Russian authorities have begun inspecting meat products on sale in supermarkets for the presence of horsemeat in the wake of the contamination scandal in Europe.
The Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) has endorsed a European Commission plan to tackle the horsemeat crisis by testing thousands of beef products across Europe for horse DNA.
Agriculture ministers from the European countries affected by the horsemeat scandal are meeting in Brussels this evening to discuss the issue as investigations continue.
UK meat processors and retailers have been ordered to conduct testing on all processed beef products after ready meals on sale in supermarkets were found to contain 100% horse meat.
Exports of live cattle from the Republic of Ireland to Libya are set to resume for the first time since 1996, raising hopes of restoring the formerly buoyant trade and reopening other markets.
Some in the British meat industry are set to introduce DNA testing on meat products to reassure consumers in the wake of the horse meat contamination scandal.
Globalmeatnews.com talks to Phillip Seng, president and CEO of the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), about the difficulties that the US is facing when it comes to exporting meat to Russia.
The impact of the horse meat burger scandal continues to be felt in the UK and Ireland, with Irish plant Silvercrest losing several major contracts last week.
Australian beef exporters have bright prospects in the Russian market in 2013, with the potential to boost supplies by more than 1.5 times year-on-year, according to predictions from experts.
Scottish meat bosses have expressed concern over the potential slackening of European trade restrictions on Brazilian beef, which they fear could lead to price falls.
The total meat production in the European Union (EU) will drop by 2% in the next two years, according to a report published on Friday by the European Commission on the prospects for agricultural markets and income in the EU from 2012-2022.
Russia has seen a significant rise in the import of all types of meat since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), which analysts warn could lead the country to request changes to its import tariffs on meat products.
Investigations are continuing into the horse meat scandal that has engulfed the UK and Irish markets following the discovery of horse DNA in frozen burgers.
Following the introduction of new restrictions on imports of animal products from the EU, Russian officials have warned the Russian industry has completely lost confidence in EU producers.
Russian veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has announced temporary bans on the meat products of nine foreign companies, to be imposed from 23 January.
Australian beef exports to Russia were “sluggish” last year as a result of competition from South America and increased demand for Australian manufacturing beef in the US, according to the latest data from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
Globalmeatnews.com speaks to Jean-Luc Mériaux, secretary general of the European Livestock and Meat Trading Union (UECBV) about the priority markets for EU meat exports, and some of the challenges faced by European exporters and producers.
The Brazilian pork industry has said it was “optimistic” about export prospects for 2013, predicting higher-than-average prices and a resolution to Russian trade embargoes.
The European Commission has cleared the creation of an international slaughterhouse waste disposal joint venture between Germany’s Tönnies and US-based international group OSI.
Food and farming charity The Soil Association has called on the British government to investigate the bacteria MRSA in UK farm animals, as well as the claimed overuse of antibiotics in farming.
Russia has hit back against media reports that its decision to tighten controls on ractopamine in meat products was a reaction to the Magnitsky human rights bill, passed recently by US Congress.
Argentina’s beef producers have claimed their government’s new trade complaint against the US over allegedly illegal American beef import controls is a spurious political smokescreen.
In reaction to the Budget announcement made on Wednesday, Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president John Bryan said the cuts imposed by the Minister for Agriculture would hit Irish farmers hard.
Pan-African agricultural company Agriterra has opened a new commercial abattoir in Mozambique as part of a drive to increase the domestic supply of beef.
Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture has unveiled plans to create commodity exchanges for trading the country’s primary agricultural products - meat, milk and sugar.
European farming group Copa-Cogeca has warned that the EU beef industry is facing a “serious situation” and called on policy makers to address the problems affecting the sector.
Russian meat processor Cherkizovo has recorded a healthy sales increase of 6% for the nine months of 2012, despite an underwhelming price performance in its red meat divisions, caused by the weakening of the rouble.
Belarus has had its meat import quotas for 2013 reduced significantly by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), which controls tariffs for the Customs Union.
The EU has been hiding outbreaks of a dangerous strain of the bluetongue virus, grossly violating veterinary rules and World Trade Organization (WTO) responsibilities, Russian veterinary authorities have claimed.
African agri-business Zambeef has reported “robust” revenue growth over the past year, with a strong performance across its poultry, pork and beef divisions.
US meat exports volumes remained sluggish in September, but an increase in value meant that revenues for the third quarter remained ahead of last year’s record figures, according to USDA statistics.
