Brazil Meatpacker JBS Positive on China Meat Imports Outlook

(Reuters) - Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA anticipates strong demand for meat this year from China as the Asian country's pork herd is still recovering from an outbreak of African swine fever which disrupted domestic production.

JBS executives, speaking on a conference call after the company published results, said it was not entirely clear when China would be able to fully recover its herd, meaning the country will continue to rely on food imports.

They said the situation would benefit JBS' exporting plants in the United States and...

What’s Next in Labor and Employment Law for the Meat and Retail Industries

Labor and employment issues including healthcare and immigration have immediate effects on the meat and retail industries. In a virtual panel titled ‘What’s Next in Labor and Employment Law’ during the final day of the American Meat Conference, two speakers shared their expertise in labor law and policy.

Panelists John Linker, Partner, Labor and Employment, Akerman LLP; and Frederick Miner, Shareholder, Littler, explored the goals of the Biden Administration and the potential impacts on business. 

Miner began the panel by talking about the current labor landscape. We are entering a significant period of change in the world of labor employment, in which President Biden has promised to be the strongest labor President in our nation’s history. Under the new Administration, the current National Labor Relations Board consists of...

British Meat, Seafood Exports to EU Recovered in Feb - Govt Official

Britain's meat and seafood exports to the European Union recovered in February from the January slump that followed the country's exit from the EU's single market and customs union, a government official said on Thursday, citing preliminary data.

Additional checks and paperwork for British exports since the end of the Brexit transition period on Dec. 31 have led to delays and crippling costs for many businesses, putting mounting pressure on the conservative government that ushered in Brexit to find solutions.

Britain's goods exports to the EU in January slumped 40.7% from December, with a 64% fall in exports of food and live animals, according to...

Burger King's Chicken Sandwich Debut in Michigan Delayed by Pickle Shortage, Operator Says

Burger King is in a pickle.

The home of the Whopper is the latest chain to enter the chicken sandwich wars, but the item’s dramatic debut in Michigan is being delayed by a pickle shortage, a local restaurant operator has claimed.

BK’s hand-breaded chicken sandwich was supposed to hit the Wolverine State on March 23, but a dearth of special pickles – or more specifically, the jars they come in – is holding everything up, WOOD-TV reports.

"We have pickles for Whoppers but these are very special bigger, crunchier, zesty pickles," Jim MacDonald, vice president of operations for Burger King Grand Rapids, told the outlet in a Thursday interview. "The problem was we couldn’t get the pickles because they couldn’t get...

Pilgrim’s Becomes First Global Meat and Poultry Company to Offer Sustainability-Linked Bond

Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation announced it is offering a $1 billion sustainability-linked bond tied to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity across its global operations. The bond is the first of its kind to be issued by a global meat and poultry company, and aligns with Pilgrim’s vision to be the best and most respected company in its industry.

“Since the release of our inaugural corporate responsibility report nearly a decade ago, Pilgrim’s has set ambitious environmental improvement targets and publicly reported our progress to the market,” said Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim’s global chief executive officer. “Earlier this week, we announced our commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and today we offer our first sustainability-linked bond. These actions reinforce our company’s long-standing commitment to...

APHIS Adds India to List of Regions Affected with African Swine Fever

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) added India to the list of regions we consider to be affected with African Swine Fever (ASF.) We took this action on May 13, 2020 when the disease was confirmed and are now publishing notice in the regulations. Pork and pork products from India, including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.

ASF is a devastating, deadly disease of pigs that is not currently found in the United States. USDA's actions will...

Del Taco Enters the Chicken Wars with New Menu Items 

Del Taco Restaurants continues to innovate with crispy chicken with the sweet, tangy smokiness of Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce. While some quick service brands have introduced a single sandwich during the crispy chicken wars, Del Taco’s new Honey Chipotle BBQ Taco and Epic Burrito bring the total to 11 unique and new crispy chicken items introduced since July 2020.

For a limited time, the new sauce flavor will be available on the following items...

NRF Says Extension of Paycheck Protection Program Vital to Small Businesses

The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay following the Senate’s approval to extend the Paycheck Protection Program.

“Throughout the past year, countless small businesses have been devastated by the pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program has served as a lifeline for many retailers and other businesses across the country, ensuring they can continue to pay their employees and keep their doors open. As our economy begins to recover, extending the Paycheck Protection Program will give additional small businesses access to...

Amazon Rolls Out On-site Vaccine Clinics

Frontline personnel at select U.S. Amazon locations will receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

The omnichannel giant will provide on-site COVID-19 vaccination events for frontline employees, starting in Missouri, Nevada, and Kansas. Over the coming weeks, employees working in some Amazon fulfillment centers in those three states will receive vaccines administered by licensed health care providers.

Amazon plans to expand the program, run in partnership with local government and public health officials, across the country as more vaccines become available to frontline employees in other states. The retailer has been conducting a proprietary, voluntary...

Cargill Initiative Aims to Conserve Canadian Prairies through Collaboration with Ranchers

Beef farmers and ranchers play an important role in providing quality food, but few people know they also play an essential role in protecting Canada’s land, water and wildlife. With the urgency of unprecedented environmental challenges, like climate change, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has teamed up with McDonald’s Canada and Cargill to support rancher-led work through a $5-million CAD Forage Program. The program will work to return 125,000 acres (50,585 hectares) of cropland to grass and pasture by 2025.

In response to growing climate concerns, returning less productive annual cropland to perennial grass helps remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Collectively, the impact of this program is comparable to removing...