POSTED 9:53 a.m. THURSDAY
Feel sorry for me readers: I spend my life these days running around looking for power outlets to boost my iPhone, I just ran out of battery power for my video camera halfway through an interview, and my brain is on fire.
All part of the crazy life of the modern multi-platform journalist.
Anyhow, here’s what’s going at the World Pork Expo today. Will update a couple of times during the day:
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING
The ugly issue that didn’t arise in the trade session yesterday was discussed by National Pork Producers Council leaders today. As I was listening to NPPC leaders yesterday denouncing Japanese attempts to protect its farmers and ag markets in the present Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, and holding up the U.S. as a champion on free and fair trade, I kept thinking: “Yeah, but what about COOL. Doesn’t that totally undercut American credibility on trade?”
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That was a concern raised by NPPC VP Audrey Adamson and fellow NPPC VP John Weber. NPPC wants COOL “fixed” and non-discriminatory against Canadian and Mexican livestock so that those countries don’t impose retaliatory actions, Weber said. “We need to come up with a fix.”
As long as I can remember NPPC has been against the kind of mandatory COOL labelling that has the effect of stopping U.S. packers wanting to slaughter animals than have spent any part of their lives in Canada. That’s still their position. Weber said he thinks the U.S. will lose the WTO battle.
Adamson noted that this issue undermines the U.S. in other trade negotiations because it just doesn’t look good interfering with trade from neighbouring countries.
“This is not a meat issue. This is an international trade issue,” said Adamson.
A TRUCKNADO ABOUT TO HIT THE U.S. HOG INDUSTRY THIS SUMMER?
A trucking problem might be about to hit the U.S. hog industry this summer. New rules about to go into affect will force trucks hauling hogs to stop every half hour so that the truck driver can get out of the vehicle and walk around. This is intended to be good for drivers to ensure they are rested and alert, but on a hot summer day it is inhumane to leave a load of pigs baking in the sun for half an hour, NPPC officials said. The rule even stops trucks with a sleeping compartment and two drivers to stop every eight hours, since the requirement is for any trucker “on duty” to have that half hour, and a sleeping or non-driving trucker is still considered to be on duty if he is with the truck.
The NPPC is trying to get this situation fixed before it goes into affect.
STEVE MEYER ON THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
PEDv is damaging the U.S. pig herd and boosting prices. Farmers are gaining more in market prices than they are losing from production losses because each one percent reduction in the herd tends to create a two to three percent increase in the price.
Canadians are especially fortunate, Meyer noted, because little PEDv production loss has occurred there but the same price increase has been realized by Canadian farmers.
Meyer said everyone should watch out for fireworks in the soybean meal markets this summer as the last old crop supplies disappear before the new crop comes in. Anyone who isn’t covered for summer protein meal needs better get it on now.
