On Wednesday, North Carolina’s Ag Commissioner, Steve Troxler, along with other state and local dignitaries, members of the media from across the country, as well as employees of several of Syngenta’s divisions from the US and Canada gathered at the Greensboro Coliseum for Insights into Syngenta’s New Strategies just about a year after the company announced it would be consolidating all its divisions:
“I am happy to be here at this event today to be educated on some of the new initiative that Syngenta is putting forward and partnering with NC agriculture.”
Announcement of US’s 4th Case of BSE Closes Export Markets
USDA announced the finding of a fourth case of BSE - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy - diagnosed in the United States Tuesday. Dr. John Clifford - USDA Chief Veterinary Officer - says the dairy cow was from Central California and was found at a rendering facility. Clifford says the animal did not enter the food chain - and the carcass will be destroyed:
“The United States has a very robust surveillance system along with a very good feed band that is implemented through FDA that protects the animal health as well as removes specified risk materials that can be infected with animal BSE. There is really no concern for alarm here. Both human and animal health are protected.”
Two major South Korean retailers suspended sales of U.S. beef following the discovery of mad cow disease in a central California dairy cow. One retailer says the ban wasn't an issue over meat concerns but consumer worries. CBS News Reporter Don Kirk is in Seoul South Korea and says a ban on US beef was lifted in 2008 over a previous case of mad cow:
“Now that they have discovered one case of mad cow disease, that rekindles the fears of mad cow disease in US beef.”
Burger King Joins Ranks with McDonald’s and Wendy’s
Burger King says all its eggs and pork will come from cage-free chickens and pigs by 2017. Humane Society of the United States President Wayne Pecelle calls the announcement a significant step towards the more humane treatment of animals. Now he wants a huge retailer to follow Burger King's lead:
“Wal-Mart, which sells about 20% of all groceries in the United States, is the big one. We hope that Wal-Mart really takes note of this.”
McDonalds and Wendy's have asked their pork suppliers to outline plans for eliminating gestation crates, but haven't set a timetable. |