Milk production figures released – May The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has received details from milk purchasers of the amount of milk produced for delivery in May 2013. The United Kingdom wholesale milk deliveries totalled 1,229.4 litres in May, the second month of the new milk year. The cumulative total for the year is now 2,341 litres. The wholesale delivery figures have not been adjusted for butterfat content and all figures are provisional. RPA relies on individual purchasers to provide the data, which is supplied ‘subject to confirmation’ and may be amended. Two purchasers failed to submit a return. Feeding the Future Innovation requirements for primary food production in the UK to 2030. This document is the result of UK primary producers coming together to identify their research and development priorities for the next 20 years. Launch of Survey Results - NSA Results from the Farming Against Wormer Resistance (FAWR) survey (created by Novartis Animal Health and supported by NSA and SCOPS) have given valuable insight into the reality of anthelmintic resistance for the UK sheep farming industry. Processing of meats and cardiovascular risk: time to focus on preservatives Dietary guidelines emphasize selecting lean (low-fat) meats to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol, but growing evidence suggests that health effects may relate to other ingredients, such as sodium, heme iron, or L-carnitine. Understanding how meats influence health, and on which nutrients this relationship depends, is essential to advise consumer choices, set guidelines, and inform food reformulations. A recent study published in BMC Medicine involving 448,568 participants in 10 European countries, provides important evidence in this regard. After multivariate adjustment, intake of unprocessed red meat was not significantly associated with total or cause-specific mortality; conversely, intake of processed meat was associated with a 30% higher rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) (per 50g/day, relative risk 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 1.45) and also higher cancer mortality. These findings are consistent with our previous meta-analysis, based on smaller studies, showing strong associations of processed meats, but not unprocessed meats, with CVD. Preservatives are the notable difference; the calculated blood-pressure effects of sodium differences (around 400% higher in processed meats) explain most of the observed higher risk. Although unprocessed red meats seem to be relatively neutral for CVD, healthier choices are available, including fish, nuts, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Public-health guidance should prioritize avoidance of processed meats, including the low-fat deli meats currently marketed as healthy choices, and the food industry should substantially reduce sodium and other preservatives in processed meats. A spoonful of sugar? Whereas Mary Poppins was happy to sing about the best way to take your medicine, a statement on 11th March this year from the Chief Medical Officer was far more chlling. Professor Dame Sally Davies announced that “Global action is needed to tackle the catastrophic threat of antimicrobial resistance, which in 20 years could see any of us die following minor surgery”! Veterinary and Technical Services "Securing a Healthy Future" This strategy for our veterinary and technical services describes the essential functions required of AHVLA looking ahead five to ten years, to understand what is likely to change and what may be constant. This timescale transcends political changes and immediate pressures on public finances and is important because of the nature of the threats we face and the capabilities we need to maintain and safeguard our national interest. The risk of Lyme disease to countryside users With more people working or recreating in the countryside, there is a need for land-based organisations to manage potential risks. We explore the role of risk communication as a tool for preventing staff or the wider publics contracting Lyme disease. Through interviews with representatives of land-based organisations and content analysis of information they provide, we focus on the relationship between organisational attitudes towards Lyme disease and the information they provide. While there is an appetite for a consistent approach to communicating about Lyme disease, we found that there is currently no clear agreement over the level of information that should be communicated, how and to whom. Moreover, how organisations approach risk communication in practice is variable. Birds of Prey poisoning incidents 2012 Shows the distribution of incidents of confirmed poisoning reported to SASA for 2012 only. Commitment of Traders - 25th February 2013 The S&P Agri Index rose 0.3% as managed money reduced its net long position across all commodities except Liffe Robusta. Net long positions by managed money declined 160,116 contracts to 194,612 contracts−the lowest level since March 2009. This was the second consecutive week of managed money net long positions declining by over 100,000 contracts, and only the second time on record (which began September 2006). Report: Transforming the Food & Agri Supply Chain The operating environment for F&A companies is becoming increasingly complex as new external influences compound traditional pressures like rising agri commodity prices. In this report, Rabobank addresses the flaws in the current F&A supply chain structure that leave the sector ill equipped to respond to this new complexity. It calls for the industry to transform the way supply chains are organized, by adopting longer-term supply agreements and, cooperative relationships with upstream and downstream partners. The report identifies the dedicated supply chain model as the best next step for F&A companies. This structure has the potential to revolutionize the F&A industry by making it more productive, innovative, safe and sustainable; all of which will be vital if the sector is to deliver food security to a future global population of 9 billion.