USDA Agrees To Help U.S. Pork Producers
Washington, March 31, 2009 - The National Pork Producers Council today commended U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for his decision to lend assistance to U.S. pork producers to help them weather an economic crisis in the hog industry.
USDA will make an additional purchase of up to $25 million of pork products, which will be donated to child nutrition and other domestic food-assistance programs. (USDA annually buys pork for federal food programs; it bought 43 million pounds in 2007, for example.)
“The action by USDA to buy additional pork will benefit America’s pork producers, the U.S. economy and the people who rely on the government’s various food programs,” said NPPC President Don Butler. “We are extremely pleased with Secretary Vilsack’s decision to purchase more pork. It will help our industry bring supply and demand closer into balance and allow producers to continue to provide consumers with economical, nutritious pork.”
NPPC asked Vilsack to take action to address a crisis that over the past 18 months has cost the pork industry more than $3 billion in equity. Due mostly to higher feed costs, producers since October 2007 have lost an average of $20 on each hog marketed.
In a Jan. 30 letter, NPPC urged USDA to buy pork products from market hogs for emergency food programs, food pantries, senior and elderly feeding programs, hunger programs or other non-commercial food channels. NPPC suggested that the agency purchase cooked sausage patties, pork crumbles, trimmings, picnics (shoulders) and boneless picnic meat.
This is the second time in less than a year that USDA has agreed to a supplemental pork purchase. Last April, at NPPC’s request, the agency agreed to a $50 million purchase of pork products derived from sows as a way to reduce the national herd and stabilize pork prices. (Some industry economists estimate that recent productivity gains – more pigs per sow – will reduce the herd by 2-4 percent.)
In its most recent request, NPPC also asked Vilsack to use USDA resources, including the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program, to support pork exports, which in 2008 were at record levels and helped temper pork producers’ losses.
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Kennedy Antibiotics Ban Detrimental To Pigs
Washington, March 23, 2009 - Like its House companion, a bill introduced last week in the U.S. Senate would be detrimental to the health and well-being of pigs, would increase pork producers’ production costs and the price consumers pay for pork and could jeopardize public health, according to the Nation Pork Producers Council.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., introduced legislation nearly identical to a bill sponsored by Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., that would ban the use in livestock of animal health products that prevent or control diseases.
“Both measures are irresponsible,” said NPPC President Don Butler. “Pork producers are committed to maintaining the well-being of our animals, and we need access to a range of animal health products to keep our pigs healthy and, in turn, produce safe food products. These bills will prevent that, and we’ll see more pigs die and higher production costs, and that means consumers will pay more for pork.”
A 1999 ban in Denmark on some antibiotics used in pork production resulted in an increase in piglet deaths and in the amount of antibiotics used to treat diseases.
The Kennedy bill, which would prohibit the use of antibiotics that promote growth in livestock but which also would ban ones that prevent and control disease, was introduced to address the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
But a 2000 survey of human health experts found that 96 percent of antibiotic resistance in humans is due to human use of antibiotics. Additionally, according to the Animal Health Institute, less than 5 percent of animal antibiotics are used for nutritional efficiency – which promotes growth – and even the majority of those prevent diseases.
“Pork producers have a moral obligation to use antibiotics responsibly to protect human health and provide safe food,” said Jennifer Greiner, DVM, NPPC director of science and technology. “Producers also have an ethical obligation to maintain the health of their pigs, and antibiotics are an important tool to help us do that.”
The U.S. pork industry has programs – the Pork Quality Assurance Plus and the Take Care: Use Antibiotics Responsibly programs – that include principles and guidelines on antibiotic use that help protect animal and public health and animal well-being.
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NPPC Congratulates Kirk On USTR Confirmation
Washington, March 18, 2009 - The National Pork Producers Council congratulated former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk on his confirmation as ambassador for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The U.S. Senate today voted 92-5 to confirm him.
“During his political career, Ron Kirk has worked with both sides of the political aisle and is known as a coalition builder, attributes that will serve him well at USTR,” said NPPC President Don Butler. “NPPC looks forward to working with Ambassador Kirk on many important pork trade issues, and we will continue to promote an aggressive trade agenda in Washington.”
NPPC hopes to work closely with Kirk to keep open to U.S. pork exports important markets such as China, Mexico, Russia and Taiwan. The organization also looks forward to a successful conclusion to the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round negotiations. NPPC’s biggest objective in those multilateral trade talks is significant new market access for U.S. pork in the European Union and in Japan.
The organization was heartened by the new ambassador’s vow to enforce existing trade rules, especially given some countries’ – China and Russia, for example – use of dubious sanitary and phytosanitary claims to block U.S. pork imports.
“We’ll be looking to Ambassador Kirk to hold those countries’ feet to the fire to live up to their trade agreements,” said NPPC Vice President and International Trade Counsel Nick Giordano. “Our trading partners need to play by the rules.”
NPPC also will be urging the new ambassador to press for congressional action on pending free trade deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. The Korean agreement alone would raise live hog prices by more than $10 per animal when fully implemented.
Trade has been vital to the U.S. pork industry. In 2008, U.S. producers exported nearly a quarter of all pork production or more than 2 million metric tons of pork worth nearly $5 billion. Much of the growth in U.S. pork exports – 2008 was the 17th consecutive record year of exports – can be attributed to market access gained through trade agreements.
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Statement On HBO’s ‘Death On A Factory Farm’
Washington, March 17, 2009 - HBO’s documentary “Death on a Factory Farm” shows actions at a hog farm that are not condoned and, in fact, abhorred by responsible pork producers. The National Pork Producers Council publicly condemned the mistreatment depicted in the documentary when it occurred in 2006. For the documentary’s producers to imply the situation shown in the film is in any way typical of swine husbandry in this country is grossly unfair to the farm families who work daily to feed this country and much of the world.
Providing humane and compassionate care for their pigs at every stage of life is one of the ethical principles to which responsible pork producers adhere. The mistreatment shown in the HBO documentary does not reflect the practices the pork industry follows in caring for its animals. Mistreatment of animals is appalling to pork producers just as it is to others. We do not defend and will not accept such mistreatment.
At NPPC’s March 5-7, 2009, annual meeting, pork producers reaffirmed the industry’s strong support for the well-being of its animals:
“The U.S. pork industry recognizes its moral and ethical obligation to provide for the responsible treatment of animals. Any willful mistreatment or neglect of animals is unacceptable; pork producers do not and will not defend those who choose to participate in the mistreatment of animals. The U.S. pork industry takes animal well-being very seriously and has a history of developing programs that help train producers and their employees on proper animal care, handling and transporting procedures. The U.S. pork industry affirms its obligation to act swiftly to end any mistreatment and to take immediate corrective actions to fully restore proper and responsible animal care.”
No one has more on the line when it comes to responsible and ethical animal production than U.S. pork producers. It is the job of each and every producer to demonstrate his or her commitment to continuous improvement and sound production practices. To this end, the “We Care” initiative was launched to promote the industry’s long-standing commitment to responsibility and improvement. The Statement of Ethical Principles and implementation of industry programs such as Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) are critical first steps in the “We Care” initiative. These care and handling education-certification programs for producers and their employees teach “Good Production Practices” for proper pig handling and transport.
The “We Care” initiative demonstrates to our customers and to the public that our responsible pork producers are dedicated to the production of safe, wholesome food while following acceptable animal well-being practices and safeguarding our natural resources.
U.S. Pork Producers Have History of Responsible Pork Production
• 1989 – Developed Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) program to identify practices with the potential to result in a food safety hazard and to minimize that risk through producer education about relevant on-farm practices.
• 2002 – Developed Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) program to educate personnel who transport hogs on the proper care and handling of animals during the loading, transporting and unloading processes.
• 2003 – Developed Swine Welfare Assurance Program (SWAP) to assess the well-being of pigs during all phases of production.
• 2007 – Developed Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus), a continuous improvement program that helps producers measure, track and continuously improve animal well-being. The program includes “10 Good Production Practices,” on-farm assessments of animal well-being and random third-party audits of production practices. Producers who complete the program are certified.
• 2008 – Launched “We Care,” a responsible pork initiative that includes Ethical Principles for U.S. Pork Producers. The principles include pork producers’ obligation to protect and promote animal well-being by:
- Providing feed, water and an environment that promotes animal well-being.
- Providing proper care, handling and transportation for pigs at each stage of life.
- Protecting pig health and providing appropriate treatment, including veterinary care, when needed.
- Using approved practices to euthanize, in a timely manner, those sick or injured pigs that fail to respond to care and treatment.
• 2009 – Urged that all pork producers become PQA Plus certified and participate in PQA Plus on-farm assessments and that all animal transporters become TQA certified.
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NPPC Urges Congress To Back Animal ID System
Washington, March 17, 2009 - Legislation introduced today in Congress would be detrimental to the health and well-being of pigs, would increase pork producers’ production costs and the price consumers pay for pork and could jeopardize public health, according to the Nation Pork Producers Council.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., would ban the use in livestock of animal health products that prevent or control diseases.
“This is irresponsible legislation,” said NPPC President Don Butler. “We are committed to maintaining the well-being of our animals, and we need access to a range of animal health products to keep our pigs healthy and, in turn, produce safe food products. This bill will prevent that, and we’ll see more pigs die and higher production costs, and that means consumers will pay more for pork.”
An Iowa State University study conducted by Dr. Scott Hurd found that when pigs have been sick during their life, they will have a greater presence of food-safety pathogens on their carcasses. And a 1999 ban in Denmark on some antibiotics used in pork production has resulted in an increase in piglet deaths and in the amount of antibiotics used to treat diseases.
The Slaughter bill, which ostensibly would prohibit the use of antibiotics that promote growth in livestock but which also would ban ones that prevent and control disease, was introduced to address the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
But a 2000 survey of human health experts found that 96 percent of antibiotic resistance in humans is due to human use of antibiotics. Additionally, according to the Animal Health Institute, less than 5 percent of animal antibiotics are used for nutritional efficiency – which promotes growth – and even the majority of those prevent diseases.
“Pork producers, under the direction of a veterinarian, have a moral obligation to use antibiotics responsibly to protect human health and provide safe food,” said Jennifer Greiner, DVM, NPPC director of science and technology. “Producers also have an ethical obligation to maintain the health of their pigs, and antibiotics are an important tool to help us do that.”
The U.S. pork industry has programs – the Pork Quality Assurance Plus and the Take Care: Use Antibiotics Responsibly programs – that include principles and guidelines on antibiotic use that help protect animal and public health and animal well-being.
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NPPC Urges Congress To Back Animal ID System
Washington, March 11, 2009 - Saying a mandatory animal identification system is needed to maintain the viability of the U.S. pork industry and all of animal agriculture, the National Pork Producers Council today urged Congress to support and fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Identification System.
Testifying before the House Committee on Agriculture’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, NPPC President Don Butler said a mandatory animal ID system will:
·Provide U.S. pork producers and federal and state animal health officials with improved tools to manage swine herd health through disease surveillance, control and eradication programs.
·Enable U.S. pork producers to maintain and promote access to international markets, which are critical to the continued viability of the pork industry.
·Strengthen the security of the nation’s livestock industry, especially in the event of an intentional introduction of a pathogen or toxin that could affect animal health.
“The goal of an ID system is trace back of an animal to its farm of origin within 48 hours of the discovery of a disease,” Butler told the panel. “This will allow a disease to be brought under control and eradicated more quickly, thereby saving taxpayer dollars and animals and keeping foreign markets open to our exports.”
The U.S. pork industry in 1988 established a swine ID system, which helped eradicate pseudorabies from the commercial herd. It since has enhanced its system by registering swine premises and asking pork packers to require premises registration as a condition of sale. Through 2008, NPPC and the National Pork Board had registered about 54,000, or 80 percent, of the estimated 67,300 hog farms. Premises registration data includes the physical location of a farm, a contact telephone number and other publicly available information.
USDA in 2004 established the National Animal Identification System, but a series of missteps, misinformation from groups opposed to it and, now, a lack of federal funding have hampered implementation of the animal ID system.
NPPC urged Congress and the Obama administration to support and provide adequate funds for a mandatory national animal identification system for all relevant livestock species, allowing each industry to develop its own effective and affordable system.
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