Month: January 2014

A management review of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) by the Livestock, Poultry and Seed Program of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) verified that the Beef Board is operating within the provisions of the Beef Promotion and Research Act and Order and in line with all applicable Federal laws, regulations and policies. …

It’s been almost two years since I wrote Food’s Biggest Scam: The Great Kobe Beef Lie, here in the pages of Forbes.com. The single most important element of my original piece was the fact (as in fact, not opinion) that no beef from Japan, not one ounce in any form, was allowed to be imported into this country by the USDA, starting back in 2009. The big change occurred – at least on paper – on August 27, 2012, when the USDA updated its rules to allow the importation of Japanese beef, including Kobe, albeit in very small amounts. In practice, no Kobe beef was shipped to the US until November 2012 and even this small delivery was an anomaly, as no more would reach our shores until March 2013. …

Smithfield Foods, Inc. and its hog production subsidiary, Murphy-Brown LLC, announced today that it is recommending all of its contract sow growers join with the company in converting their facilities to group housing systems for pregnant sows. The company said that it is asking contract sow growers to convert by 2022 with a sliding scale of incentives to accelerate that timetable. Growers who commit to convert to group housing will receive contract extensions upon completion of the conversion. …