China

SwineCast 0472

• National Pork Producers Council's Nick Giordano looks at the issues surrounding the Chinese chicken inspection funding delays and potential impact on the U.S. China pork trade.

SwineCast 0359e Show Notes:

• Dr Steven McOrist of the Univ of Nottingham joins Swine Forecast 2009 direct from the United Kingdom to share his experience in Asian pork production.  Link to full powerpoint presentation with audio.

Mark Greenwood
October 2008

     Food is far more than calories or nutrition.  It defines a people and is often associated with identity, culture, and the fabric of life that bonds families, regions and even nations together.  Food celebrates holidays and holy days in virtually every culture on earth so there is very little in this world more destructive to a brand or to trust in a process or supply chain than to deliberately poison food, especially if the tainted product is largely destined for children.  In a stunning example of irresponsible and unethical behavior, milk processors in China have done ju

SwineCast 0329 Show Notes:

• USDA crop report should reflect in lower corn prices
• Country of Origin Labeling... Time for the rubber to meet the road
• Doing business with China. Dr Steven McOrist shares his experience in dealing with this important trading partner

SwineCast 0327 Show Notes:

SwineCast 0306 Show Notes:

• Recapping the farm bill outcomes for pork producers and a preview of World Pork Expo with NPPC's David Warner
• China figures to be a bright spot in world pork import needs. Bruce Cochrane has more
• Economist says higher gas prices could help to level the biofuels playing field. However, he's not running for office...
• Food prices increase 40% around the world over the past year

Late last week China revealed that it was about to approve a plan to buy large tracts of land in South America and Africa. The purpose of the purchases is to assure that China is not left to the risks of the market place in the future when its own agricultural production is not able to keep up with its growing demand.

China is essentially self-sufficient in food at the present (something that it cherishes) but rising incomes are changing the mix of demand from lower quality vegetarian diets to meat and more refined and processed foods. China has about nine percent of the arable land and the current global food crisis is helping to fuel the long-held desire by China not to be at the mercy of foreigners. China is currently self-sufficient in corn but imports lots of soybeans. As its livestock production ramps up for future demand, it will need to produce substantially more feed stuffs than its own resources currently can support.