Poultry - General

China, U.S., and Brazil Lead Global Feed Surge Amid Regional Shifts

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:46:37 GMT

A newly released global feed survey estimates world feed production increased in 2025 by 2.9% to 1.44 billion metric tons.

In the 2026 Agri-Food Outlook released by Alltech , data shows most regions and sectors experienced growth.

“The numbers suggest a strong recovery phase for animal agriculture; but the data show that growth was uneven, increasingly regionalized and driven less by herd expansion than by structural change, productivity gains and shifts in how production is measured and recorded,” Alltech reports.

In North America, operational efficiency gains, sustainability pressures, formulation optimization and consolidation among feed mills continue to reshape the feed industry across the region. Feed tonnage contracted modestly, primarily due to a historically tight cattle cycle and declining beef herd dynamics. Alltech says the region still saw some selective, species-driven momentum, with growth concentrated in broilers and dairy. While pork feed stabilized, the egg and turkey sectors remained in recovery following health-related disruptions.

The survey collected data from 142 countries and 38,837 feed mills in late 2025. By analyzing compound feed production and prices, the survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of global feed production. Alltech says these insights serve as a barometer for the overall livestock industry, highlighting key trends across species, along with regional challenges and opportunities for growth.

Top 10 Feed-Producing Countries

The top 10 feed-producing countries produced 65.2% of the world’s feed in 2025. The survey also showed 47.7% of all global feed tonnage was produced in the top three countries: China, U.S. and Brazil.

Global Feed Volume by Species

More Regional Results

Asia: 559.297 million mt

Asia reigns as the global center of feed production, with growth via industrialization and price-conscious consumers increasing the demand for poultry and aquaculture in 2025. The survey shows continued shifts from on-farm mixing to commercial feed, especially in China. In addition, Southeast Asia experienced a recovery of the sow herd which lifted pork output. Poultry feed tonnage also remained strong.

Europe: 274.061 million mt

Europe’s feed sector in 2025 was differentiated, yet broadly resilient, growing by 1.0%, Alltech notes. Lower raw material prices, supported by large global harvests of soybeans, rapeseed, wheat and maize, improved margins and stimulated production in several key markets. The region stabilized overall even with ongoing disease pressure and regulatory constraints. Modest gains in dairy and broilers offset challenges in other segments.

Latin America: 204.446 million mt

Latin America solidified its position as the world’s premier “protein basket” in 2025. Compound feed demand expanded 2.8% year over year, rising by 5.536 million mt, supported by strong export markets and lower grain prices. Growth was broad-based across the poultry, pork and aquaculture sectors. However, local disruptions in parts of the Andean and Caribbean sub-regions tempered overall expansion.

Africa and the Middle East: 102.549 million mt

Africa expanded strongly (+11.5%) on commercialization and rising compound feed penetration as the Middle East entered a structural plateau (+1.1%). Across both sub-regions, Alltech says three forces shaped performance: protein affordability, input vulnerability driven by grain prices and currency volatility, and continued disease disruptions — particularly related to foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza.

Oceania: 11.104 million mt

Oceania experienced broad-based gains last year, with an overall 3.4% increase supported by population growth, resilient livestock sectors and strong export demand. Absolute increases were at their strongest in the broiler, layer, beef and pig sectors, the report says. High feedlot numbers and elevated cattle inventories sustained record beef production, particularly in Australia (+11%), with more moderate growth in New Zealand (+1.6%). Recovery in layer feeds following an avian influenza outbreak, along with steady demand for chicken and pork, led to a balanced regional expansion.

FAQs

Q: What was the total world feed production in 2025?
A: 1.44 billion metric tons.

Q: Why did U.S. feed production decrease?
A: Production fell by 0.8% due to a tight cattle cycle and declining beef herd dynamics.

Q. Which countries are the top producers of animal feed?
A. The top three feed-producing countries are China (330.06 million mt), the United States (267.38 million mt), and Brazil (89.90 million mt). Together, they account for 47.7% of the world’s total feed tonnage.

Q. Which livestock species saw the highest growth in feed demand?
A. Aquaculture experienced the highest growth rate at 4.7%, followed closely by the broiler sector at 3.7%.

Q. What is driving the growth in the global feed industry?
A. According to Alltech, growth is being driven by structural changes, productivity gains, and shifts in production measurement rather than simple herd expansion.

Q. Which global region had the highest percentage of growth in feed production?
A. Africa saw the most significant growth at 11.5%, fueled by increased commercialization and the rising use of compound feed.

The compound feed production totals and prices reported in the 2026 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook were collected in the first quarter of 2026 with assistance from feed mills and industry and government entities around the world. These figures are estimates and are intended to serve as an informative resource for industry stakeholders. To access more data and insights, visit alltech.com/agri-food-outlook .

The Shrinking Slice: Farmers Receive Less Than 6 Cents of Every Food Dollar

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:30:41 GMT

For the past two years, USDA has estimated farmers and ranchers received less than 6 cents of every food dollar. In 2023, that was 5.9 cents, and using the latest data from 2024, it’s 5.8 cents.

“Our oldest data point right now is 2007 [USDA updated the data series] and that’s 14.7 cents per dollar, and now we’re down all the way to 11.8 cents per dollar,” says Faith Parum, economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation. “So we’ve really seen that decline year after year. It reflects how much of the value of things in the grocery store or when you go out to eat is going to other parts of the supply chain and not necessarily to farmers and ranchers.”

Livestock vs. Crops: A Widening Gap

The aggregate decline masks a widening gap between sectors. While the overall farmer share is down, livestock and crop producers are seeing divergent trends:

Crop Farmers: Share dropped from 2.9 cents to 2.5 cents (a 2.5% year-over-year decrease).
Livestock Producers: Share increased from 3 cents to 3.3 cents.

“Overall, the farmer share is down. But we have those two markets really at odds,” Parum says. “We’ve seen that tale of two farm economies where our livestock producers maybe have seen a little bit of better days than they had had in the past, while our row crop farmers and our specialty crop farmers are really facing strong headwinds in the market.”

Effect at the Farm Gate

As highlighted by USDA, farm finances are quickly strained when farmers/ranchers are capturing a small percentage of the food dollar and even modest swings in commodity prices and/or input prices take place.

Parum adds, “when we talk about the health of our farms and the health of future generations on the farm, and being economically viable and sustainable and being able to keep their operations open, the trends we’re seeing right now are really hard for those farmers. Our ranchers are seeing a little bit of better days right now with high beef prices, but that’s not going to last forever, and with production expenses continuing to increase, we’re really going to see that that question come up of, what is sustainable if, if these dollars we’re spending in the grocery store aren’t making it back to our farmers.”

Where Does the Money Get Distributed?

The key takeaway: farmers produce the raw commodities that make food production, however, the price is clearly more determined by what happens after the products first leave the farm.

The USDA Food Dollar Series tracks how each dollar is spent by consumers and then divides it across the industries contributing to the value in the supply chain, such as farming, food processing, transportation, packaging, wholesaling, retail and food service. As noted by the USDA, with each step in the process, the additional services, labor, transportation and infrastructure add value and increase costs to the final food product.

USDA’s Economic Research Service Food Dollar Series shows in 2024, farmers received 11.8 cents of every dollar spent on domestically produced food, the remaining 88.2 cents of the food dollar went toward the ‘marketing bill’, which includes costs associated with food processing, transportation, packaging, wholesaling, retailing and food service. Over time, this shift illustrates how an increasing share of food spending is driven by services and supply chain activities rather than farm production itself.

Groceries Leave the Most on The Table For Farmers

Farmers’ share of consumer food spending varies widely depending on the type of food purchased. For example, the farm share of the food-at-home dollar was 18.5 cents in 2024, up slightly from 18.4 cents in 2023. But even in this category it means only than one-fifth of what consumers spend on groceries goes back to farmers.

As you may expect, products with minimal processing, require less of the value to be retained in that part of the food system, and therefore return a larger share of the food dollar to producers.

“The highest commodity that gets the most of that food dollar is fresh eggs,” Parum notes. “That’s just because there’s limited labor to process that food.”

Examples include:

Fresh Eggs: 69.1 cents (+6% from 2023)
Beef: 52.2 cents (+4.8%)
Fresh Milk: 50.8 cents (+5.6%)
Pork: 23.7 cents (+7.2%)
Poultry (+3.1%)
Fish (+2.8%)
Tree nuts and peanuts (-1.7%)
Fresh fruits and vegetables (unchanged)
Bakery Products: 4.8 cents (-9.4%)
Soft Drinks/Bottled Water: 1.3 cents (-7.1%)

ADM and Alltech Launch Akralos Animal Nutrition Joint Venture

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:56:55 GMT

A new animal feed and nutrition company, Akralos Animal Nutrition, launched on Feb. 1. This company, formed through a joint venture between global agriculture leaders ADM and Alltech, combines Alltech’s U.S.-based Hubbard Feeds and Canada-based Masterfeeds businesses with ADM’s U.S. feed operations.

“Akralos brings together proven scale, innovation and infrastructure with a deep commitment to service and results,” Akralos chief executive officer Brian Gier says in a release. “From day one, our focus is on delivering nutrition our customers can rely on, support they can count on and partnerships that help their animals and businesses thrive.”

Through an extensive network of more than 40 feed mills across North America and more than 1,400 team members, Akralos plans to deliver reliable, high-quality feeds, minerals and supplements through its trusted brands, backed by advanced nutrition expertise, leading-edge science and personalized service, the company says.

“Akralos is dedicated to helping customers gain a measurable advantage, bringing together passionate teams, proven products and shared values. Its experienced team works closely with customers to deliver tailored solutions, consistent performance and actionable insights, supported by leading-edge research and development, broad logistical capabilities and strong connections across the agri-food value chain,” Akralos says.

ADM and Alltech’s longstanding relationship goes back to 1980 when ADM was Alltech’s first customer. Akralos brings together both company’s complementary strengths to form a unified organization with a mission to serve as an advanced nutrition partnership committed to delivering a competitive edge for producers, retailers and animal owners across North America.

“With the unique strengths and shared values of Alltech and ADM, we can deliver deeper expertise, broader support and a stronger portfolio of nutrition solutions and services, all designed to help our customers build more profitable and resilient operations,” said Akralos chief operating officer Brad Dalke, an animal feed industry veteran who has served in numerous leadership roles at ADM over the past 27 years.

Akralos will be headquartered in Lexington, Ky., with a footprint including feed manufacturing, research and laboratory facilities.

Hubbard and Masterfeeds remain Akralos’ core customer-facing brands, preserving continuity for customers across North America, the company says.

“Our vision is to become the most trusted name in animal nutrition by delivering high-performance feeds and partnerships that drive results,” Gier says. “We’re here to listen, collaborate and use science to solve real-world challenges — nourishing advantage for all of our customers and partners.”

Iowa Farmer Battles Today's Pests While Eyeing Tomorrow's 'Mean Sixteen' Threats

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:31:41 GMT

For Worth County, Iowa, farmer Sarah Tweeten, the list of high-priority agronomic threats isn’t a political abstract — it’s a harsh reality she deals with every season.

Farming with her parents, Brian and Julie, and her uncle Roger, Tweeten has been steering the partnership toward more resilient cropping practices since joining the operation in 2021. This includes shifting from conventional tillage to strip tillage and splitting nitrogen applications.

The changes are part of a broader mindset: Protecting yields today from weeds, disease and insects while aggressively preparing for the next generation of agronomic threats. This forward-thinking approach is what led Tweeten to Washington, D.C., earlier this week as a Farm Journal Foundation farmer ambassador to help introduce a new report: “ The Mean Sixteen: Major Biosecurity Threats Facing U.S. Agriculture and How Policy Solutions Can Help. ”

Today’s Battles and Tomorrow’s Warnings
Researched and developed by Stephanie Mercier, PhD, the report takes an in-depth look at 16 significant pest issues U.S. farmers face now or could realistically in the future.

Tweeten is already battling a couple of the problems that underpin the urgency behind the research. For example, Palmer amaranth (pigweed) is gaining ground in her fields and across Iowa. The pervasive broadleaf weed can drastically reduce yields, with studies showing corn yield reductions between 11% and 91% and soybean yield reductions of 17% to 68%.

“We’ve struggled with pigweed as it continues to establish more resistance to our herbicides in our toolkit,” Tweeten says.

Two additional agronomic issues the report details include:

1. Asian Soybean Rust. First detected in the U.S. in Louisiana in 2004, this fungal disease has spread to southern states like Georgia and Mississippi. Scientists warn that warming winters could enable its migration to the Midwest, adding to existing disease pressures.

2. Corn Ear Rot. It can lead to aflatoxin production, making corn unmarketable and posing risks to humans and livestock. Aflatoxin is an issue Pickens County, Ala., farmer Annie Dee says is an ongoing problem for corn growers in her area.

“If we have aflatoxin, it can be impossible to sell the corn,” says Dee, also a Farm Journal Foundation Farmer ambassador.

A more recent threat she references is the impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) on local poultry farms.

Since January 2022, HPAI has been confirmed in a commercial or backyard poultry flock in all 50 states.

(USDA)

“An important market for us is poultry feed meal, so that’s a constant worry. The trickle-down effect is if we can’t move our corn then we can’t meet our financial obligations,” Dee adds.

Despite agricultural R&D offering a high ROI — $20 in benefits for every $1 spent — the Farm Journal Foundation report notes public funding for ag research has been declining over the past two decades.

“Farmers urgently need sustained support for aflatoxin research and prevention because these risks threaten our yields, our markets and the trust consumers place in American agriculture,” Dee says.

U.S. public spending on ag research and development has been falling for two decades.

(USDA-ERS)

African Swine Fever Has ‘Devastating Potential’
Looking to the future, Tweeten says she is concerned about African swine fever (ASF) and its potential to impact crop farmers as well as hog producers. The highly contagious swine disease hasn’t been detected in the U.S. mainland, but it isn’t far away. ASF has been confirmed in the Caribbean countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, roughly 700 miles from Miami, Fla.

“Being a farmer from Iowa, where we have probably eight times the amount of pigs as we do people, an outbreak of ASF would be just devastating to our state,” Tweeten says.

Hogs are among the biggest customers for the corn and soybeans Tweeten and her family grow. If African swine fever were to shut down hog production or exports, it wouldn’t just be a blow to livestock producers – it would hurt the entire agricultural community, she contends.

Read about 5 livestock diseases that could impact U.S. food security and economic stability.

Food Security Is National Security
When it comes to justifying funding for ag research, Tweeten knows there’s competition for every federal dollar. But she believes agriculture deserves a front-row seat — not only because of its economic weight and impact on farmers, but because of its role in national security.

“There’s that argument that food security is national security,” she says. “If there’s one thing COVID made us aware of, it’s that a disruption to our food chain can be terrifying, quite frankly.”

The pandemic made consumers and policymakers more aware of supply chain vulnerability. In 2020, the shock to the supply chain came from a human disease and logistical bottlenecks.

(Sarah Williams Photography)

Next time, Tweeten says, the disruption could just as easily come from animal or plant disease — whether African swine fever in hogs, Asian soybean rust or some other pathogen in crops. She worries about scenarios where farmers could face a fast-moving disease or crop pest while critical tools are still hung up in regulatory delays.

Her message: Farmers need a full toolbox, not one that’s half-built by the time a threat arrives.

“Ag needs to be in a good position when these sorts of emerging diseases and pests come into the country,” she says, “to have the tools in our toolbox ready for farmers to pull out.”

About the Farm Journal Foundation
The Farm Journal Foundation is a farmer-centered, non-profit, nonpartisan organization established in 2010. It works to advance agricultural innovation, food and nutrition security, conservation, and rural economic development.

Why We're Seeing More Bird Flu Infections Earlier

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:27:50 GMT

According to the USDA-APHIS dashboard , there have been 36 commercial flocks of poultry infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the past 30 days. Including backyard flocks, it totals more than 1.8 million birds.

Rebecca Eifert Joniskan, president of the Indiana State Poultry Association, says the disease has arrived earlier than “usual” as wild birds spread the virus with their seasonal migration patterns.

“We typically don’t see avian influenza until January or February,” she says. “This year we started October 9.”

Matt Makens of Makens Weather says weather patterns play a role in bird movement, and therefore virus transmission.

“In winters like this. our temperatures will be very volatile. There’ll be swings of very, very warm days. And then very, very cold days. And I think there is a connection to bird flu spread in those warmer periods,” he says.

Indiana is a poultry powerhouse for commercial production, ranking No. 1 in duck (60% of the U.S. duck produced), No. 3 in eggs, No. 4 in turkey, and a large-scale epicenter for broiler production as well.

While HPAI has been a renewed biosecurity concern for poultry since Feb. 2022, the infection has set into a seasonal pattern—creating some predictability. However, the early onset of birds being infected this fall has Joniskan and industry members concerned a long and difficult season is ahead.

“Typically, it fades over the summer. The virus burns itself out with birds in the Arctic,” she says. “That hasn’t been happening. The virus isn’t following the rules. It’s back, and it’s early.”

The first infections in Indiana were in northern countries and affected ducks and free-range egg layers. Currently, Indiana has the most reports of HPAI infection in commercial and backyard flocks for the past 30 days.

States reporting recent infections in commercial flocks are: California, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
The past decade has brought an increased focus on biosecurity and disease prevention.

“When we had avian influenza in 2015 and 2016, there were a lot of learnings on how to reduce the risk of introduction of the virus on your farm,” she explains. “There were changes put in place, including annual biosecurity reviews.”

She says poultry producers in Indiana have taken the virus risk seriously and are actively preventing its introduction while also being ready to respond to it.

“Our companies across the state have taken the learning from ‘15/’16 and what we’ve learned since 2022, and they’ve doubled down to try to reduce any opportunity for introduction wherever they can. It’s difficult, but it’s less expensive and trying than the dealing with an infection,” she says.

Once a flock is infected, the birds don’t recover from the virus, and depopulation is the end result.

Jury Rejects 'Rescue' Defense: DxE Extremist Zoe Rosenberg Found Guilty in Chicken Heist

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:37:14 GMT

After stealing four chickens from a Sonoma County poultry facility two years ago, UC Berkeley student and Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) extremist Zoe Rosenberg, 23, has been found guilty of all counts, including felony conspiracy. She could now face up to four and a half years in prison for her role in the 2023 chicken heist.

Although her attorneys tried to paint the theft as a “rescue,” the jury disagreed, finding her guilty on all counts, including felony conspiracy, as well as the two misdemeanors for trespassing on various occasions and a third for tampering with a vehicle or its contents. She will be sentenced on Dec. 3.

Video footage captured by animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere shows Rosenberg entering the farm in protective gear, taking four chickens from crates on a truck bed and carrying them off of the property.

According to NPR , this decision could have ‘reverberating effects throughout the country, as DxE has escalated these missions – referred to as ‘open rescues’ – in recent years.”

Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO of Animal Agriculture Alliance , is encouraged the jury came to a conclusion so quickly in deliberations.

“The crimes committed by DXE extremist Zoe Rosenberg are just that – crimes,” she says. “This decision is a reinforcement that laws must be followed and cannot be bent because of extreme beliefs and ideologies.”

The jury’s verdict makes it clear that personal beliefs don’t justify breaking the law, says Herb Frerichs, General Counsel, Petaluma Poultry, in a release .

“DXE members admitted to planning and carrying out illegal acts — including break-ins, theft of private data, and stealing livestock — under the guise of activism and to gain publicity,” Frerichs says. “This kind of behavior has no place in any community that respects the rule of law. We fully support the right to free speech and lawful protest, but that’s not what this was.”

Rosenberg’s defense team is expected to appeal, creating the opportunity to set a legal precedent for the practice, NPR reports.

“The actions committed by Rosenberg and other members of DXE continue to pose a threat to the health and safety of livestock and poultry – the very animals that they claim to be protecting,” Thompson-Weeman argues. “We will be interested to see the outcome of sentencing and hope that it will leave animals safer from repeat offenders who put them at risk.”

Rosenberg was not taken into custody following the decision, NPR reports. However, Judge Kenneth Gnoss mandated she wear a GPS-equipped ankle monitor and stay 500 feet from Petaluma Poultry and all Perdue facilities. She was also ordered not to contact six individuals believed to be fellow activists.

“DxE’s stated mission is to end meat consumption by abolishing all forms of animal agriculture,” Perdue said in a release . “They regularly deploy illegal tactics that jeopardize community safety in service, undermining the economy and national food supply.”

Tyson Names New COO as Supply Chain Chief Departs Over Conduct Violation

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 19:28:26 GMT

Tyson Foods, Inc., announced the appointment of Devin Cole as chief operating officer (COO) overseeing the company’s business segments, including poultry, beef, pork, prepared foods and international.

Devin Cole

(Beth Hall/Tyson Foods)

“We have strong momentum as we head into our new fiscal year, and we remain committed to executing our long-term strategy and operating the company guided by our culture and Core Values. I am confident that under Devin’s leadership our business will continue to thrive,” Donnie King, Tyson Foods president and chief executive officer, said in a release. Cole will report to King.

With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Cole’s appointment reflects Tyson Foods’ commitment to robust succession planning and operational excellence, the company said. Most recently, Cole served as group president of poultry and international, where he delivered the company’s third consecutive quarter of volume growth in poultry and improved profitability to Tyson’s international business by driving efficiencies and cost controls.

Stewart Departs Tyson Effective Immediately
Meanwhile, chief supply chain officer Brady Stewart has left the company after violating internal rules. This marks the second senior executive departure for improper behavior in just over a year.

According to the company, certain actions taken by Stewart violated the Tyson Foods Code of Conduct.

The Supply Chain, Food Safety, Health and Safety, Environmental and Transportation functions will now report directly to King.

The company said it will share further leadership and organizational updates prior to Sept. 28 – the start of its 2026 fiscal year – consistent with its established succession planning and governance processes.

How Much Meat Will the U.S. Eat in 2025 and 2026?

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:48:45 GMT

Domestic availability of red meat, poultry and eggs is projected to increase in 2025, driven by gains in chicken and pork availability, and is expected to rise further in 2026, reports the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS). This increase stems from USDA’s forecast of per capita supply available for use on the domestic market.

How are these numbers determined? ERS says availability, also known as disappearance, serves as a proxy for consumption and includes fresh and processed meat and eggs sold through grocery stores and used in restaurants.

“The latest USDA data indicate 226 lb. of red meat and poultry and about 22 dozen eggs are available per U.S. consumer in 2025. By 2026, per capita availability is forecast to increase to 227 lb. for red meat and poultry and to 23 dozen eggs,” ERS reports.

Data for 2025 and 2026 are forecasts. Per capita meat availability serves as a proxy for consumption and does not reflect indirect uses, such as pet food or food waste.

(Data: USDA)

Chicken Projected to Be Most Consumed Animal Product
For chicken, per capita availability of broiler meat has been growing for many years and is projected to reach 102.7 lb. in 2025 and 102.8 lb. in 2026, ERS says. This will make it the most consumed animal product in the U.S.

However, availability of turkey has been falling in recent years and is projected to reach a low of 13.0 lb.per person in 2025 but increase to 13.6 lb. in 2026.

Per capita table egg availability for 2025 is projected at 21.5 dozen and is projected to increase to 22.9 dozen per person in 2026.

Pork and Beef Projections
ERS reports that pork availability per capita is projected at 49.7 lb. in 2025 and 50.9 lb. in 2026, up from 49.9 lb. in 2024.

Meanwhile, per capita beef availability for 2025 is projected to be slightly lower than 2024 at 58.5 lb., but is projected to decrease further to 56.9 lb. per person in 2026.

Why Livestock Operations Are Ditching Spreadsheets for BinSentry’s Smart Bin Technology

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:32:10 GMT

Animal feed travels a very long and winding supply chain, and up to 70% of the total cost of raising commercial animals is directly tied to the simple task of feeding the herd.

In a world where there are literally cameras and sensors everywhere that are able to measure everything, and artificial intelligence running in the background to make those cameras and sensors “smart,” it just doesn’t make sense to keep animal feed inventories on paper or Excel spreadsheets anymore.

Ben Allen, CEO, BinSentry

(BinSentry)

That’s what BinSentry CEO Ben Allen, who grew up in farming on his families’ Iowa farm outside Ames says, adding: “Too many people are still taking feed inventories the way my grandfather used too.”

His company has been on the animal ag scene for seven years and has grown over 100% annually for each of the past three years, he claims, as large commercial feedlots and multinational processors like Cargill add the companies’ bin monitoring technology to automate the logistics of refilling feed bins. Allen says BinSentry’s tech is capturing imagery 24/7/365 on more than 40,000 feed lots across the U.S. and Canada.

BinSentry recently secured a $50 million Series C investment round, led by the No. 1 growth equity fund in the U.S., Lead Edge Capital. Allen says his company will use the funds to, among other projects, expand its technology and operational reach further into South America and Brazil, where BinSentry has an exclusive distribution agreement with Cargill.

“We install a camera sensor at the top of the bin, it’s solar powered and has cellular connectivity and only takes 15 minutes to install, and we can start getting high accuracy inventory reports throughout the day,” Allen says. “That data goes directly into our software where we do a lot more than just inventory.”

Allen says the company uses the real-time bin monitoring data to run analytics mainly to inform the logistics side of the feed operation, and it can also send preventative maintenance alerts if it sees something happening inside the bin that could potentially be a problem. While not as inherently dangerous as climbing into large grain storage bins in the row crop world, manual monitoring is a laborious and risky task that would be better left to technology components if possible.

A BinSentry sensor on a poultry feed storage structure.

(BinSentry)

“We have been working with AI since the founding of the company, and we use it in a very tactical and operational way,” he explains. “Our consumption forecasts are always updating with our AI algorithms; it’s constantly adjusting to conditions like the biological variables of animals and the weather. We can really dial things in and get precise, so you can take better care of your animals, burn less diesel fuel, and then you need less workers.”

Besides Cargill, BinSentry is also working with Wayne Sanderson Farms, The Hanor Company, and Maple Leaf Foods. The company is moving at a breakneck pace, installing between 2,500 and 3,000 new sensors per 30 days, and it has its own service and maintenance teams to keep systems running and the customers happy.

“Our focus is to scale up now — because we’re growing like crazy,” Allen says. “That’s because we solve real, operational problems and we cut costs immediately. Our customer ROI is high and fast; the only way you grow this quickly (in agriculture) is by solving real problems for real people.

“We’re excited about our progress and excited about what we can do in the future, and that excitement centers around being more efficient within the animal feed supply chain, we feel like that’s a good story, because we’re helping create economic and environmental sustainability.”

You can read more about BinSentry’s funding raise here and learn more about the company at BinSentry.com.

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California Has 'Gone Rogue,' Consumers Pay the Price Under Proposition 12, Rollins Says

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:25:52 GMT

President Donald Trump’s administration sued California on July 9 over its regulation of eggs and chicken farms, saying these California laws impose burdensome red tape on the production of eggs and egg products nationally in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

“California has gone rogue and caused real harm to consumers under its cage-free egg commitments,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said in a statement frollowing the announcement of the Trump Administration’s lawsuit. “By not allowing consumer choice, Californian’s are forced to buy more expensive eggs. California’s actions under Proposition 12 fly in the face of Federal jurisdiction and regulation over food production and safety under the Egg Products Inspection Act.”

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and other state officials. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, argues that the federal Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970 pre-empts state laws related to eggs. The federal law authorizes the USDA and Health and Human Services to regulate eggs in order to protect consumers’ health and welfare, and it also requires “national uniformity” in egg safety standards, the lawsuit says.

“It is one thing if California passes laws that affects its own State, it is another when those laws affect other States in violation of the U.S. Constitution,” Secretary Rollins said. “Thankfully, President Trump is standing up against this overreach.”

Secretary Rollins has worked diligently to support American poultry and egg producers, combat avian flu, and lower the cost of eggs for consumers, USDA pointed out in a statement. In February, she announced a five-point plan to combat the avian flu and lower egg prices which has been applauded by agriculture and government leaders across the country. Since the five-point plan was announced, the price of eggs has decreased 63%.

“It is great to see the Trump administration taking decisive action to protect the country from California’s overreaching policies, but Americans facing high food costs cannot afford to wait for years of court appeals. Congress could—and should—pass legislation tomorrow to get us there sooner,” Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare (CEW) said in a release. “Recent polling shows California voters now regret the passage of Proposition 12, and there is strong bipartisan support for a legislative fix to nullify California’s inflationary farm mandates.”

(YouTube)

In May, CEW launched a public education campaign urging Congress to stop the far-reaching consequences of Prop 12. According to Consumer Price Index data, national egg prices have spiked 103% since Prop 12 went into effect in 2022. Meanwhile, in California, the cost of eggs has tripled and pork prices have increased by between 20 and 40%.

Global Feed Production Rebounds, Says Alltech in Agri-Food Outlook

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:06:02 GMT

Global feed production rebounded in 2024 after a stagnant 2023, increasing 1.2% from 1.380 billion metric tons (mt) to 1.396 billion mt. This growth, achieved despite challenges that included highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), climate fluctuations and economic uncertainty, underscores the resilience and adaptability of the international agriculture industry, Alltech reports in the 2025 Agri-Food Outlook.

The annual report includes the results of the company’s 14th annual global feed production survey with data collected from 142 countries and 28,235 feed mills in 2024. Through an analysis of compound feed production and prices, the survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of global feed production.

Alltech says these insights serve as a barometer for the overall livestock industry, highlighting key trends across species, regional challenges and opportunities for growth.

Top 10 Countries
The Top 10 feed-producing countries in 2024 produced 65.6% of the world’s feed, with 52% of global feed production concentrated in only four countries (China, U.S., Brazil, India).

The Top 10 include:
1. China: 315.030 million mt of feed, down 2.03% from 2023
2. U.S.: 269.620 million mt; up 0.68%
3. Brazil: 86.636 million mt; up 2.43%
4. India: 55.243 million mt; up 4.56%
5. Mexico: 41.401 million mt; up 1.38%
6. Russia: 38.481 million mt; up 8.53%
7. Spain: 35.972 million mt; up 1.46%
8. Vietnam: 25.850 million mt; up 3.41%
9. Türkiye: 24.502 million mt; up 4.83%
10. Japan: 24.297 million mt; up 0.14%

Species Highlights
Poultry feed experienced an increase in production, both for broilers (up 1.8%) and layers (up 1.4%). Broiler feed is the largest species segment, accounting for 27.6% of the total feed tonnage in the world.

“As a ‘budget-friendly’ protein option, the broiler industry benefits from surges in red meat prices,” the authors of the report share. “Affordability drove demand in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, while rising incomes boosted growth in Africa.”

Although HPAI was a persistent issue for poultry production, broiler feed volumes are expected to continue seeing moderate growth in 2025 because of broiler meat’s affordability and export opportunities, the report says.

The slow 1.4% growth rate of layers reflected the challenges facing the industry, including the disruptions by avian influenza and oversupply in some regions, Alltech points out.

Global pig feed production experienced a loss in 2024 of 0.6%, leading to a decreased total of 369.293 million mt, the report notes. Growth in the European, Latin American and North American pork segments was counterbalanced by downturns in Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Oceania.

“These trends were partly dictated by how well producers in each region continued to recover from outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF), with export demand allowing Europe and Latin America to reclaim lost ground,” the authors explain. “Survey respondents were divided in their outlook for pig feed production, which recorded the highest amount of pessimism among all feed segments.”

The report adds that disease management and stabilized feed costs will continue to be critical for the pig feed sector to achieve growth throughout the world.

Dairy feed tonnage increased by 3.2%, to 165.500 million mt. Analysts attribute this to robust consumer demand, favorable milk prices and a shift toward more intensive farming practices, with Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and Latin America all displaying growth.

“While dairy feed production remained stable in North America, Oceania’s reliance on abundant pasture led to a slight dip in its feed tonnage,” the authors say. “Despite challenges that ranged from disease pressures to volatile weather conditions, the global dairy sector continues to exhibit strong resilience and growth potential. The modernization and intensification of production and higher milk yields are expected to foster further increases — but lower farmgate prices in China could limit global gains overall.”

Beef feed tonnage rose from 131.6 million mt in 2023 to 134.1 million mt in 2024. Alltech says this reflects a global increase of 1.8%. North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe and Oceania all recorded gains thanks to a rise in demand for beef exports due to tight supply elsewhere around the world.

“Scarce forages in parts of North America, Latin America and Australia drove cattle producers to rely more heavily on commercial feeds. The decline in beef feed tonnage seen in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East was attributed to oversupply and lower prices,” the report says.

Access more data and insights from the 2025 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook here.

Editor’s Note: The compound feed production totals and prices reported in the 2025 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook were collected in the first quarter of 2025 with assistance from feed mills and industry and government entities around the world. These figures are estimates and are intended to serve as an informative resource for industry stakeholders.

Your next read: A Pinch of This, A Dash of That: It’s Time to Update Pork’s Recipe for Sustainability

FSIS Withdraws Proposed Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:27:08 GMT

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) is withdrawing its proposed rule and determination titled “Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products,” published on Aug. 7, 2024, to further assess its approach for addressing Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products. The agency determined that additional consideration is needed in light of the feedback received during the public comment period that closed on Jan. 17.

“The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) appreciates FSIS listening to our food safety concerns and withdrawing its proposed ‘Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products,’” says Ashley JOhnson, NPPC director of food policy. “This is an important step in recognizing the need for a more scientific approach to Salmonella testing, and NPPC will continue to work with FSIS to ensure thorough food safety testing.”

In January, the NPPC raised concerns about the scientific validity and practicality of reaching the goal of protecting public health through this proposed rule and determination. Under the regulation, FSIS would have classified certain Salmonella levels and serotypes in raw poultry products as adulterants and, therefore, prohibit them from entering the food supply.

Additionally, poultry slaughter operations would have had to include microbial monitoring programs with statistical process control methods and specific sampling methods in their procedures for addressing enteric diseases such as Salmonella.

NPPC pointed out that to reduce illnesses, risk-based performance standards will incentivize establishments to evaluate their status by conducting Salmonella quantification testing.

“An adulterated determination can result in unintended consequences, such as food waste of safe products, and will not help protect public health,” the organization said in January . “NPPC also noted that because Salmonella isn’t an ‘added’ substance – it occurs naturally – it doesn’t meet the statutory definition of an adulterant, and that case law does not support Salmonella being classified as such.”

The microbiological testing FSIS proposed involves a small portion of product, NPPC said, so it is not representative of all products. NPPC said this testing should be used only for verification.

“Consumer health and safety is at the forefront of the pork industry’s practices,” NPPC wrote. “Although the proposed rule is focused on raw poultry products, NPPC acknowledges the importance of food safety and taking a scientific approach to protect our nation’s food. Salmonella continues to be a high priority for the pork industry, as producers and processors implement strategies and look for improved ways to address the bacterium. The pork industry will continue its collaborative efforts with FSIS to deal with Salmonella through informed policy.”

Ashley Peterson, National Chicken Council senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs said the proposal could have increased the price of chicken without any health benefits as Salmonella rates on chicken are at all-time lows and chicken producers are working to reduce them even further.

“America’s chicken producers remain committed to further reducing Salmonella and fully support changes in food safety regulations that are based on sound science, robust data, and are demonstrated to positively impact public health,” Peterson said in a release . “We are concerned this proposal is not based on any of those.”

Based on the input received from stakeholders in January, FSIS says it will evaluate whether it should update the current poultry Salmonella performance standards.

Your Next Read: NPPC Raises Concern on USDA’s Proposed Salmonella Regulation

New Food Security and Farm Protection Act Protects Farmers and Consumers From Government Overreach

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:24:08 GMT

After the U.S. Supreme Court left an open invitation for Congress to strike down California’s Proposition 12, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) says it’s time to end this “unjustified and burdensome regulatory overreach” in order to protect family farms and bring down prices for U.S. consumers.

On April 8, Ernst and fellow Senate Agriculture Committee members Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) introduced The Food Security and Farm Protection Act that prohibits any state or local government from interfering with commerce and agricultural practices in another state outside their jurisdiction.

“Proposition 12 is dangerous and arbitrary overregulation that stands in direct opposition to the livelihoods of Iowa pork producers, increases costs for both farmers and consumers, and jeopardizes our nation’s food security,” Ernst says. “I’m proud to be leading the charge to strike down this harmful measure and will keep fighting to make sure the voices of the farmers and experts who know best – not liberal California activists – are heard.”

Pig Farmers Speak Out
This policy averts a disastrous patchwork of contradictory state-by-state farm regulations that would hit hardest small and medium-sized pork producers, says National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio.

“U.S. pork producers have just suffered the worst 18 months of financial losses in history, and many farm families are contemplating whether they can pass along their farm to the next generation,” Stateler says. “We urge the Senate to take up this legislation immediately to provide us much-needed relief.” Learn more about Stateler’s story here.

Without certainty from the Food Security and Farm Protection Act , NPPC says there will be many consequences, including:

Widespread, damaging consequences for farmers and consumers alike.
Significant fees forced on producers to pay for outside regulators to audit their farms due to the whims of consumers outside their state’s borders.
Risk of putting farm families out of business by significantly increasing the cost of raising pigs.
Increased prices at the grocery store , as much as 41% for certain pork products.

A Dangerous Patchwork of Regulations
For reasons like these and more, bipartisan support for providing relief from a patchwork of state laws continues to grow with support from President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, and their respective Agriculture Secretaries Brooke Rollins and Tom Vilsack, NPPC said in a release.

“The United States is constantly faced with non-tariff trade barriers from protectionist countries, which hurts American agriculture’s access to new markets. The last thing we need is for states like California imposing its will on ag-heavy states like Kansas with regulations that will also restrict our ability to trade among the states,” Marshall says. “Midwest farmers and ranchers who produce our nation’s food supply should not be hamstrung by coastal activist agendas that dictate production standards from hundreds of miles away.”

And it’s not just the pork industry rallying around this legislation.

“Iowa soybean farmers are grateful for Senator Ernst’s leadership to address challenges Prop 12 creates for Iowa farmers,” says Iowa Soybean Association President and farmer, Brent Swart. “Not only do the increased costs of compliance threaten to put pork farmers out of business, Prop 12 increases the price of pork at the grocery store by as much as 40%. Higher prices for pork dampen demand for this high-quality protein which negatively impacts market demand for soybeans used for pig feed. This legislation gives us a chance to protect our farms, our livelihoods, and ultimately, families that need affordable food.”

Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President, Rob Medberry, points out that the Iowa Cattle industry has made it clear that government overreach and overregulation is incredibly burdensome to industries that provide safe, quality and sustainable products for the world.

“Proposition 12 has the potential to further dismantle the livestock industry with the lack of science-based measures. Proposition 12 has already proven to be an unfunded mandate with consumers unwilling to pay premiums for the products that must be compliant with the proposition,” Medberry says. “The inherent cost to become compliant is overbearing and the simple fact of dollars and cents does not add up.”

Opponents Strike Back
Opposition such as the Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society Legislative Fund, argue against this legislation.

“This bill would hand over sweeping power to a narrow segment of the agriculture industry, overriding the will of voters, dismantling state laws and eliminating hard-won voter-supported protections for the humane treatment of farm animals, food safety and farm workers,” says Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund. “Let’s be clear: this is a federal overreach that serves Big Pork, not the American people.”

Amundson claims this legislation has been driven by a small group of pork industry lobbyists.

It’s Not Just About Pigs
But Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Stu Swanson disagrees.

“With barriers like Proposition 12 cutting off our ability to supply fellow Americans with Iowa grown pork, it’s not only those families who are being affected, but also our farm families here in Iowa,” Swanson points out.

Iowa Turkey Federation Executive Director Gretta Irwin adds that these inconsistencies create unnecessary burdens for farmers operating across state lines, hinder efficient production, and undermine well-established, science-based practices developed in coordination with industry experts.

Swanson says this is an issue for all of agriculture and one his organization plans to continue to work on with their livestock partners until it gets resolved.

“Consistent with its authorities under the Commerce Clause, it’s time for Congress to solve this problem by passing legislation,” Grassley says. “Our bill will end California’s war on breakfast and make sure delicious Iowa pork can be sold everywhere.”

Stay up to date on Prop 12 here.

Don't Be Deceived: Wildlife Pose Serious Threat to Livestock Producers

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 13:42:17 GMT

At first glance, the house sparrow may not seem all that intimidating. But now that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is endemic in the wildlife waterfowl population, this tiny bird could become a huge problem for U.S. livestock producers, USDA’s David Marks said at the 2025 American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting in San Francisco in March.

“Ducks and geese waterfowl are a reservoir for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI),” says Marks who serves on the staff of USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS). “They brought it over here in 2022 from Europe and Asia, and now it is circulating in waterfowl. HPAI is a foreign animal disease in North and North America, but now it’s endemic in wildlife. It’s not a good situation.”

Peri-domestic birds like the house sparrow and the American robin are attracted to the same water sources as these ducks and geese, which can result in peri-domestic birds carrying the disease back to the livestock barns, Marks explains.

“Keep your farms tight,” he says. “HPAI is mixing and reassorting in our waterfowl. Every time it gets in these birds, it’s mutating. Over 85% of positive farms now are from wildlife introductions.”

When it comes to managing wildlife disease threats, there are basically three options: manage the site itself, manage the wildlife, or install a barrier to keep wildlife out.

How Big of a Problem Do We Have?
Since the outbreak in poultry in 2022, APHIS has worked with state animal health officials to identify and respond to detections and mitigate the virus’ impact on U.S. poultry production and trade. Marks says more than 105.2 million birds in 1,197 flocks in 48 states have been affected by the virus since then. In response to this current outbreak, USDA has spent over $1 billion, paying for indemnity, cleanup and disinfection of facilities, diagnostics and other aspects related emergency response.

“More than 75% of infections have been directly related to new introductions of virus of wildlife origin and not related to lateral transfer between facilities, employees and equipment as in previous HPAI outbreaks,” Marks says.

WS developed the Midwest Wildlife Biosecurity Assessment Pilot Project in response to the continued outbreaks of HPAI across the country. Four states (Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota) were selected as the focus for this project based upon the high number of infections and re-introductions of facilities during calendar year 2022 from within this area.

Earlier this month, USDA announced it is expanding the availability of its biosecurity assessments to commercial poultry producers.

“These assessments, which were previously available on a limited basis have been extremely successful in improving biosecurity on individual premises and preventing the introduction or spread of avian influenza,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said.

The goal of the assessments is to take a proactive approach to managing potential disease transfer and improve the wildlife biosecurity of commercial poultry facilities in the U.S., thus reducing the number of facilities that become infected with HPAI and other diseases of concern to the poultry industry, Marks explains.

Wildlife biosecurity assessments are through evaluations of all buildings, external operations and wildlife population use and movements that occur on and near commercial poultry facilities. These reports are directly provided to facility managers and include long-term management recommendations for mitigating any identified risks related to wildlife.

The formal WBA process is comprised of three main components: Wildlife hazard identification surveys, wildlife abundance surveys, and in most cases, direct control and continued monitoring for attractants, hazards, and wildlife.

Barn swallow nest

(USDA Wildlife Services)

Step 1: Wildlife Abundance Surveys
What species are there in the first place? Marks says wildlife abundance surveys (WAS) simply determine what wildlife species one could expect and that one finds on an operation.

“A farm in northwest Iowa might be different than a farm in southeast Iowa or Texas,” he points out. “WS conducts WAS at different times during the day (morning, midday, evening, and night) to understand the different species present in and around the facilities at these times.”

After establishing multiple survey points to represent all habitats and cover the perimeter, WS conducts standardized wildlife point counts at each survey point and revisits those monthly to create population trend data. These maps show areas of wildlife activity for each facility.

Standing water is an attractant for wildlife.

(USDA Wildlife Services)

Step 2: Wildlife Hazard Identification Surveys
Wildlife hazard identification survey (WHIS) take place at all facilities as they enter the program, he says. These reports provide a detailed list of all the wildlife biosecurity hazards found within the perimeter buffer area of the facility, and categorizes hazards into three tiers, with tier 1 being of the greatest concern. Examples of Tier 1 hazards include holes in barn exterior walls, exclusionary netting, or other breaches that would allow direct contact with wildlife and poultry.

Lower Tier hazards include wildlife attractants and potential sources for indirect transmission routes, such as standing water and food sources. WS conducts the first WHIS during an initial facility site visit and generates the report for the producer shortly after. WHIS reports contain photographs of all hazards identified and their locations represented on an aerial photo. WS designs the reports so producers can quickly identify and mitigate any hazards found.

WS personnel conduct subsequent WHIS quarterly to monitor progress. They also monitor for additional hazards continuously while on site, and any additional hazards found are recorded and relayed to producers in real time. Formal quarterly WHIS reports help track hazards and mitigation over time.

Starling on a barn roof.

(USDA Wildlife Services)

Step 3: Direct Control
The next step is to develop a plan for routine direct control actions. This includes both lethal (removal) and nonlethal (habitat management, exclusion, harassment) management of wildlife present at the facility, Marks explains.

“WS records all direct control activity results, along with wildlife observations while on site,” he says. “These are not standardized data, but over time are very valuable in showing trends and we expect a direct inverse correlation to result from wildlife abundance surveys (ie, the more wildlife managed, the lower the wildlife abundance on site). Similar to wildlife abundance data, direct control trend data can be depicted on a map of a facility to show areas of wildlife activity.”

After the first six months of participation in the program, WS generates a comprehensive report for the facility, which summarizes all WS personnel activities.

While on site, WS personnel collect samples from wildlife species for HPAI testing, he adds. Sampling strategies focus on facilities that have recently become positive for HPAI because of the increased likelihood of the virus being present in non-reservoir species. WS processes samples and submits them to the diagnostic lab for analysis, and all influenza A detections are forwarded to the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory for confirmation and genomic sequencing. Additionally, WS collects samples from a subset of wildlife collected from non-infected facilities.

What Can You Do Now?
Although the biosecurity assessments and audits are offered to poultry producers only at this time, WS does offer financial support to help dairy producers enhance biosecurity and offset costs associated with Influenza A testing, veterinary expenses, personal protective equipment purchases, milk disposal and milk losses.

“The wildlife exclusions and barn setups are similar between swine and poultry facilities,” Marks says. “Biosecurity is a critical tool for disease prevention for all species.”

USDA encourages all producers to review their biosecurity plans and take action now to prevent disease from reaching their herds. While the actual assessments may not be available to pork producers right now, USDA does offer biosecurity resources for swine producers here .

Your Next Read: Is the Swine Industry Ready for H5N1? Texas Veterinarian Says “No”

Consumer Meat Sales Are Higher Than Ever

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:51:39 GMT

Consumers are buying more meat than ever. In 2024, meat sales hit a record high of $104.6 billion and pounds sold increased 2.3%, according to the 20th annual Power of Meat report released on March 24 at the Annual Meat Conference by the Meat Institute and FMI—The Food Industry Association.

“With most Americans (74%) so confident in meat as a nutrient powerhouse that is top of mind for protein needs, it’s no surprise people are buying more meat than ever,” says Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “Meat Institute members are committed to making the nutrient-dense meat Americans need and keeping America’s farm economy thriving, today and for generations to come.”

Sales and purchase dynamics data provided by Circana for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2024, show that consumers, on average, purchase meat more than once per week. This keeps meat as the largest fresh department in grocery, according to the report.

Nearly all of American households purchase meat (98%). Meanwhile, 73% of Americans view meat as an overall healthy choice, Circana data shows.

In addition, the report shows that getting enough protein is very/somewhat important to 90% of Americans, and animal proteins, including eggs (83%), chicken (82%) and beef (76%), top the list of foods that most consumers view as protein-rich foods.

The average American shops for meat 54 times per year and spends $16.12 on meat per trip, Circana data highlights. The top three purchases for refrigerated meat include beef, chicken and pork and the top three purchases for prepared meat include lunchmeat, bacon and sausage.

Priorities among meat shoppers include preparing comfort meals, having quick prep options, and getting creative with ingredients. Americans prepare 4.8 dinners per week at home and 90% include meat, the report says.

“As shoppers’ definition of value has expanded to include price, quality, relevance, convenience and experience, they are including meat in 90% of home-cooked dinners and looking for various options to suit their schedules, tastes and interests,” says Rick Stein, vice president of fresh foods for FMI. “Whether shoppers are looking for the convenience of new ground meats or incorporating semi-prepared options in their meal prep, the meat department delivers.”

Editor’s Note: The Power of Meat study was conducted by 210 Analytics on behalf of FMI—The Food Industry Association and the Meat Foundation and sponsored by CRYOVAC Brand Food Packaging.

More Funding Going to Tackle HPAI H5N1, Egg Imports are Now Underway to Stabilize Supply

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:41:08 GMT

On Thursday morning, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins gave an update on progress the Trump administration is making on the five-prong strategy it unveiled Feb. 26 to combat avian influenza virus type A (H5N1).

Speaking to industry stakeholders, media and offices of elected officials, Rollins focused on the administration’s work to lower egg prices and improve supply, while also emphasizing the importance of biosecurity in protecting U.S. poultry flocks from the virus.

Regarding egg prices, she said wholesale prices are down nearly 50% from their peak in late February from $8.53 then to $4.08 currently.

However, Rollins said she realizes that wholesale prices don’t automatically show up as reductions in retail prices.

“I know for some of us who are shopping that we’ve seen egg prices drop immediately, which has been true for me. But then we’ll hear from people in other parts of the country where they have yet to see that reduction on their grocery store shelf.”

With Easter just a few weeks away, she acknowledged that egg demand is always “unusually high during the season,” and that egg prices could potentially move back up.

To help address the egg shortage, Rollins noted that shell egg exports have declined by 8%, “keeping more eggs in the U.S. and lowering prices.”

In addition, the Trump administration is allowing egg imports as a temporary measure to stabilize prices and supply. Rollins’ chief of staff Kailee Buller said this measure would likely be discontinued once those measures were achieved.

USDA Focuses On Biosecurity For Poultry Operations
Rollins said biosecurity in poultry flocks will continue to be a major part of the Trump administration’s plan to address H5N1, moving forward.

“Our pilot programs have proven that biosecurity is the most important thing our farmers can do to protect our flocks against the disease, at least right now,” she said.

The USDA is working closely, she said, with its federal partners including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “combat avian flu as a unified federal family.”

On Wednesday, USDA announced it is expanding the availability of its biosecurity assessments to commercial poultry producers.

“These assessments, which were previously available on a limited basis have been extremely successful in improving biosecurity on individual premises and preventing the introduction or spread of avian influenza,” Rollins said.

While USDA is exploring the viability of vaccinating poultry for H5N1, she said the use of any vaccine for poultry or any animal species has not been authorized at this time.

“I know there has been some misreporting on that,” Rollins said. “The day we rolled out the plan, I actually talked about the fact that we’re not ready to vaccinate. We need to do some more research, and so that has not changed, but I do look forward to this next process of learning more about getting more research done and perhaps seeing what makes sense for the country moving forward, once that is concluded.”

Dairy Is Not Part Of USDA’s Primary H5N1 Focus
No information was offered during the conference call to address the issue of H5N1 in dairy cattle or other livestock or animal species.

Mike Watson, administrator of USDA-APHIS, said right now USDA is focused on the poultry vaccine.

“We’re looking for a vaccine that has sterilizing immunity but also an opportunity for us to have different introduction methods for the vaccine right now, as injections are the only possibility,” he said. “We need new tools, whether it’s water based, aerosol based, those kind of things. We’re looking for manufacturers to really look at what those options might be, to really provide us with a vaccine that matches the current strain but also is highly effective. And again, this is really focused on poultry.”

Buller said there is already quite a bit of research at USDA on the topic in dairy.

“Please rest assured, we are thinking of you all (in dairy). We know you all are impacted. But for this particular strategy, we have been hyper-focused on the poultry side. USDA has separate work streams as we’re working through this on the cattle and dairy side.”

One of the media asked whether Sec. Rollins had talked further with HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding his idea of letting H5N1 burn through poultry flocks to identify birds that might have immunity or show resistance to the virus.

Buller answered the question, as Rollins had stepped away from the call. “I have not been engaged specifically with those conversations with the Secretary and Secretary Kennedy,” she said. “They are talking very regularly and you are aligned on the approach, but in terms of that specific topic, there’s no further light I can shed on that at this time.”

Assessments Available To Poultry Operations
USDA is offering two different, free, voluntary biosecurity assessments for poultry operations not currently affected by HPAI.

The first is a wildlife biosecurity assessment. The second is a general biosecurity assessment. Poultry producers can request one or both of these free assessments.

Per the wildlife biosecurity assessment, Rollins said USDA will conduct on-farm assessments at poultry facilities and provide recommendations to producers for facility repairs and wildlife management techniques. The assessments include a series of regular engagements, including wildlife hazard identification surveys, wildlife abundance surveys and wildlife management on the premises.

“USDA has assessed approximately 130 facilities to date (in 2025), and plans on doing significantly more moving forward and expanding that program,” she said.

For the general biosecurity assessment, USDA will work with poultry producers to review biosecurity plans and physical measures.

“This is a proactive resource for premises that are outside of avian flu control areas to identify and mitigate potential biosecurity gaps,” she said.

Funding Is Ramped Up To Address HPAI In Poultry
The USDA announced on Thursday that up to $100 million in funding will be available to support projects on avian influenza, prevention, therapeutics, vaccines and research.

“USDA will invest up to $100 million in these projects, which will identify and foster innovative solutions to fight avian flu and directly support American producers,” Rollins said during the conference call.

Funding is available through a competitive process to for-profit organizations, including manufacturers of vaccines, biologics and therapeutics, as well as states, universities, livestock producer organizations and other eligible entities, she noted.

USDA will prioritize one or more of the following. First, it will support the development of novel therapeutics to address HPAI in poultry. Second, it will support research to further understand the risk pathways of avian influenza for producers and to inform improved biosecurity and response strategies.

“Let me just say, as a quick aside, I’ve had multiples and multiples and multiples of conversations with some of our chicken farmers across the country —many of them have been highly successful at not having the bird flu infect their populations,” Rollins said. “Better understanding of risk pathways and realizing what best practices are is a big part of (this work).”

The third focus is on the development of novel vaccines to protect poultry from H5N1 while promoting biosecurity.

“That will all be part of the research funding opportunity that we announced about an hour and a half ago,” Rollins said.

USDA will test the efficacy of therapeutic interventions to prevent the virus and treat infected flocks.

“USDA, in consultation with HHS, has already had multiple conversations with Secretary Kennedy and leaders in the NIH and CDC, but will also be exploring prevention strategies to promote biosecurity in agriculture and in humans, to ensure limited impact on American farmers,” Rollins noted.

USDA is offering a webinar to assist interested applicants in learning more about the funding opportunity and how to submit a proposal on Tuesday, April 1 at 12 p.m. Eastern. No details on how to participate in the webinar have been communicated yet.

“As we try to do everything under this president and here at USDA, we will be as fast and efficient and effective as we can possibly be, working around the clock,” Rollins said.

Buller added that Sec. Rollins and her staff will continue to host update calls regularly.

“It’s very important to Sec. Rollins that we are showing progress on this five-prong plan and being honest and open with the public about what we’re up to and the progress and potential challenges that we have ahead,” Buller said. “We have an open door here, and we remain open to having conversations and hearing from stakeholders.”

China Renews Export Registrations for U.S. Pork, Poultry Plants, Industry Groups Say

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:10:09 GMT

Beijing has renewed registrations that allow hundreds of U.S. pork and poultry facilities to export to China, industry groups said on Monday, after lapses threatened shipments to the world’s largest meat importer .

The renewals are a relief to U.S. farmers and meat companies as they navigate trade disputes with major agricultural importers, including China and Canada, under President Donald Trump.

China is understood to have renewed for five years registrations for U.S. pork and poultry facilities that expired in February and over the weekend, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council. Both groups said that U.S. beef facilities had not yet been renewed.

Shipments continued to clear customs from facilities with lapsed registrations, but U.S. exporters were unsure how long that would last.

“We were on pins and needles for a while,” said Greg Tyler, CEO of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council.

Beijing requires food exporters to register with customs to sell products in China.

China’s customs website showedregistrations for more than 1,000 U.S. meat plants granted by China under the 2020 “Phase 1" trade deal lapsed on Sunday. That was roughly two-thirds of all those registered.

The trade deal ended the previous U.S.-China trade war with a pledge from Beijing to boost its purchases of U.S. goods and services, including meat, by $200 billion over two years. China did not reach the target, which was agreed shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency previously said China did not respond to repeated requests to renew plant registrations, potentially violating the Phase 1 agreement.

“We’re pleased to see progress on the pork facilities and hoping for similar news on beef as soon as possible,” said Joe Schuele, spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs on some $21 billion worth of American farm goods this month, including 10% duties on U.S. pork, beef and dairy.

In 2024, the U.S. was China’s third-largest meat supplier by volume, trailing Brazil and Argentina and accounting for 9% of China’s total meat imports. U.S. meat shipments to China reached $2.5 billion last year, making it the second largest exporter by value.

Exports of U.S. poultry products have suffered due to outbreaks of bird flu, but China remains an important market, Tyler said.

“We needed that market to stay open and these renewals were very important to that,” he said.

(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu in Beijing and Tom Polansek in Chicago; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Himani Sarkar and Marguerita Choy)

Your Next Read: China’s Retaliatory Tariffs Create Frustration for U.S. Pork Producers

As Trump Administration Shifts Strategy on Avian Flu, It's a Complicated Issue in Need of Long-Term Solutions

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:36:46 GMT

The Trump administration is rolling out a new strategy to combat avian flu, moving away from mass culling of infected flocks of egg-laying chickens. But as Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told Farm Journal in an exclusive interview, the key to solving the issue is to find a solution that doesn’t just address the avian flu outbreak in the short-term. The plan also needs to find a solution that works long-term, as well.

USDA’s food price outlook report released Tuesday shows the sticker shock shoppers are seeing for egg prices. The report egg prices for 2025 now more double their previous forecast, now up 41.1% midpoint versus 20.3% last month.

Also on Monday, Rollins met with poultry farmers and industry leaders in Texas to address the ongoing avian flu crisis. She toured a Cal-Maine Foods facility in Bogata before hosting a roundtable in Mount Pleasant, where discussions focused on outbreak response and mitigation strategies. Rollins criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the issue, emphasizing the Trump administration’s commitment to supporting farmers and stabilizing egg prices. Following the roundtable, she spoke with local media about USDA’s efforts and the impact on Texas agriculture

That followed the Trump administration introducing a new plan last week, which was spearheaded by National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and Rollins. The plan prioritizes enhanced biosecurity measures and medication to control the spread of the virus in egg-laying flocks.

“Clearly, this is a massive issue for our poultry producers, especially our egg layers,” Rollins told AgriTalk’s Chip Flory, in an exclusive interview. “Ensuring that we have a plan, not just for the short-term to bring down egg prices, which the president is very focused on, but for the long-term. What are the best practices around the world? Why in America have we been hit so hard? Why did the last USDA, a couple of years ago, recognize it as a major issue but not many steps were taken?”

Thank you East Texas! I am so grateful to so many as the learning tour continues — yesterday a poultry facility and a roundtable with #local farmers and ranchers to solicit feedback on combatting bird flu and lowering the cost of eggs. @POTUS and our team at @USDA remain… pic.twitter.com/ATXTEz0tVk
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) February 25, 2025

Just hours after being confirmed, Rollins’ first official meeting at the White House was on avian flu. She told Flory it’s her top priority right now, and she’s gathered a team from within USDA and the White House to focus on the issue.

“I’ve been talking to governors. I’ve been talking to the companies that are facing this. I’ve been talking to grocery. I mean, we’ve been talking to everyone, trying to come up with a big toolkit to be able to really approach this and hopefully figure out a way to, again, solve it for the long-term,” Rollins said.

Flory followed up by asking Rollins if vaccines will be one of the tools used by USDA.

“Vaccines are being discussed right now. I think that there is a lot of opinion on that on both sides. And we’re working through all of that right now,” Rollins told Flory.

Part of the Trump administration’s new strategy on avian flu released so far includes:

Biosecurity and Medication: Improved containment protocols and medication aim to reduce reliance on widespread culling.
Smart Perimeter Approach: Targeted containment methods will enhance efficiency in preventing outbreaks.
Collaboration: Government scientists and global academic experts are contributing to the plan’s development.

How to Get More Eggs in the Short-Term
The National Chicken Council (NCC) is also petitioning the FDA to lift a regulation that prevents broiler industry eggs from entering the food supply, arguing the move could ease record-high egg prices caused by the bird flu outbreak.

The 2009 rule forces broiler producers to discard surplus hatching eggs instead of selling them to processors, despite government risk assessments affirming their safety. If granted, the request would allow nearly 400 million eggs annually to be used in processed foods like bread, pasta and mayonnaise, alleviating strain on table egg supplies.

NCC previously sought relief under the Biden administration in 2023 but was denied. Now, with egg prices soaring, the organization is urging swift action from the Trump administration.

USDA Reports Decline in Egg production, Signs of Recovery Ahead

USDA’s latest report highlights key trends in the poultry industry, including a 4% decline in U.S. egg production for January 2025. This drop is largely due to a 4% reduction in laying hens, driven by the ongoing avian influenza outbreak.

However, signs of recovery are emerging: egg-type chick hatching rose by 6%, and incubation numbers increased by 7%. Meanwhile, broiler production is growing, with a 3% rise in broiler chick hatching. USDA will release updated forecasts on March 11, offering a clearer picture of the industry’s trajectory.

More details:

The number of layers fell to about 363 million in January, down 3.8% from a year ago.
Egg production of 8.865 billion was down 4.2% and the lowest for the month since 2016 — when there was a previous major outbreak of bird flu.

Egg Production

(Bloomberg)

Denny’s became the latest breakfast chain to announce an egg surcharge. Earlier this month, Waffle House introduced a temporary 50-cent surcharge per egg.

Major retailers, including Costco and Trader Joe’s, have had to act as well by imposing limits on how many eggs one customer can buy. According to USDA, the avian flu has killed more than 140 million egg-laying birds in the country since 2022. At least 18.9 million birds have been culled in the past 30 days alone.

Egg Prices and Market Conditions
Conventional table eggs jumped 36 cents a dozen nationally last week, on average.

Negotiated wholesale prices for graded loose eggs are firm to moving higher with a higher undertone. Demand for retail is moderate to good, while food service interest is lower. Offerings are very light, with little chance of improvement due to ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) impacts on productive flocks.

Price Trends

National trading: White large shell eggs increased $0.33 to $8.07 per dozen
New York market: Large cartoned shell eggs rose $0.24 to $8.47 per dozen
Midwest region: Large white shell eggs increased $0.28 to $8.09 per dozen
California benchmark: Large shell eggs rose $0.05 to $9.22 per dozen

Supply and Demand
Shell egg demand has increased over the past week, with marketers struggling to cover needs due to reduced supplies from HPAI outbreaks. Spot market bids routinely outpace offers, often by a factor of ten, with prices setting daily records. Shell egg shortages are now impacting most major markets.

Inventory and Production

Overall shell egg inventory declined 2%
Large class shell eggs inventory is down just over 1%
Cage-free egg stocks decreased 3.5%
Breaking stock inventory gained 2%
Total estimated table egg production unchanged from last week and last year

Breaking and Processing
Breaking schedules are generally reduced, running 3% below year-ago levels. The volume of eggs processed last week decreased just under 1%. Production of whole eggs was up nearly 3%, while egg components (whites and yolks) continue to decline.

Frozen Egg Storage
December monthly volume of frozen eggs in storage declined 7% from November, 38% below the December 2023 level. This is the lowest level of egg products stocks recorded in the last 10 years.

NCC’s Petition to Bring More Eggs Into the Market

As noted above, the National Chicken Council is also petitioning the FDA to lift a regulation preventing broiler industry eggs from entering the food supply.

· Consumer safety vs. potential economic benefits: The FDA determined that allowing the use of surplus broiler eggs would not maintain the same level of public health protection as the current egg safety rule. The agency prioritizes consumer safety over potential economic benefits.

· Refrigeration requirements: The 2009 rule requires all eggs entering the food supply to be kept at 45°F within 36 hours of being laid. Broiler eggs are typically stored at 65°F, which is incompatible with this requirement.

· Different risk profiles: While the NCC argues that pasteurized surplus broiler eggs present a different risk profile than raw table eggs, the FDA has not been convinced by this argument.

· Regulatory jurisdiction: The FDA has authority over shell eggs under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, while USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulates egg products. This division of responsibilities complicates the decision-making process.

· Previous rejections: The FDA has consistently denied similar petitions in the past, including one in June 2023. This suggests a long-standing policy position that is unlikely to change without significant new evidence or circumstances.

What Could Happen Moving Forward

USDA officials and analysts clearly understand the issue, but they are dealing with a topic that involves short- and long-term issues, FDA and White House officials. Also, throw in politics, with Democrats asking almost daily what the White House is doing about high egg prices.

A whole-of-government approach is evident on this issue via the Trump administration. That was not the approach on this topic during the Biden administration, even though various steps were taken by then USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. They just came too late or were not aggressive enough, sources conclude.

Industry contacts say the failure of former President Biden’s team to deal with the spread of HPAI means both a short- and long-term approach is now needed. There is only so much that can be done in the short run to lower egg prices. That topic should have been dealt with via more effective HPAI policy a few years ago, contacts advise. It was not.

The push is on for a multi-focus, all-inclusive approach including:

An increased focus on biosecurity, but with funding to help the industry accomplish that because of indemnity and other issues.
Finding different modes of administering medications, such as via water, feed and aerosols. But those methods are not yet available. Thus the need for expanded research funding on this topic.
Coming up with a trade strategy that could involve regionalization (trading with states outside impacted areas). But that has to be negotiated with trading partners, and that takes time. Also, industry officials are very hesitant about trade issues. A regionalization approach could be taken, but only after more vaccines are available. However, there are already regionalization agreements in place with some countries on bird flu. One question is what would any vaccination effort do to those regionalization agreements?
Increasing imports of eggs, but this could be limited and presents some quality issues and food safety issues (testing, etc.). But egg exporting countries are increasingly looking at the U.S. market due to prices and wanting to boost exports.
Any discussion of an embargo on U.S. egg exports should be moot. Reason: embargoes do not work. Example: The Carter grain embargo in 1980 against the then Soviet Union.

Vaccines:
USDA recently granted Zoetis a conditional USDA approval for an avian flu vaccine. Major poultry and dairy organizations back vaccine use to control the virus.

However, several problems exist regarding vaccines, including the trade angle previously discussed, and the fact that their effectiveness timeline wears off. Also, HPAI is multifaceted with different mutations causing vaccine-related issues.

As for FDA, if the agency is convinced somehow to temper its current safety rule, concerns still exist regarding increased threats of salmonella.

If the NCC petition would be approved in some way, increased testing for salmonella is just one requirement. Any cost-benefit analysis is difficult at best to do on this topic. Of note: It will be curious to see what HHS Secretary JFK Jr. says about this and other HPAI issues, especially the use of vaccines.

Risks:
If a change in the major depopulation strategy is implemented, the concern is that if it does not work, an explosive increase in HPAI cases could follow.

Upshot:
Limited avenues are available in the short run regarding bringing down egg prices, and containing HPAI. As previously mentioned, the reason for that in part is this topic was not taken as seriously as it should have been during the Biden administration because no such all-of-government approach was taken.

A likely game plan will or should be to lay the groundwork to deal with HPAI in the long run so it does not surface again years from now. But this will take time to unfold. Regarding egg prices, any effort to stop U.S. egg exports will likely be rejected. That means increase supply via imports and eventually more U.S. egg production, and/or reduced demand via higher prices.

Iowa Secretary of Ag Weighs In on The H5N1 Battle, Vaccine Potential And Trade Sensitivities

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 13:53:38 GMT

Eggs continue to be a hot topic in the news as supplies are down, prices are up – and expected to go even higher – and consumers are understandably concerned.

At the center of the issue, fanning the on-going problem for poultry and dairy producers as well, is the Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A virus (HPAI H5N1).

AgriTalk Host Chip Flory broached the topic with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Tuesday.

At the heart of their conversation was a two-part question – how does the U.S. address the virus and, in the process, prevent any potential negative ramifications on trade?

Naig says the federal government is taking what he described as a three-legged stool approach to addressing the problem in both industries.

He described the three legs of the stool as being USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), individual state animal health officials and industry.

“We work very closely with APHIS on this, meaning that they’re the ones that are providing the indemnity payments to producers. They are providing the disposal and cleanup assistance, but they must work in close collaboration with the states and state animal health officials,” Naig says. “And then, of course, you’ve got to have the third leg, which is industry.”

Biosecurity Measures
Naig noted that while the virus hit the poultry industry hard in 2015, it struck even harder in 2024.

“It’s not just in the Midwest or West, it’s been really all across the country now, affecting the egg laying industry, broilers and turkey production,” Naig says.

A significant positive, Naig says, is that biosecurity measures in the poultry industry appear to be preventing farm-to-farm spread. “The industry continues to get high marks for that, which wasn’t the case in 2015, which was so devastating because we didn’t have those strategies in place.”

“I believe, and our experience has been, that our USDA partners in this regard have been very strong,” he adds.

As Naig addressed the three-legged stool approach the U.S. is taking to addressing the virus in dairy, he says the three partners have more work to do.

“Frankly, there’s been a lot of criticism to share around the three legs, if you will, on how states have reacted, or how strongly USDA should have reacted, and what the industry is doing to try to contain that virus. So, I would say on the dairy side of things, it’s a different story (than in poultry). There’s a lot more work that’s yet to be done to even understand how that virus is impacting those (dairy) herds.”

What Is The Role For Vaccines?
Flory asked Sec. Nagy whether he believes a vaccine could be part of the solution to the virus or whether that would set up too many trade barriers. Flory also asked whether the virus is stable enough for a long enough period of time for a vaccine to be developed that would work effectively.

Both are questions the U.S. is grappling with as it tries to get ahead of the virus in dairy and poultry.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported the U.S. will rebuild a stockpile of avian influenza vaccines for poultry that match the strain of the virus circulating in commercial flocks and wild birds, citing the Department of Agriculture.

Naig told Flory that he believes a vaccine could be developed, with regard to poultry specifically, and its use negotiated into trade agreements.

“Those are challenges, and yet those are things that can be worked on and can be done, but it’s not easily done. I would want to put a flag there,” Naig says.

“I’m supportive of developing … we should try to figure out whether this can be an effective tool. If you’re in the broiler business or if you’re in the turkey meat business or if you’re in the egg business or maybe you’re in the genetics business, those are very different in terms of how you view that vaccine.”

Naig explains part of the different viewpoints on vaccine use have to do with the difference between poultry business segments.

“We need to recognize that those sectors are different in how they’ll view and potentially use a vaccine,” Naig says.

“Don’t treat them all the same. It’ll make way more sense for some than others.”

Naig did not weigh in on vaccine development for the dairy industry specifically.

The full conversation between Naig and Flory on AgriTalk is available below.

Your next read: Think Egg Prices Are Already Too High? USDA Says Retail Egg Prices Could Jump Another 20% in 2025

Brazil's Chicken Meat, Pork Production to Hit Records in 2025

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:32:10 GMT

Brazil’s chicken meat and pork production and exports are expected to grow in 2025, eclipsing records that were set this year, according to projections released on Thursday by meat lobby ABPA.

“Brazil’s economic situation should keep consumption levels sustained in the domestic market, supported by the sector’s continued competitiveness,” ABPA head Ricardo Santin said in a statement. “On the external front, new markets are expected to be opened in Central American and African countries.”

BY THE NUMBERS
Brazil’s chicken meat production is set to reach up to 15.3 million metric tons in 2025, growing as much as 2.7% on a yearly basis, while exports would hit up to 5.4 million tons, a 1.9% rise, ABPA said.

For pork, production could be boosted by as much as 2% to 5.45 million tones next year, with shipments jumping up to 7.4% to 1.45 million tons, the group added.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The South American country is the world’s biggest chicken exporter as well as a top pork supplier.

(Reporting by Roberto Samora; Writing by Isabel Teles, editing by Franklin Paul)

Hormel Foods Forecasts Annual Sales, Profits Below Estimates on Tepid Demand

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:06:58 GMT

Hormel Foods forecast annual sales and profit below estimates on Wednesday, hurt by slowing demand for its snacking and meat products, including its Jennie-O Turkey brand.

Shares of the company fell nearly 4% premarket after Hormel also posted fourth-quarter results in line with Wall Street expectations.

Jennie-O Turkey is one of Hormel’s key brands, contributing about 12% to sales in 2022. However, demand for turkey, which is more expensive than chicken or pork, has taken a hit as consumers keep a tight grip on their wallets.

“Considerable volume declines in turkey exports resulted in lower volumes compared to the prior year,” Hormel said in a statement.

In recent quarters, price hikes have weakened volume growth for salty snacks across the U.S., hurting sales of companies like Hormel, Campbell’s CPB.O and PepsiCo PEP.O.

Hormel has flagged a hit from a production disruption which has been ongoing since the last quarter at its facility in Suffolk, Va., due to a food safety issue. This has lowered production of its Planters snack nuts.

The company expects fiscal year 2025 sales between $11.9 billion and $12.2 billion, compared with analysts’ expectation of 12.23 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Hormel also expects adjusted profit of $1.58 to $1.72 per share, the mid-point of which is below estimates of $1.68 per share.

Excluding one-off items, the company earned 42 cents per share in the fourth quarter while sales fell 2% to $3.14 billion.

Sales in Hormel’s international segment rose 1%, benefiting from growing demand in China after several quarters of weakness.

(Reporting by Aamir Sohail in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

New Zealand Reports First Case of HPAI

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:45:35 GMT

Biosecurity New Zealand has placed strict movement controls on a commercial rural Otago egg farm, the Ministry for Primary Industries reports, after testing confirmed a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (HPAI) in chickens that has likely developed from interactions with local waterfowl and wild birds.

“Tests from the Mainland Poultry managed farm have identified a high pathogenic H7N6 subtype of avian influenza. While it is not the H5N1 type circulating among wildlife around the world that has caused concern, we are taking the find seriously,” Biosecurity New Zealand deputy director-general Stuart Anderson, said in the release.

Testing shows it is unrelated to a H7 strain that was identified in Australia earlier this year. Experts believe this case may have occurred as part of a spillover event, where foraging laying hens were exposed to a low pathogenic virus from wild waterfowl.

“Low pathogenic viruses are present in wild birds here, especially waterfowl like ducks, geese, and swans, and the virus can mutate on interaction with chickens,” Anderson said. “It is important to note that the strain found on this farm is not a wildlife adapted strain like H5N1, so we believe it is unlikely to be transmitted to mammals.”

The report says there have been no reports of other ill or dead birds on other poultry farms. There are no human health or food safety concerns, so it is safe to consume thoroughly cooked egg and poultry products, the release said.

Quick action had been taken in co-operation with Mainland Poultry and a restricted place notice issued, Anderson explained in the release.

“Test results late last night confirmed the strain, but we already had restrictions in place and expert biosecurity staff on site, with more arriving today. Mainland Poultry took the right steps by reporting ill birds in one shed on the property and locking that building down as testing continued,” he said. “We will move quickly, with Mainland Poultry, to depopulate birds on the remote property, and we’ve placed a 10-kilometre buffer zone around it alongside the restrictions preventing movement of animals, equipment, and feed. We aim to stamp this out like we did with infectious bursal viral disease that affected chickens in 2019.”

John McKay, chief executive of Mainland Poultry, manages the free-range farm. He says the farm is committed to taking quick action.

“We have been preparing for an event like this for some time, knowing that low pathogenic avian influenza is already present in New Zealand wild birds,” McKay said in the release. “Fortunately, this is not the H5N1 type that has caused concern for wildlife in other parts of the world. International experience with avian influenza has shown us this particular strain (H7N6) can be eradicated quickly and successfully.”

Biosecurity New Zealand will work closely with industry partners to limit possible impacts to trade.

Your Next Read: Influenza Expert Gets Real About the H5N1 Risk to Your Swine Herd

What is the "Invisible" Cause of Animal Feed Outages Costing Producers?

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:06:55 GMT

The vast majority of animal feed outages are caused by bin slide management errors — not running out of feed on site, according to new research by BinSentry and HANOR.

A year-long study tracked out-of-feed events at 100 HANOR hog barns using BinSentry’s 3D optical sensors and AI-powered software technology. The study uncovered the majority of feed outages were due to bin slide management mistakes — where the slide on a full bin wasn’t opened after another bin was emptied.

“Sites experiencing the most out-of-feed events saw feed conversion ratios (FCRs) 7 basis points higher, costing $3.15 per pig, compared to sites with zero outages. That’s about $4,400 per barn of annual opportunity,” BinSentry said in a release.

For the first time ever, these results explain a whole new category of feed outages and a measurable correlation between out-of-feed events, FCR and the bottom line of producers.

“Before now, the industry was unable to identify a direct correlation between feed outages and FCR — we knew it must exist, but we just couldn’t find it,” Ben Allen, BinSentry CEO, said in a release. “It turns out we were missing 80% of the problem because we didn’t have any reliable way to see what was going on inside the feed bins. Now we do.”

BinSentry explained that it’s technology allows producers to precisely track feed bin levels and optimize feed management in real time while eliminating the need for unreliable and dangerous manual inventory checks.

The company’s new Out-of-Feed Insights dashboard analyzes the sensor data with advanced algorithms and AI technology to detect and identify out-of-feed issues. This allows producers to monitor activity in all their barns, track the data over time and improve the weakest performers in their operation through the use of automated notifications.

“Feed conversion ratios are one of the most important metrics for animal producers,” Mauricio Diaz, president of HANOR, said in a release. “Being able to see and address all feed issues is a key component to lowering feed conversion ratios, which lowers costs and increases sustainability.”

The HANOR case study confirmed that nearly 80% of out-of-feed events in the study were caused by feed bin slide management errors, while only 20% were due to running out of feed.

While this study is focused on pork, work under way with poultry producers is expected to generate similar results, Allen said.

“Producers are fighting every day to improve by fractions of a point of FCR, but it’s so hard to find those savings,” Allen said in a release. “This study shows the fastest way to lower your FCR is managing bin slide issues at your barns. We’ve identified this giant category of feed outages that nobody knew was there, and it’s costing producers real money every single day.”

Learn more here.

Tyson Foods Forecasts Downbeat Annual Revenue on Lower Pork Prices, Slowing Chicken Demand

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:40:26 GMT

Tyson Foods forecast full-year revenue below Wall Street expectations on Tuesday, weighed down by slowing chicken demand and lower pork prices.

Sales in Tyson’s chicken segment rose 2.3% in the fourth quarter, while prices were up 0.2% and volumes dropped 0.7%.

Tyson’s pork segment saw volumes increase 3.2%, while prices fell 6.9%.

The company expects fiscal 2025 revenue to be between flat and down 1%. Analysts had expected 1.8% growth to $54.09 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Tyson Foods’ net sales rose 1.6% to $13.57 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with the average analyst estimate of $13.39 billion.

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt and Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru and Karl Plume and Heather Schlitz in Chicago; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)

Oregon Identifies 3 Human Cases of Avian Influenza in Farm Workers from Washington State

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 14:21:40 GMT

Avian influenza (bird flu) has infected three more people from Washington state after they were exposed to poultry that tested positive for the virus, according to health authorities in Washington and in Oregon, where the human cases were identified.

A total of 39 people have tested positive in the U.S. this year, including nine from Washington, as the virus has infected poultry flocks and spread to more than 400 dairy herds, federal data show. All of the cases were farm workers who had known contact with infected animals, except for one person in Missouri.

The people from Washington cleaned facilities at an infected chicken farm after birds were culled to contain the virus, the Washington State Department of Health said in an email on Thursday.

Officials tested workers who had symptoms, including red eyes and respiratory issues, and those with potential exposure to the birds, the department said. People with symptoms were told to isolate and given antiviral treatment, it added.

Oregon identified the three new cases after the people traveled to the state from Washington while infected, the Oregon Health Authority said in a Thursday statement. They have since returned to Washington, where public health staff are monitoring them, according to the statement.

There have been no infections among people living in Oregon and is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, the Oregon Health Authority said. It said the risk for infection to the general public remains low.

Since 2022, the virus has wiped out more than 100 million poultry birds in the nation’s worst-ever bird flu outbreak.

H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in a pig on a backyard farm in Oregon, the first detection of the virus in swine in the country , USDA said on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

Your Next Read: Influenza Expert Gets Real About the H5N1 Risk to Your Swine Herd

Why Students Should Apply for the 2025 Summer Veterinary Internship Program Now

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 21:48:54 GMT

The Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (ISU CVM) is seeking veterinary student applicants for summer 2025 swine, bovine and poultry internship positions.

Will Fombelle, DVM, is a veteran of several internships spread across his undergraduate studies in animal sciences and also into his veterinary school education. During the summer of 2012, he completed the Swine Veterinary Internship Program (SVIP).

“While in school, I took on the attitude of completing as many internships as I possibly could in order to not only narrow down my career choice but also my future employer. By participating in these programs, I was able to mold my interests into the fields of swine medicine and production which greatly accelerated my vision of where I chose to start my career in veterinary medicine at Carthage Veterinary Service,” he said in a previous PorkBusiness.com article .

Participants in the SVIP collaborate with a mentoring veterinarian or team of veterinarians at a production system or practice. Students are immersed in modern swine production and health daily and take the lead on designing and executing a field trial with guidance from mentors, ISU CVM said on its website . Students also take part in diagnostic test sampling and implement the principles and methods of swine diagnostic collection, testing and interpretation.

“Even if your university has classes well into the summer, you have a study abroad trip planned, a wedding or another reason you might not be able to commit to the entire 12 weeks, go ahead and apply,” ISU CVM encouraged. “Just note your availability in the section where it asks about conflicts. We can’t guarantee we can accommodate all schedules but if a student is selected we will try our hardest to be flexible and make it work.”

Applications are due Dec. 1, 2024 (late applications are accepted but higher priority will be given to those received by Dec. 1).

Apply here.

“These summer internships are the first exposure for students to the real world, and we should do our best to make each student’s experience a positive one,” Fombelle wrote.

Learn more here.

Your Next Read: Find and Develop Your Replacement in the Pork Industry

GOP Lawmakers Want Answers from USDA Over Pure Prairie's Bankruptcy

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:45:07 GMT

Republican lawmakers have called on USDA to provide explanations regarding the oversight of Pure Prairie Poultry, Inc., which filed for bankruptcy shortly after receiving substantial USDA funding. The situation has raised concerns about the department’s management of grants and loans, as well as its impact on farmers and the poultry industry.

A group of Senators, including Sen. Jonie Ernst (R-Iowa), sent a letter to USDA this week.

As AgDay reported on Tuesday, the Iowa Department of Agriculture euthanized roughly 1.33 million chickens.
That’s after Pure Prairie Poultry said in late September that due to its bankruptcy, it could no longer afford to buy feed for its flock living on 14 Iowa farms. It’s estimated the process cost USDA $2 million.

The company also contracted with farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota who were also affected.

Company Received $45 Million from USDA

Ernst says Pure Prairie Poultry was only in business for a few short years, and in that time, she says the company received $45 million dollars in grants and loans from USDA .

Nearly $7 million of that was from USDA’s Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion program.
The company also received a $38.7-million loan from USDA’s Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program , which is part of President Biden’s “ Build Back Better ” plan.

According to a White House Fact Sheet , this was tied to the Biden-Harris administration’s plan to promote competition in the American economy and “create a fairer, more resilient, and more dynamic economy.”

The $45 million was used by Pure Prairie Poultry to help expand and renovate a shuttered processing plant in Charles City, Iowa. USDA issued a press release in July of 2024 to celebrate the investments.

Lawmakers’ Demands

According to the lawmakers’ letter, which is demanding accountability and answers, close to 2-million chickens were “left without feed or any processing option.”

The letter requests explanations on several key points:

The oversight process for loan and grant guarantees
USDA’s awareness of Pure Prairie Poultry’s financial situation
Steps taken to assist affected growers and state agriculture departments
Efforts to salvage the Charles City plant

In the letter, lawmakers said, “Over the past two years, USDA has provided $223 million in loan guarantees and grants to 30 meat and poultry processing companies. A press release from the USDA celebrated this funding as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ‘commitment to strengthen critical food supply chain infrastructure to create more thriving communities for the American people.’ Unfortunately, this investment has instead resulted in the loss of income, jobs, and poultry across three states.”

“Pure Prairie Poultry’s abrupt closure shows the importance of proper vetting and oversight at USDA to ensure the agency’s multi-million dollar grants and loans are actually helping producers, rather than being flushed down the drain and harming entire rural communities in the process,” Ernst says. “Encouraging the growth of meat processing and strengthening our supply chain is a cause I can support, but this lack of accountable spending hurts our farmers, livestock, and taxpayers.”

USDA Defends Grants an Programs

A USDA spokesperson defended the department’s programs, saying they have worked to “rebuild and create new markets for U.S. farmers” after challenges posed by trade wars and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The spokesperson also urged lawmakers to focus on passing the overdue farm bill: “Rather than trying to score political points, those members of Congress should work with USDA to reopen the facility and pass a new Farm Bill, which is now two years late.”

More Background on Pure Prairie Poultry

More than 1 million birds had to be culled in Iowa due to the company’s inability to care for them.
Contracted farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota were also affected.
According to the lawmakers’ letter, approximately 2 million chickens were “left without feed or any processing option.”

The lawmakers have requested USDA respond to their questions by Nov. 8.

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