A low-pathogenicity (“low-path”) strain of H7N3 avian influenza that recently turned up in turkeys in the southeastern U.S. appears to have gone high-path. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Thursday confirmed highly-pathogenic H7N3 avian flu in a commercial turkey flock in Chesterfield County, in northern South Carolina. “It […] Read more
Low-path H7N3 bird flu believed to have gone high-path in U.S.
High-path H7N3 found in South Carolina turkeys
U.N. picks former U.S. governor to run World Food Programme
Reuters — United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has appointed former South Carolina Governor David Beasley to run the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP), at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed slashing funding for the world body and its agencies. Beasley will replace another American, Etharin Cousin, who has been the WFP executive […] Read more
Smithfield to shutter major hog plant against Matthew
Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods will shutter its hog processing facility, the world’s largest, on Saturday to protect employees in North Carolina from Hurricane Matthew, industry sources said on Friday, as farmers braced for the storm’s potential lashing. Matthew has fueled concerns about the safety of livestock and farm workers along the coast from […] Read more
U.S. farmers race to ready for Hurricane Matthew’s blast
New York | Reuters — Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, roiled commodities markets and forced companies from cane refiners to orange juice makers to shutter as it whipped its way toward the southeastern U.S. on Thursday. Southeastern companies were closing down operations ahead of a storm that could threaten some […] Read more
Killers sought in deaths of 300,000 chickens in South Carolina
Charleston | Reuters –– Revenge may be the motive for the killings in South Carolina of more than 300,000 commercial chickens worth about $1.7 million over the past two weeks, authorities said Monday. Birds have been found dead of unnatural causes in 16 chicken houses at six farms that grow chickens for Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
