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AgriTalk: ASF Vaccine Development is a Tough Order

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:59:26 GMT

Although the race to develop an African swine fever (ASF) vaccine in China is slow, it is still moving forward. On Monday’s AgriTalk with Chip Flory, Dan Rock, professor of pathobiology at the University of Illinois, said it’s good to have confirmation that the ASF virus isolated in China matches up with the virus in Europe.

“The virus in China is very similar to the viruses that have been in the in the Russian Federation and are also moving in Eastern Europe and pressing up against Western Europe,” said Rock, a former research leader at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. “It’s really basically the same virus that appears to have spread massively throughout Eastern Europe and Asia.”

Although this doesn’t mean a vaccine for ASF will be happening anytime soon, it is information to build on.

“An ASF vaccine is a pretty tough order scientifically because it’s very complex virus,” Rock said.

Flory questioned how long it will take researchers to develop a vaccine.

“Scientists are kind of conservative by nature,” Rock said. “So they’re not going to come out and say, ‘I think we’re real close.’ I don’t think it’s going to take 10 years. I think it’s a matter of getting serious about it and having the right kind of research investment with a strategic vision to move it along in a more rapid way.”

He said the situation has changed significantly with the virus moving into moving into China.

“It’s a huge threat, not just to China, but I think it’s a huge threat to the U.S. as well. We’re going to have to get serious and really think about the research investment it’s going to take to give us the tools for detection, response and recovery should it be introduced into the U.S.,” Rock said. “African swine fever is out of Africa for good.”

Listen to the full report to learn more about ASF.

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Pulled Pork & Other Weird Things Left in Uber Cars

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:59:16 GMT

Leaving your jacket, keys or phone in a taxi or Uber car? Common occurrence. But in Uber’s third annual Lost & Found Index lists a few unusual items—10 lbs. of pulled pork, for one—left behind.

On the 50 most unique lost items, see No. 8, No. 17 and No. 19 for that “what are people thinking” factor. But what caught our eye was two packs of Italian sausage and a Thanksgiving ham at No. 20 and the 10 lb. of pulled pork at No. 45.

Riders were most forgetful on Saturdays and Sundays and late at night, between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. The most forgetful days of the year were Jan. 1, 2018 and Oct. 29, 2018—New Years and Halloween.

Days of the week also saw a trend: Riders were more likely to forget watches on Monday, headphones on Tuesday, laptops on Wednesday, books on Thursday, passports on Friday, phones on Saturday and cakes on Sunday.

A new rule of thumb: Unload the meat and cake first!

The 50 Most Unique Lost Items

8 week old coffee-colored Chihuahua
Black faux fur neck cuff in a size large
A photo of a New Years kiss
6 chicken tenders from 7 Eleven
A black and white tuxedo for a small dog
Full set of 18k gold teeth
Professional grade hula hoop
Salmon head
Medium sized medical marijuana pipe
Birth certificate and social security card
Star Wars skateboard
Very important headband with peacock feathers
A propane tank
A tray of eggs
White leather snakeskin Louboutin heels
Lego championship wrestling belt
A pack of hair and a brown brush shaped like a foot
Ed Sheeran concert tank top
Breast pump with breast milk
Two packs of Italian sausage and a Thanksgiving ham
A shopping cart
Ancestry kit
Lotion and beard oil
Silver & peach colored Venetian masquerade mask
Small handmade cat puppet
Babe Ruth signed baseball
White gold wedding band with diamonds
McDonald’s visor and a large fries
Harry Potter Magic Wand
A special pizza costume
A bird
Red pouch with hammock inside that says “hang loose”
Cheer skirt with a lion head
Yeezy boost 350 butters
A mannequin
Two pieces of my ever-so-special white wedding cake
A fog machine
Japanese style mandolin
Full fish tank with fish and water
An Elvis cape with a few jewels on it
One Gucci flip flop
Red Lobster takeout
Limited edition Chance the Rapper Starbucks gift card
5×7 prom picture of me and my husband
10 lbs pulled pork and 10 lbs pulled chicken
Rose gold Kim Kardashian lumee case
A piece of parchment paper with sap on it
Deer antlers and a welding helmet
My dirty laundry
A small plush toy of a cat eating a pizza slice

Source: Uber

Grit and Passion: Rommereim Reflects on Swine Industry

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:59:16 GMT

The worn photo album illustrating Steve Rommereim’s family heritage is not unlike that of the U.S pork industry.

“These pictures and the story behind them are for the most part a good representation of those that immigrated to the Midwest,” began Rommereim in his retiring address as National Pork Board president last Friday at the National Pork Industry Forum. “What we all have today is all based on the hard work, passion, grit and brains of those that have come before us.”

On a quiet hill overlooking Iowa and Nebraska, Rommereim said he has a hard time imagining the courage and determination generations before him possessed as they traveled 5,000 miles to the farm he calls home today.

He and his wife, Charlotte, live in Alcester, S.D., on a farm settled by Swedish immigrants in the latter half of the 1800s. Their family started raising hogs in 1918, specializing in Poland China hogs, known for their ability to produce fat. In the mid-60s, the trends began to change as demand for lard dropped and a leaner product became the new normal.

Their family transitioned to raising Duroc and Spotted swine until 2000 when a major move to integrated systems took place in their area, dropping the demand of farm-raised genetics dramatically. In the years following, they transitioned from producing genetics in outdoor pens and on pasture to producing commercial hogs.

“Pigs have been part of everyday life for our family, including generation number six, who are slowly taking over our farming operation,” he said. “This couldn’t make me happier.”

The Pork Industry Evolves

When Rommereim considers the changes his farm has gone through, he sees many parallels to the pork industry.

“In the 1800s, life on the prairie was difficult at best and some of our homesteading families had a few pigs around for their own needs. As the population in this country continued to grow, markets developed, and hogs started to be raised for profit,” he said.

The industrial age brought machinery and more fertile land into production. Packing facilities, local elevators, feed and seed companies, all changed food production dramatically, he added.

“The individual farmers decided they needed a unified voice both in legislative and regulatory worlds as well as product promotion, education and research. Commodity groups started springing up in the 1940s with pork starting around specific breed groups that already were working towards these goals within the breeds,” Rommereim said.

With a bit of money and a vision, the American Pork Producers Association became the first national pork association of record in 1940. In 1964, the National Swine Growers Council voted to change their name to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

Rommereim discussed the evolution of the Pork Checkoff, the “Pork, the Other White Meat” campaign and the 2001 court order for NPPC to split to pursue legislative and regulatory efforts and the National Pork Board to pursue promotion, education and research.

“I believe we can duplicate the successes of the past by using their example for Checkoff 4.0,” he said. “In the midst of all the change happening on the farm as well as the rest of the food chain, its apparent that we needed a reset.”

A Look Ahead

“Forward-thinking” is critical to remain relevant in today’s changing food-chain environment, he said. Pork 2040, a research project centered around where to invest dollars internationally for the next 20 + years, will help provide the foundation needed for the decades ahead.

He highlighted groundbreaking research efforts focused on the wise investment of dollars for understanding the needs and wants of the consumer, the We Care Commitment program to revitalize sustainability messaging, and the Secure Pork Supply program to help producers deal with ongoing threats of foreign animal diseases.

“The pork industry, as I’ve shown here with this brief history lesson, has high expectations and is willing to sacrifice to make things happen,” he said. “The results are best quantified by the return on your investment. 25 to 1 is better than I alone have ever done.”

He urged producers to review the successes of the past in order to best meet the needs of the present and adapt to the changing needs of the future.

“It all starts with a conversation, a relationship with one another as pig farmers and between pig farmers and the food chain,” Rommereim said. “The strength of this org will always be the relationships of men and women with a common goal of people, pigs and the planet.”

Inspiring Greatness: Chef Advances the Pork Industry Recipe by Recipe

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:58:55 GMT

It’s not about titles for National Pork Board’s Chef Jim Murray, although the pork industry is elated that he was just named a Worldchefs Certified Executive Chef. For Murray, it’s much simpler than that. He’s motivated by helping farmers.

“Serving farmers is what my job is all about,” says Murray, national channel marketing and innovation manager for the National Pork Board. “I get up each day looking for ways to help farmers who invest in the Pork Checkoff realize success through the wise, judicious use of their investment dollars.”

At the end of the day, it always comes back to the pig farmers and their families, Murray adds.

“The farmers are the rock stars,” he says. “People want to make a connection with how their food is grown. When farmers talk with consumers and passionately explain what they do and how they care for pigs, it’s a powerful story that can’t be beat.”

Murray’s role in advancing the pork industry is somewhat unique and probably a little hard to understand for those who have not crossed paths with this award-winning chef and leader. No, he’s not formulating feed rations or breeding a better pig, he’s the guy inspiring the world to eat more pork and showing them how to do it better.

More Pork on the Plate
Murray spends the majority of his time motivating people to either purchase more pork, sell more pork, or add more pork to the menu. And he gives them the tools and information to be able to do that.

“We do a lot of educational outreach to industries that we work with,” Murray says. “We provide research to our clients in the form of consumer insights, menu insights and data. Most of our chains and retailers are very holistic in their approach. They want complete transparency from one end of supply chain to other. My job is to help tell pork’s story.”

Since his career started, Murray’s experienced a variety of positions from working in fine dining to running his own barbeque restaurant to serving as a corporate chef. When the idea came up to work for the National Pork Board and directly make an impact on farmers’ lives, he jumped at the opportunity.

“I’m not working for a for-profit company that is always associated with a product,” he says. “I’m here as an unbiased resource to help you with your business. There aren’t many jobs that allow you to do this.”
Since he started six years ago, he has seen a higher level of product awareness across the National Pork Board’s customer base.

“Our clients want to know where their food comes from. The level of transparency they require has dramatically increased,” Murray adds. “There is greater awareness and more access to information online. Along with that comes a lot of misinformation, too, so we take the academic approach and explain the facts. We let people then make their decisions based on that.”

Murray offers a unique blend of pork fabrication understanding and culinary experience. He works closely with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to develop pork promotions to take around the world. He looks forward to opportunities to get involved with pork fabrication demonstrations when USMEF brings guests to the U.S.

Elizabeth Wunderlich, USMEF Caribbean representative, said she met Murray when he helped present a trend program for her team. Since then, she’s leaned on him for other events where she has needed food service presentations on pork and “re-branding” pork.

“He has been so gracious to share his time and talent at a variety our USMEF venues from trade shows to cookbook testing to processed meat teams to charcuterie demonstrations,” Wunderlich says. “We have particularly tapped into his knowledge of recipe testing, charcuterie and barbeque. He also has provided great resources for a variety of USMEF chef and retailer teams and has been a super resource for USMEF in answering industry questions and providing research.”

National Pork Board president Steve Rommereim says he’s not surprised because Murray’s approachable and friendly manner puts people at ease immediately.

“Jim knows his business well,” Rommereim says. “He is very friendly and approachable which makes him a great fit for his position with the National Pork Board. He works hard to create perfect presentations of pork products and is very innovative in creating new pork dishes and ways to utilize all of the products available.”

No Two Days Are the Same
Murray enjoys his job because no day is the same. One day he’s presenting on value-added pork products, then he’s going on store visits and then he’s back working in the kitchen.

“I don’t spend as much time in the kitchen as I did in former roles,” Murray says. “We have three chefs actively engaged with the National Pork Board’s clients, so that allows me to focus on other initiatives from time to time to advance marketing and innovation efforts.”

He admits that learning new things keeps his job interesting.

“The more you get exposed to new ideas and perspectives, the more you can really step back and see that you don’t know everything,” he says.

In addition to reading a lot and eating out as much as he can to stay relevant, Murray says he is inspired by the many chefs he interacts with in his career.

“I’m fortunate that my jobs have allowed me to work with an incredibly broad set of chefs through professional affiliations, competitions and networking events,” he adds.

Ahead of Industry Issues
Growing up on a small farm in Buffalo Center, Iowa, provided Murray a unique perspective of animal agriculture. His family raised Aberdeen Angus cattle, purebred Hampshire and Duroc hogs, horses and chickens.

He says those experiences help him share pork’s story with others. And when it comes to questions outside his scope of education, he says he’s fortunate to be surrounded by subject matter experts in nearly every aspect of pork production from what the pigs eat to how they are housed.

“A lot of what I do is act as an insider person in terms of commercialization – trying to understand packer/processor capabilities so when our team has a question, they can call me and I can give them a shortlist of packers and processors who have the capabilities they are looking for as well as could handle the size of their business,” Murray says.

Rommereim says Murray’s ability to know what’s going on outside the kitchen makes him a unique chef.

“I consider Jim to be successful because of his professionalism and his ability to be an advocate for the entire pork industry,” he says. “He’s a very valuable asset to the National Pork Board.”

A Worldwide Honor
Recently, Murray was awarded the coveted title of Worldchefs Certified Executive Chef by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) in Paris.

“This designation is the result of Jim’s 30 years of working as a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and possessing the desire to pass that expertise to future culinarians,” said Jason Menke, director of marketing communications at the National Pork Board.

Murray has held the CEC designation from the American Culinary Federation (ACF) since 1986 and has maintained that designation through required continuing education requirements that focus on supervision, nutrition and sanitation, Menke says. A minimum of 90 CE hours is required every five years to maintain the certification from the ACF.

“This certification gives an employer, or in our case, a customer we are working with, an understanding these people have achieved a certain level of culinary proficiency,” Murray says. “It brings together experience, education and skill set with practical exams and written exams at every level of certification that need to be passed to move on to the next level.”

What does this mean in the big scheme of things?

“I’m not at the highest level – global master chef – but I’m the next one down. I look at it as a combination of over 30 years of being certified here in the U.S. and spending a lot of time being involved in mentoring programs, teaching at culinary schools, doing a lot of those things within an organization to help raise the ship,” he says. “This helps me with my everyday business to better meet the needs of our customers.”

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Rising Meat Prices Threaten Restaurant Chains' Bottom Lines

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:58:50 GMT

Meat costs are finally going up, and that’s weighing on a dining industry that’s already reeling from rising minimum wages.

McDonald’s Corp. warned investors Tuesday its 2019 commodity costs in the U.S. could rise as much as 3 percent, more than the 1 to 2 percent inflation it had forecast just three months ago. Brewhouse chain BJ’s Restaurants Inc. last week said it’s expecting increases in pork prices, while China’s KFC operator Yum China Holdings Inc. said spiking poultry costs will weigh down margins for the rest of the year.

A swine fever that’s decimating China’s hog industry is part of the problem, with meat processors around the world rushing to make up for shortages caused by the outbreak. Pork supplies are tighter across the U.S. and Europe, pushing up protein prices across the board as companies look to substitute with more chicken and beef. Restaurants, also facing higher labor costs across the U.S., are being forced to raise menu prices as a result.

At Texas Roadhouse Inc., an American chain specializing in steaks, higher prices are on the menu, with customers paying as much as 3 percent more as it tries to offset rising costs. “That’s going to go a long ways on margins,” said President Scott Colosi.

Higher menu prices come on top of the more expensive sodas and diapers Americans are already ponying up for in the grocery aisles. That may get the attention of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues as they watch for signs that inflation is finally perking up.

Plan Forward: Who Is On Your Bench?

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:58:50 GMT

Think about the skills and manpower you need on your farm today versus five years ago. Your team has likely evolved to meet today’s challenges and opportunities.

To be ready for future industry shifts, you may need to bring additional people into your business with additional skills, says Sarah Beth Aubrey, CEO of Aubrey Coaching and Training and Top Producer columnist.

Farm leaders should assess their current employee bench. “A good place to start is with three simple categories: age, experience and expertise,” she says.

Age

Consider the number of years your team has left to work, Aubrey suggests. Also think through the stage in life a person is in at certain age ranges. For example, people with young children at home or those caring for others are often pulled in many directions with family commitments. When you look to fill positions, are some people more likely to need part time options or a lot of time off? Do you need to consider two part-time people for one job?

Experience

This is the most important category for assessing the leadership potential right now and going forward, Aubrey says. Do your people have the necessary seasons under their belts to lead?

Expertise

Be very specific about your teams’ specialties, Aubrey notes. List the special skills, gifts and talents, or unique training and education of various team members including yourself. “Again, this is not so much about age as it is about skills and natural tendencies,” she says.

Once you’ve looked at the current bench, consider the pipeline needed. Did this analysis expose gaps in credentials or training that you should address?

“I encourage business owners to think broadly about the idea of talent acquisition in terms of a brief risk assessment that considers the talent pool now and the decisions you have yet to make,” Aubrey says. “Don’t forget to build your bench for success!”

Sarah Beth Aubrey has a new book coming out, Who’s Running Your Farm (Next)? In July. Learn more about her work at www.sarahbethaubrey.com .

Large Barn Fire Kills Pigs and Cows in Canada

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:58:50 GMT

A barn fire raged at a Wellesley Township farm in Canada on Monday. Police said more than 400 pigs and 30 cattle were killed in the blaze.

Firefighters were called to the farm located on Lobsinger Line, west of St. Clements, just before 6 p.m. on Monday.

The family living on the property was safe, and 19 cows were saved, CTV News Kitchener reported.

Firefighters from all three stations in Wellesley Township responded, along with a tanker from nearby St. Jacobs. The limited water supply was a challenge, the deputy fire chief said.

Strong winds fueled the large fire, causing heavy smoke that closed down a nearby road for hours.

Firefighters’ immediate concern was protecting a propane tank near the barn, in addition to two large silos nearby.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and damage is expected to exceed $700,000, the deputy fire chief says.

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ASF Claims More Pigs in Cambodia as China Bans Imports

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:58:50 GMT

Agriculture department officials in Ratanakkiri province in northeast Cambodia said more than 700 pigs in O’Chum district died or were culled due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on Monday.

The disease first struck hundreds of pigs in late March in the O’Yadav district.

“Our officials are monitoring the situation because there are no visible symptoms of ASF and the disease can only be detected if sickened animals die,” said Soy Sona, provincial agriculture department director in a Khmer Times article.

Despite a ban on the movement of pigs or pork in the province, some people are transporting pork products to sell in other villages, some of which is used for feeding pigs, Sona said.

“Because of the extremely hot weather, the pigs find it difficult to forage for food in the area, leading villagers to buy pork products to feed their animals,” Sona said. “We suspect that the animals fell sick after eating pork derived from infected animals.”

It’s also possible that the pigs contracted ASF from wild pigs while foraging for food in the forests, he added.

On April 11, Ratanakkiri Governor Thorng Savun issued a province-wide ban on the transport of pigs, pork and pork products to prevent the spread of ASF.

“The authorities, especially those at the international border entry points, must not allow the movement of pigs, pork or pork products to or from the province until further notice,” he said.

Meanwhile, China banned imports of pigs, wild boars and related products from Cambodia on April 29. This comes as China’s battle with ASF has now spread to every province and region on its mainland since it was first detected in early August.

ASF poses no risk to human health but affects both domestic pigs and wild boars. For more information and the latest news on ASF, visit porkbusiness.com/ASF .

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China Confirms African Swine Fever on Hainan Island

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:58:38 GMT

China has detected new cases of African swine fever (ASF) in six farms across four locations in Hainan province, an island located off China’s southern coast, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday. This follows two cases of the contagious disease identified in the province on April 19.

The disease, which is fatal to pigs but harmless in humans, has spread to all 31 mainland provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions since August 2018 when it was first confirmed at a pig farm not far from China’s border with Russia.

On Sunday, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said among 517 pigs across the six farms, 146 pigs had died from the disease.

Pork output fell 5.2% in the first quarter of 2019 compared with a year earlier, Reuters reports.

Pork prices already shot up in March and could rise by as much as 70% in the second half of this year, according to Tang Ke, head of China’s agriculture ministry’s market and economy information department.

A separate survey from the ministry of the weekly changes in agricultural product prices showed pork had surged 22.8% last week from the same time last year.

Falling Inventory
“Livestock numbers are falling, with 18.8% fewer pigs on farms in March from a year ago. The number of breeding sows also fell 21% from a year earlier, the largest decline in a decade,” reported Pro Farmer’s Jim Wiesemeyer.

By the end of 2019, China’s total swine inventory will be down 13% to 374 million head, says the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report on April 19. Pork production will decrease by 5% to 51.4 million metric tons, with the reduced supply only slightly offset by weakened demand. The overall hog supply is forecast to fall 8% to 1.0 billion head on a sharp decline in the sow population.

“Due to stark regional differences between several affected regions, it is difficult to project the rate of recovery for China’s hog industry,” the report said. “For example, live hog prices between North and South China depend on the ASF situation in these regions. In normal circumstances, swine industry restructuring and adoption of new genetics takes about 30 months. However, China’s ASF situation is unprecedented in complexity, scale and scope.”

ASF’s Long-Lasting Impact on China’s Animal Feed Sector
ASF’s emergence will prompt further consolidation of China’s hog sector to meet heightened government biosecurity requirements, the USDA report said.

This will require the overall feed sector to consolidate and integrate vertically, by investing in larger-scale grain handling, storage and milling infrastructure in China’s North East Corn Belt.

In South China, feed mills will shift from manufacturing hog feed formulations for small hog production operations to producing aquaculture and poultry feed. This will increase the efficiency of feed use in the hog sector.

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