The Economics of Regional Meat: A National Good Food Network Webinar (free) Feb 17

The Economics of Regional Meat: A National Good Food Network Webinar (free) Feb 17 at 12:30 Pacific time.
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/723913059

As the Wallace Center project "Charting Growth: Sustainable Food Indicators" reports, the concentration of the meat industry is staggering (e.g. in 2007 the 4 top beef packers controlled over 80% of the market). Those looking to build a sustainable regional food system must understand the tremendous economic forces that lead to this situation to succeed in their goal. This webinar is designed for attendees of all knowledge levels to increase the effectiveness of their regional efforts.

Roving slaughter trailers blaze new path for meat processing

By Candace Krebs

Ag Journal
October 19, 2010

FT. COLLINS, Colo - Livestock are routinely trucked to slaughter plants. Now agricultural leaders are looking into whether another option would be for mobile slaughter trailers to travel to them.

The idea has people talking around the country.

"At the National State Departments of Agriculture Convention recently, this topic came up more than once," said John Stulp, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture. "I really think it's a niche that can grow."

FSA launches investigation into offspring of cloned cow entering the food chain [UK - edited]

The Telegraph
August 4, 2010

The Food Standards Agency has launched an investigation into how the offspring of a cloned cow entered the food chain, it has been confirmed.

The FSA , the food industry watchdog, said two bulls born in the UK from embryos harvested from a cloned cow had been slaughtered, one of which "will have been eaten", while the other was stopped from entering the food chain.

USDA Announces Proposed Rule to Increase Fairness in the Marketing of Livestock and Poultry

Release No. 0326.10
Contact: USDA Office of Communications (202) 720-4623

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2010—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that on June 22, 2010 USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) will publish a proposed rule, as required by the 2008 farm bill and through existing authority under the Packers and Stockyards Act, that would provide significant new protections for producers against unfair, fraudulent or retaliatory practices.

“Concerns about a lack of fairness and commonsense treatment for livestock and poultry producers have gone unaddressed far too long,” said Vilsack. “This proposed rule will help ensure a level playing field for producers by providing additional protections against unfair practices and addressing new market conditions not covered by existing rules.”

Why Does the U.S. Both Import and Export Beef?

COW/CALF CORNER
The Newsletter
From the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
June 4, 2010

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

The job of markets is to seek out the highest value for products produced and encourage the most efficient use of resources to facilitate that production. Keeping this in mind helps explain current production and trade relationships in the U.S. beef industry. The U.S. is the largest producer, the largest consumer, the third largest exporter and the largest importer of beef in the world. I get many questions about U.S. beef trade and particularly why we need to import beef.

Missouri House of Representatives OKs Horse Slaughter Bill

Associated Press
KOAMtv.com
April 1, 2010

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri House has approved legislation designed to allow the slaughter of horses for human consumption.