Protein

The acquisition may help Nichols Poultry expand its operation in mainland Australia

TasFood eyes Nichols Poultry acquisition

By Oscar Rousseau

Australian agrifood business TasFood Limited is planning a takeover of the family-owned, Tasmanian chicken producer Nichols Poultry. 

Contract refusals sparked months of protracted talks culminating in a legal fight

Affco’s meat workers win legal fight

By Oscar Rousseau

An employment court has ruled 200 workers from the New Zealand meat company Affco should be returned to their day shifts, after being locked out of the plant for refusing to work at night.

Legislation on animal welfare in China has been slow

China’s first welfare code for feed lots, slaughterhouses due in June

By Mark Godfrey

China will have its first draft animal husbandry and slaughtering standards code by June, according to the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), which is working with 30 domestic livestock breeding and slaughtering enterprises to draft the standards.

Yurun Food Group's HQ in Nanjing, China

China's slowdown hits second-biggest pork company

By Mark Godfrey

Yurun Food, China’s number-two pork player, continues to go through turbulent times, with some industry watchers forecasting a sell-off of company assets this year to get the firm back on track, after a massive investment in real estate has exposed the...

Andrew 'Reidy' Reid speaks to an Australian cattle farmer about biodiversity

Australia’s #GoodMeat campaign returns

By Oscar Rousseau

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has kick-started its popular #GoodMeat social media campaign to educate consumers on traceability, biodiversity, animal welfare and climate change.

Kazakhstan's government is keen to explore export potential of beef

Largest halal beef farm to be built in Kazakhstan

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

Dubai-based company AMK Metal Fzco is to construct a livestock farm for 20,000 head of cattle and a meat processing plant for the production of 5,000 tonnes (t) of high-quality beef in Kazakhstan, following an agreement concluded between the company and...

Mongolia's Meat Union: exports to Asia and Russia could top $300m

Mongolia pumps money into meat export development

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

Mongolia intends to increase the volume of meat exports to Russia, Vietnam, South Korea and China in the next few years, according to a recent statement from the country’s Agricultural Minister Radnaa Burmaa. 

Jiading district people's court is due to deliver a verdict on a case involving producing fake or substandard products

Meat supplier awaits verdict on major food safety trial

By Mark Godfrey

Many eyes are trained on the Jiading district people’s court in Shanghai this week, which is due to deliver a verdict on the trial of staff from two subsidiaries of the OSI Group, the Illinois-based US meat firm that is a major meat supplier in China. 

Thai Union employees, fully registered with legal work permits

Thai Union finds work for 1,000 axed staff

By Oscar Rousseau

International seafood processor Thai Union has given jobs to more than 1,000 workers who were made redundant in a restructuring of its external supply chain.

In 2014, Hong Kong culled thousands of chickens after the H7 strain was found

Bird flu virus claims Chinese woman's life

By Oscar Rousseau

A woman from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen has died after she became infected with the deadly H5N6 bird flu strain, Hong Kong’s Health Department has said. 

First Cut Pure Australian Beef is now available online in China

Australian beef goes online in China

By Oscar Rousseau

Australian cattle producer Bindaree Beef Group has entered the realm of internet shopping and will start offering fine cuts of beef online in China. 

The new facility will almost be solely focused on supplying meat to Russia

Kazakhstan launches major halal meat processing plant

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

Kazakhstan’s LLP Aktepa Company has opened a major meat processing plant in the Aktobe region in the west of the country. The new facility is certified to halal standards and will process 7,200 tonnes of beef annually. 

Meat Expo China was held in Shanghai

China meat sector pumps cash into automation

By Wang Fangqing, in Shanghai

With demand for quality and safe meat products consistently increasing within mainland China, a major industry conference in Shanghai has heard how purchases of processing machinery are also on the rise.

The Qingdao site will bolster competitiveness on the global market

Meat firms in China and Australia strike $46m deal

By Oscar Rousseau

China’s Shandong Delisi Food will invest CNY300m ($46m) with Australia’s Yolarno Pty to develop a meat processing site in a deal both parties feel is a “win-win” scenario.

China to master industrialised cattle cloning in 2016

China plans cloning factory

By Oscar Rousseau

China is set to produce an extra one million cows a year… and they will all be clones.

Australia's 'cattle king' land valued at $252m

Australia blocks farmland sale to foreign investors

By Barbara Barkhausen

The sale of Australia’s largest cattle property portfolio by S Kidman & Co to a foreign investor has been blocked by Australia’s Treasurer - finance minister Scott Morrison.

Chunling:

ICCAW president defends China’s stance on pig welfare

By Oscar Rousseau

Growing consideration of animal welfare in China has caused a “mini industrial revolution”, the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) president Xi Chunling has said.

Thai Union hopes to hit their $8bn revenue target by 2020

Seafood company enjoys robust profit rise

By Chloe Ryan

International seafood firm Thai Union has recorded double digit profit growth for the third quarter of the year, buoyed by its acquisition of three rival firms, MerAlliance, King Oscar and Orion.

Environmental legislation to ensure NZ sheep and beef sectors' remains competitive

Environmental laws set to hit NZ livestock farmers

By Chloe Ryan

Increased environmental regulation will have a significant impact on New Zealand’s sheep and beef farmers as well as their dairy counterparts, according to new research by Rabobank.

The five-year plan allows for highly skilled farmers to operate large farms and improve productivity

Chinese five-year plan impacts on meat industry

By Chloe Ryan

China’s 13th five-year plan, published by the government in Beijing, has revealed policies that could have major benefits for meat and animal feed exporting nations around the world.

Chinese diets are changing, with more of a focus on meat

Regional Analysis

Major urban centres lead China's growing appetite for meat

By Wang Fangqing, in Shanghai

As China continues to urbanise, more Chinese consumers, especially in major cities, are adopting Westernised lifestyles, moving away from their previous vegetable-based diets towards meat-based meals. 

Food safety was the focus at the recent GFSI event

Chinese food safety law examined

By Chloe Ryan

Food safety professionals from around the world gathered in Beijing this week for an event focused on implementing China’s new food safety law, which came into effect last month. 

China has begun importing cattle from Australia

Australia begins live cattle exports to China

By Chloe Ryan

China has begun importing live cattle from Australia, following a landmark deal signed back in July that opened the doors to China’s beef market for Australian producers. 

The weakening Australian dollar is proving to be an advantage to the meat industry

Weak Australian dollar helps meat industry

By Chloe Ryan

The weak Australian dollar throughout 2015 has worked in the favour of its red meat industry, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has said, cementing its position as a net red meat exporting nation. 

Yum! has separated the Chinese division of its business

Yum! separates China business

By Chloe Ryan

The $31 billion company behind KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell has announced plans to divide its business into two publicly traded companies, with its business in China run as a separate entity from its franchises in the rest of the world. 

Shanghai Maling's shareholders have voted to move forward with the Silver Ferns Farms deal

Shanghai Maling pushes forward with Silver Ferns Farms deal

By Chloe Ryan

China’s leading meat processor Shanghai Maling Aquarius Group is one step closer to taking a 50% stake in New Zealand’s Silver Fern Farms, after shareholders voted with an 82% majority in favour of the deal. 

Online commerce is one of the focuses of China's new advertising law

New laws put pressure on Chinese meat firms

By Mark Godfrey

China’s meat companies are feeling the strain of extra regulations, with a triple whammy of new laws increasing the costs of compliance according to industry executives and analysts.

One project developed a performance enhancer pre-mix for weaned pigs

Progress on Australian pork projects

By Rod Addy

Australian projects to improve pig nutrition, enhance weaner performance and increase reproduction and enrich the lives of group housed sows are at various stages of development and commercialisation. 

Mongolia has high hopes for its cattle export market

Mongolia sets out hopes for large-scale beef exports

By Vladislav Vorotnikov

This winter Mongolia hopes to send 10.4 million head of cattle to slaughter, including 5.6m for export purposes, which would bring the country’s export volumes to 126,300 tonnes (t). According to the country’s Agriculture Ministry, the total livestock...

Flooding in New Zealand has damaged over 800 rural properties

Flooding costs farmers NZ$70m

By Chloe Ryan

Flooding on New Zealand’s north island in June cost the farming industry NZ$70 million, a report published by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has estimated. 

Beef + Lamb New Zealand is looking for a new chief executive to replace Dr Scott Champion

Beef + Lamb NZ chief executive to step down

By Aaron McDonald

Dr Scott Champion is due to step down from his position as chief executive and to leave Beef + Lamb New Zealand at the end of March 2016, following 10 years with the country’s industry body. 

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