Animal Agriculture Alliance Releases Its 2016 "Advances in Animal Ag" Report

Publication: Growing Wisconsin

June 29, 2016 -

Today, the Animal Agriculture Alliance released its 2016 Advances in Animal Agriculture Report. The report highlights animal agriculture's advances in animal care, antibiotic use, food safety and sustainability for each sector of the industry.

"The animal agriculture industry collaborates, funds research and evolves to meet the highest animal care and food safety standards while feeding a growing population," said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO. "Our Advances in Animal Agriculture report is an essential resource in communicating that message to key stakeholders including consumers, the media and partners throughout the supply chain."

Highlights from the report include:
• Compared to 1960 laying hens, 2010 laying hens have 26 percent less daily feed use, 27 percent higher hen-day egg production, 42 percent better feed conversion, 57 percent lower mortality and 32 percent less direct water use per dozen eggs produced.
• Pork producers today use 78 percent less land and 41 percent less water than they did 50 years ago.
• The National Pork Board has adopted a new three-point antibiotic stewardship plan that is proactive, collaborative and aggressive in its strategy and scope.
• From 2005-2011, beef producers achieved a 7 percent overall improvement in environmental and social sustainability.
• Today, more than 94 percent of the milk supply comes from dairy producers enrolled in the National Dairy FARM program.

In addition to the 31-page report, an updated industry group contact list and a third-party expert contact list are available upon request. A new Advances in Animal Ag infographic illustrating one key advancement in each category for pigs, dairy, beef, laying hens, sheep and goat, chicken, turkey and veal is also available.

"The animal agriculture industry is committed to continuous improvement - and maintains that commitment of its own accord and in spite of groups who use fear and misinformation to confuse the public about livestock and poultry production," said Johnson-Smith. "This report helps set the record straight by sharing the positive, factual story of animal agriculture today."

The report and infographic are available on the Alliance website. To access the industry and third-party expert contact lists, contact Hannah Thompson at hthompson@animalagalliance.org.

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'Ag-gag' action moves from state houses to federal courts

Publication: Food Safety News

Mar. 10, 2016 -

State statutes making it impossible to get in and out of animal confinement areas without breaking the law are being challenged in at least four federal courts around the country.

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Dung Beetles: Future Heroes of Organic Food Safety?

Publication: Food Safety News

Oct. 28, 2014 -

In 2011, an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in Oregon killed one person and sickened more than a dozen people. The outbreak was eventually traced back to organic strawberries grown at an Oregon farm, but how E. coli had managed to contaminate the strawberries remained a mystery for some time afterward.
Eventually, state health officials traced the outbreak to deer that had been rummaging through the fields and leaving behind droppings that contaminated some of the strawberries. And animal feces on the farm have been implicated or strongly suspected in a number of other outbreaks.

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Canadian meat body claims any future trade with Russia will be cautious

Publication: Global Meat

Oct. 27, 2014 -

With the Russian meat ban disrupting the meat sectors in the US, Canada and countries in the EU, the president of Canada Pork told GlobalMeatNews that exporting nations may tread carefully when dealing with Russia in the future.

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Wisconsin Pork Association promotes pork

Publication: Agri-View

Oct. 27, 2014 -

The Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) partnered with Madison and Milwaukee area grocery stores and radio stations to promote pork during October Pork Month.
The Pork Checkoff’s We Care trailer rolled into Madison on Oct. 17 at the Hy-Vee on East Washington Ave. and the Metro-Market in Brookfield on Oct. 18.
Wisconsin pork producers, WPA board members and volunteers helped serve grilled pork loin samples and visited with consumers about today’s pig farming practices.

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