Pasture Growth Fuels Growth in Milk Production
NEW ZEALAND - A combination of pent up capacity to produce and an incredible period of pasture production has given rise to what some have called a “super flush of milk production”. From March 2011 right through to April 2012 pasture production has...

Ranchers' Rights are Being Trampled
US - Livestock grazing is an important part of the rich ranching tradition in America. One need to look no farther than the iconic images of cowboys driving huge herds of cattle across open land to realise how big a part ranching has played in American...

Milk Price Cuts Hitting Long-term Investment
UK - Farm management company Velcourt has issued the first in a series of briefing documents examining the main points influencing the outlook for its dairy farms over the coming months.

CME: Cattle on Feed Report Moderately Bullish
US - Friday’s monthly Cattle on Feed Report from USDA will most likely be viewed as moderately bullish in today’s trading, especially for the deferred contracts, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner.

Abattoirs in Welfare Footage on Approved Export List
ANALYSIS - An Australian government investigation into footage of animal cruelty in four Indonesia abattoirs has concluded that two of the abattoirs were approved under a government scheme. The report also suggests that regulatory action be taken against...

Markets Opening to EU and UK Beef Products
ANALYSIS - The UK market for both beef and lamb has been declining for several years, but now it appears to be stabilising and prices are rising, writes Chris Harris.

Regular Reporting on Performance Auditing of ESCAS
AUSTRALIA - The first independent performance audit report summaries for livestock exports to Indonesia have been released on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) website. The independent audits are a key part of the new regulatory...

AWI Accuses USDA of Conning Consumers
US - The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) requested a USDA Inspector General audit of the USDA Process Verified Program, which certifies some products as "humanely raised". According to the institute, the products come from animals suffering on conventional,...

Foodservice Drives Asian Cheese Demand
US - For US cheese suppliers, reports of soaring restaurant profits in China or same-store sales growth in South Korea or new unit construction in Southeast Asia spell opportunity—and a sizable one at that, writes Angélique Hollister Vice president,...

Mixed Trading Environment for Australian Beef
AUSTRALIA - Australian beef exporters continue to witness two distinct markets on the global stage: a bullish manufacturing market and a more subdued market for premium cuts, writes Tim McRae, Chief Economist for Meat and Livestock Australia.

NFU Challenges UK TB Controls
UK - The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has challenged Defra's decision to prevent farmers setting up or adding new land to Sole Occupancy Authorities (SOAs) from the start of July.

Sustainable Livestock at Committee on Agriculture
GLOBAL - This week FAO will open a week of meetings among member countries that make up the organisation’s Committee on Agriculture, one of its governing bodies, to lay out the priorities and direction for FAO over the next two years.

UK Farmers Enjoy Boom as Economy Suffers
UK - If there's one green shoot that continues to grow and has the potential to help kick-start Britain’s economic recovery then it's farming, according to the National Farmers Union (NFU).

Trading Among Farmers to Protect not Raise Capital
NEW ZEALAND - Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings said that Trading Among Farmers was all about protecting the Co-operative and preserving 100 per cent farmer control and ownership - not raising capital.

Milestone in Pasture Evaluation to be Unveiled
NEW ZEALAND - A rating system for pasture grasses based on economic performance, to be known as the DairyNZ Forage Value Index, will be unveiled to dairy farmers in Hamilton this Thursday (24 May) at the DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum.

Cattle Outlook: Strong Dollar Bad for Meat Exports
US - Problems with sovereign debt in Europe have caused both the value of the Euro and stock markets to decline in value. The Dow Jones average is the lowest since mid January. The weaker Euro has meant a stronger dollar. The dollar index is the highest...

Cattle On Feed: Placements Below Forecast
US - USDA's April cattle on feed report said placements were lower and marketings higher than the pre-release trade forecasts. The number of cattle on feed 1 May was well below what the trade had forecast.

Markets Opening for British Beef and Lamb
UK - The British beef and lamb markets are looking forward to a more optimistic future, writes Chris Harris.

Spanish Cattle Farm Numbers Decline
SPAIN - Last year, Spain recorded a further decline of three per cent in the number of cattle farms.

Central, Eastern Europe Vist UK Beef Expo
UK - During Beef Expo 2012 next week, a group of group of industry leaders from Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans will visit the UK for a study tour/ trade mission.

Grain Fed Cattle Numbers Fall
AUSTRALIA - Continuing the trend of quarterly fluctuations in grain fed cattle numbers on feed, results from the latest Australian Lot Feeders' Association (ALFA)/ Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) March survey showed a five per cent decline.

Cattle Kill Under Pressure in Northern Ireland
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - In April, the Northern Irish (NI) cattle kill remained under pressure with the kill down two per cent on the same period last year, reports the Livestock and Meat Commission.

Record Feed Grain Production Projected for 2012/13
US - Feed grain production for 2012/13 is projected at 390 million metric tons, up from 324 million the previous year.

Weekly Australian Cattle Summary
AUSTRALIA - This report is a collection of weekly cattle price summaries from each Australian state by the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

CME: Beef Cutout Values Recover
US - Live cattle futures have rebounded in recent days as market participants feel more confident about the outlook for beef prices going into the summer, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner.

Cattle Genetics Pioneer Passes Away
CANADA - Dr Roy Berg, the man who brought hybrid vigour to Alberta’s cow herds, passed away last week at the age of 85. Ranchers and others in the agriculture industry should take a moment to remember Dr Berg not only for his intelligence and hard work,...

Silver Fern Farms Joins PGP Application
NEW ZEALAND - Silver Fern Farms has joined existing partners in the Primary Growth Partnership application led by Beef + Lamb New Zealand and a consortium of commercial companies.

Agriculture Shares A$70 Million in Research Grants
AUSTRALIA - Over 100 research and demonstration projects across the country will share in $72.5 million as part of the Gillard Government’s first round of Filling the Research Gap and Action on the Ground grants.