NEWS BITES
Headline news The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) issued an approval for the commercial use of a vaccine against African Swine Fever. This will be the world’s first licensed vaccine against the virus. The vaccine was developed by NAVETCO based on the ASFV-G- ∆I177L technology licensed from the USDA ARS.
UKRAINIAN GRAIN EXPORTS DISRUPTED With Black Sea ports out of commission For the first time in the century since because of a Russian blockade and Ukrainian the ASF virus was identified, a commercial vaccine will be available. mines, Ukrainian grain exports have fallen as the country must shift to less practical truck, train, and river barge transport. These channels are swamped with demand and areas. It is believed that the project may lead to a reduction of hindered by incompatible infrastructure (for example, the different 30% in Dutch livestock numbers. Nitrogen emissions have been gauge for rolling stock between former USSR territories and EU a hot topic in Dutch politics since at least 2019, and the level members like Poland). Moreover, facilities and infrastructure are of responsibility of the animal agriculture sector in particular is being degraded by military action (for example, a Viterra grain contentious. terminal in the port city of Mykolaiv was hit by a missile and set on NEW ZEALAND RELEASES DRAFT PLAN TO CHARGE fire in June). And as last season’s harvest struggles to get out of FOR LIVESTOCK METHANE EMISSIONS Ukraine, it is left with little space to store the new harvest, set to begin soon. On June 8, New Zealand’s government released a plan requiring Ukraine accounted for nearly a fifth of global corn exports and farmers to pay for the enteric methane emissions of their animals 12-14% of wheat exports, and the absence of those stocks on by 2025. If enacted, it would make the country the first in the markets is expected to cause shortages in many parts of the world to put a price on the greenhouse gas generated directly world. In just one example, the rise in feed and food prices in by ruminants. It is understood to include incentives for reducing Malaysia prompted it to ban exports of chickens to neighbouring emissions via feed additives. Reuters reports that a final decision Singapore and Thailand in early June, although the ban was on the project is expected in December. partially relaxed a few weeks later.
GAS SITUATION IN EUROPE CONCERNING As the relationship between Russia and Europe degrades, many are concerned about the potential for Russia to provoke a deep energy crisis by withholding gas supplies from its western neighbours. It cut off Poland, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland for refusing to pay for gas in rubles, and in late June, it reduced deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, ostensibly over equipment issues. One week later, the situation of German gas reserves and deliveries was worrying enough for the country to move to the “alarm level”, under which the global manufacturing giant can begin using coal instead of gas and subsidising consumption cuts.
DUTCH GOVERNMENT PROPOSES NITROGEN POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES Farmers pushed back against a plan released in June by the Dutch government to reduce nitrogen pollution in sensitive natural
4 | SUMMER 2022
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VIETNAM APPROVES WORLD’S FIRST COMMERCIAL ASF VACCINE
US PASSES OCEAN CARRIER REFORM BILL; REGULATIONS OF CHICKEN TOURNAMENT FARMING LOOM
In mid-June, President Biden signed the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act to increase the oversight power of the Federal Maritime Commission. Among many others, it includes provisions meant to stop international ocean carriers from “unreasonably declining American cargo”, to require reporting on how many containers are being transported empty, provisions which are particularly interesting for US ag exporters concerned about their products having been passed over in favour of rapidly returning empty containers to Asia when containers were particularly scarce and US ports were overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the balance of power between meatpackers and farmers remains a focus of the administration; in late-May, it proposed regulatory changes meant to ensure greater transparency in the “tournament system” used to reimburse farmers who raise chickens under contract with integrators.
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