South Africa corn stocks fall 45 percent December 2011

South Africa's corn stockpiles fell 45 percent, to 3.33 million metric tons, in December 2011, according to the South African Grain Information Service.
The country had 2.24 million metric tons of white corn and 1.09 million metric tons of yellow corn in stock, according to the agency. Barley, canola, oat, soybean and sunflower seed stocks were up compared to 2010 numbers, while groundnut and sorghum were down. Wheat stocks rose 35 percent, to 1.8 million metric tons.

Ukraine's MHP increases poultry production in 2011

Ukrainian agro-industrial company MHP S.A. increased its poultry production volumes by 7 percent in 2011, producing 384,000 tons of poultry meat compared to 2010's 360,000 tons, according to the company's latest report.
Domestic demand for chicken meat during 2011 remained high and the company was able to sell close to 100 percent of the chicken produced, according to the report. Export sales of chicken for 2011 increased by almost 80 percent compared to 2010 and constituted close to 10 percent of total sales volumes. In 2011 MHP opened new export sales markets in Libya, Lebanon, Uzbekistan and Angola. Average chicken meat sales prices to third parties in 2011 increased by 10 percent, to UAH 15.00 (US$1.87) per kg of adjusted weight from UAH 13.65 (US$1.70) per kg in 2010. 

Japan bans Australia poultry imports after avian flu outbreak

Japan has banned imports of all Australian poultry products after an outbreak of avian influenza among ducks in the country's state of Victoria, according to reports.
The ban, which is the first embargo on Australian food exports due to human health concerns in more than thirty years, includes chicken meat, eggs and processed foods containing egg and chicken ingredients.
Australia's National Farmers' Federation has called the ban an "overreaction." The avian influenza outbreak happened on two duck farms and involved a non-harmful strain of the virus that hasn't been detected in commercial flocks, according to the federation. More than 25,000 ducks were slaughtered to prevent spread of the virus after two ducks tested positive. "As we understand it, there are no food safety issues involved in this outbreak; it is contained to just two duck farms," said National Farmers' Federation trade specialist Charlie McElhone. "Poultry and eggs are completely safe to eat, the virus is non-transmissible and the risk to human health is negligible."
The federation is asking the Australian government to ensure that Japan removes the ban as quickly as possible.  

Europe sees reduction in human, poultry Salmonella infections

Human Salmonella cases in the EU fell by almost half in the period 2004-2009, according to the European Food Safety Authority.
At the same time, the prevalence of Salmonella in poultry decreased significantly, especially in laying hen flocks. The reduction of the bacterium in laying hen flocks is likely to be the main reason for the decline of Salmonella cases in humans, since eggs are considered the most important source of infections in the EU, said the European Food Safety Authority. In 2003, the EU set up comprehensive control measures for zoonoses, considering Salmonella as a priority. Enhanced Salmonella programs in poultry were implemented in all EU Member States and targets set for reducing the bacterium in poultry flocks. Until 2005, the most common food-borne disease in humans in the EU was Salmonella, with almost 200,000 reported human cases that year.

US egg production up in December 2011

U.S. egg production totaled 7.93 billion during December 2011, up slightly from 2010 numbers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report.
Production included 6.89 billion table eggs, and 1.04 billion hatching eggs, of which 973 million were broiler-type and 68 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during December 2011 averaged 338 million, down 1 percent from 2010. December 2011 egg production per 100 layers was 2,344 eggs, up 1 percent from December 2010. All layers in the U.S. on January 1 totaled 338 million, down 2 percent from the same time in 2011. The 338 million layers consisted of 284 million layers producing table- or market-type eggs, 50.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs and 2.78 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on January 1 averaged 75.8 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from January 1, 2011. Egg-type chicks hatched during December 2011 totaled 38.9 million, up 3 percent from December 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 38.8 million on January 1, up slightly from 2011 numbers. Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 277 thousand during December 2011, up 5 percent from December 2010. Broiler-type chicks hatched during December 2011 totaled 760 million, down 3 percent from December 2010. Eggs in incubators totaled 634 million on January 1, down slightly from the same time in 2011. Leading breeders placed 6.44 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during December 2011, down 5 percent from December 2010.
For more information and statistics on eggs and poultry, see www.wattagnet.com/marketdata.html.  

Pre-harvest food safety discussed at International Feed Expo 2012

At the Pre-Harvest Food Safety Conference held during the 2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo, Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, United States Department of Agriculture under secretary for food safety, spoke on the importance of pre-harvest food safety.
Hagen commended the poultry industry for coming together to work toward better food safety. Dr. Alling Yancy, vice president of food safety and production programs for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, addressed the topic of Poultry Industry Concerns Regarding Pre-Harvest Food Safety Regulatory Initiatives.
“Poultry producers need to understand both their rights and their responsibilities, such as compliance with food safety regulations and the importance of educating consumers. One thing they cannot do is ignore pressing issues and scientific realities,” said Dr. Yancy said. Dr. Steven Clark, senior technical services manager-poultry at Pfizer Animal Health, gave a presentation on Current Trends in Antiboitic Usage in Food Animal Production, remarking that one of the most significant challenges is how to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics.  “Antibiotics are important not only for human health but also for animal health. They also have implications for food safety; we can indirectly understand how healthy animals produce healthy food. In addition, there are economic benefits for everybody,” Dr. Clark said. The results of a pre-harvest intervention survey for best practices in pathogen control were also discussed, showing that most breeders are taking biosecurity measures on their farms, vaccinating their birds, and conducting water and litter testing, while smaller numbers reported regularly washing vehicles, cages, crates and other equipment. “Much of this information is encouraging,” said Dr. Shelly McKee, an associate professor in the Poultry Products Safety and Quality Program, Department of Poultry Science, Auburn University. “But there is no silver bullet. This is risk mitigation. Someday maybe we can get to eradication; but today if we can mitigate risk during pre-harvest, the things we do at the processing plant may help control some of these pathogens better.”  

Georgia governor speaks to poultry industry at IPE 2012

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal addressed poutry industry executives at a luncheon held during the International Poultry Expo.

Georgia governor, Nathan Deal, spoke with a group of poultry industry executives at a luncheon held during the 2012 International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo in Atlanta.

"Poultry is the number one income producing activity for the state of Georgia, and the International Poultry Expo is the largest annual meeting of its kind held at the Georgia World Congress Center every year,” Deal said.  During his speech at the event, sponsored by Rabobank, Deal addressed many topics including the need to end ethanol mandates, Georgia’s new state-of-the-art poultry lab, the necessity for immigration reform to be addressed at the federal level, expanding export markets, and the importance of poultry exports to the port of Savannah, Ga., and its continued growth and expansion.

“Governor Deal has long been a friend and advocate for the poultry industry. We appreciate him taking the time to meet with our industry leaders at the International Poultry Expo,” said John Starkey, president of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.