World news round-up - February 26

NEW ZEALAND

The enforcement of nitrogen loss limits proposed by New Zealand regional council Horizons, would be potentially “financially ruinous” to farmers on sand country, says independent ‘One Plan’ hearing commissioner, Rob van Voorthuysen. One family with a 1,000-cow herd had told him severely limiting the N losses permitted from their free-draining sand country under irrigation, would force them to destock. They were already using all the currently available N loss reduction options.
The New Zealand Farmers Weekly

NEW ZEALAND
The Overseas Investment Office is investigating the buyers of two New Zealand dairy farms. At issue, is the failure of the buyer, UBNZ Asset Holding, to apply for consent to buy the farms (because UBNZ is foreign owned). Failing to seek consent for investment in New Zealand can see an individual fined up to $300,000 (£137,000).
The New Zealand Farmers Weekly

BRAZIL
Poultry exports were 15 per cent lower last month than January 2009 - totalling 233,000 tonnes - according to the Brazilian poultry producers Association, Abef. Progressive Farmer reports poultry sales down due to weaker demand from Venezuela. Exports also suffered as a strong currency made them less competitive.

• NEW ZEALAND
  Meat and Wool New Zealand is hosting officials of farmer organisations from Canada, United States, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand in a forum set up to progress trade policy and technical issues which will make beef production more profitable.
• RUSSIA
  The country is aiming for self-sufficiency in a number of agricultural sectors, according to Russia Agribusiness Report Q2 2010 from Companies and Markets. Chief among these are poultry and pork. In April 2009, first deputy prime minister, Viktor Zubkov, declared the country would be fully self-sufficient in both meats by 2011.
• AUSTRALIA
  Livestock exports totalled almost 1 billion Australian dollars (£0.59bn) in 2009. The number of live cattle exported increased by almost 10 per cent to 948,240 head. Goat exports increased 22 per cent to 97,621.
• CHINA
• Three new animal feed mills are to be built in different regions with a combined annual output of 640,000 tonnes. The company involved will launch a wholly-owned subsidiary overseas for materials procurement in the international market.
• UNITED STATES
  A Tyler county man has been arrested on three counts of felony livestock theft. According to ‘cattlenetwork’ the man stole 22 head of cattle and four horses from the ranch where he worked as foreman. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
• UNITED STATES
  The US dairy herd increased marginally in January – for the first time in at least a year – to 9.085 million head. But the Department of Agriculture said numbers were down 2.4 per cent on a year ago.

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