150,000 doses of live vaccines for use next month in the most affected zones in other parts of the Philippines, the news agency reported.

Strong demand and lower production costs indicate that the global poultry market is on the upswing in terms of growth, according to a new Rabobank analysis. Following several years of slow growth related to consumption, the poultry market is in a “strong price position against other proteins in most markets” as strong retail demand and recovering demand in foodservice are both supporting rapid growth, Rabobank senior analyst for animal protein Nan-Dirk Mulder noted in the report. Overall poultry trade is expected to remain robust in the second half of 2024 with most international markets maintaining strength and balance, increasing the demand for chicken imports, he said. Poultry consumption growth is forecast to reach 2.5% to 3% for 2024, marking a return to historic levels, the report noted. Amid the anticipated upswing, China and Japan continue to suffer from local poultry oversupply, which led to “large year-over-year declines in raw chicken imports in the first half of 2024,” according to the Rabobank report. Additionally, Middle East tensions and the resulting rerouting of trade through South Africa are causing longer transport times and higher costs in the import markets in Europe and Asia. The report adds that the threat of avian influenza remains a challenge for the poultry industry, though the European Union in 2024 posted the slowest pace of outbreaks since 2019. The report warns that poultry supply growth discipline will be important to keep operating under balanced market conditions in light of ongoing high risks that could negatively affect global trade flows.

Attorneys for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) filed a legal brief in the Ninth Circuit siding with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and defending agency's approach to regulating concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In February, the advocacy groups, which include Food & Water Watch, Center for Biological Diversity, and Center for Food Safety, filed the lawsuit, which challenged the EPA's denial of multiple requests to modify regulations governing pollutants discharged from CAFOs. NPPC, along with a coalition of other producers, asked the appeals court to reject the petition by the environmental groups, according to the court records. NPPC said the EPA regulations currently enforce strict no-discharge policies for CAFOs, with limited exceptions for stormwater or precipitation-related discharges. The petitioners seek to force more CAFOs to obtain permits, even if they do not discharge pollutants, and to change how the law defines "point source" in relation to CAFOs. The EPA defended its decision not to revise the CAFO program, and NPPC attorneys noted that courts have previously rejected similar proposals. The agency said it adequately explained its position and that petitioners’ arguments are based on policy disagreements rather than legal grounds.

A Minnesota federal judge has ordered that a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and six states against Agri Stats will stay put, in a ruling in response to the agricultural data firm’s attempt to get the case moved. The DOJ and the states, including California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, accused the company of conspiring with major U.S. meat processors to exchange information, potentially manipulating markets for broiler chicken, pork, and turkey. Agri Stats sought to transfer the case to another venue or dismiss it altogether, citing jurisdiction issues and a failure to state a claim. Agri Stats argued that the case should be dismissed, in part, because it was dismissed from the In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust lawsuit in July. However, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs' claims regarding pork and turkey met necessary legal standards, and the broiler chicken claim would not be dismissed based on precedents from other districts. The lawsuit alleges that Agri Stats's information-sharing practices allowed meat processors to coordinate and inflate prices, harming consumers. Despite Agri Stats halting pork and turkey reports in 2019, the Court recognized potential future harm, supporting the plaintiffs' standing. This marks the second loss in the courtroom for Agri Stats within the past week. On May 22, the judge ruled that the company could not halt discovery in a lawsuit brought on by the DOJ. The firm sought to halt discovery, arguing it would be burdensome given the pre-existing documentation from prior litigation.  

The USDA’s quarterly update of agricultural trade projections shows an expanding agricultural trade deficit. The value of U.S. farm exports was slightly higher than imports in 2021-22, but a deficit of $16.7 billion opened up last year, nearly entirely the result of a drop in export values. The forecast for 2024, issued jointly by USDA’s Economic Research Service and Foreign Agricultural Service, widened to a trade deficit of $32 billion from an estimate of $30.5 billion in February. The change represents a further increase in ag imports by $1.5 billion. The report’s projection for ag exports was $170.5 billion, unchanged from February, which would be a significant decline from 2023 export values of $178.7 billion. US farm exports peaked at $196.1 billion in 2022. “Generally speaking, our exports are struggling,” USDA chief economist Seth Meyer said. The 2024 projection for exports of livestock, poultry and dairy was hiked from $37.7 billion to $38.5 billion. Within that category, the forecast for beef and veal exports was revised $200 million upward to $9.1 billion, while dairy exports were estimated to hit $8 billion, $300 million higher than the earlier forecast. The estimates for pork and chicken exports were little changed. “Overall, livestock, poultry, and dairy exports are forecast $800 million higher to $38.5 billion, led by increases in dairy and beef,” the USDA report said.  

Construction of a new laboratory facility that will serve as the new home of three Montana-based agricultural research labs officially launched last week. Located at Montana State University in Bozeman, the facility will serve as the home of the Montana Department of Livestock’s Veterinary Diagnostics Lab, the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Analytical Lab and the MSU Wool Lab. The new Combined State Laboratories building will feature state-of-the-art research capabilities aimed at supporting veterinarians, agriculture producers, wildlife managers, sheep geneticists, and livestock producers and other state entities when it opens sometime in 2026, the school said in a news release. The Montana Legislature approved funding for the project during its 2021 and 2023 legislative sessions, soon after the University of Montana System’s Board of Regents approved the project near its campus. “I can literally say this has been decades in the making,” said Mike Honeycutt, executive director of the Montana Department of Livestock. “We know there’s lots of hard work that’s been done and many generations that have been involved,” he added.

The USDA is adding an additional $824 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to help combat the ongoing H5N1 outbreak, according to a release. USDA Secretary Vilsack approved the transfer of $824 million from the CCC to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to sustain rapid response activities. The money will support diagnostics, field response, pre-movement testing, surveillance and vaccine development for various livestock, including cattle, turkeys, pigs and goats. It follows a previous $1.3 billion emergency fund to address HPAI detections, the department said. Voluntary Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program APHIS is launching a Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program in an attempt to improve monitoring and control of H5N1. Dairy producers with herds testing negative for three consecutive weeks can join the program, allowing them to move cows more easily with ongoing weekly bulk milk testing. This initiative aims to reduce virus spread and enhance understanding of H5N1. Participating states will begin enrolling herds starting June 3. Farmers can contact their APHIS area veterinarian or state veterinarian to join, USDA said. This program complements previous measures, including a federal order on pre-movement testing and biosecurity tool support. USDA said it anticipates increased testing and positive results, enhancing understanding of the disease's spread and helping producers document virus elimination and maintain H5N1-free herds.  

Whetstone Distribution, a newly formed food distributor, has acquired Wisconsin-based Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats, a parent firm announced this week. Shore Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on microcap companies across sectors including food and beverage, said that it had formed Whetstone as a platform for regional food regional food distributors. At the same time, the company announced Whetstone’s purchase of Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats, which operates two processing facilities in southeast Wisconsin producing pastrami, corned beef, sausage and other smoked and marinated specialty meats under the Riverside label, with full-service meat distribution to restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities and re-distributors. Pritzlaff does business mainly in southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. “After 80-plus years of family ownership, and four generations of family involvement, I’m extremely excited to be partnering with Whetstone Distribution,” Bruce Pritzlaff said. “This partnership allows us to further strengthen and grow all core aspects of our company as well as expand our geographic footprint, from Wisconsin and Northern Illinois further into the greater Midwest.” The Whetstone launch brings Pritzlaff together with two previous Shore Capital acquisitions — Chicago-based Moesle Meat Distribution Co. and Queen Foods of Kansas City, Kansas — targeting restaurant and grocery clients across the Midwest and its offerings to include services for restaurants as well as grocery customers. Shore Capital partner Richard Boos said that Whetstone is “building a robust and diversified food distribution platform.”