Future Meat Technologies Appoints Nicole Johnson-Hoffman as New Chief Executive Officer

Future Meat Technologies (Future Meat), an industry-leading company developing innovative technology to produce cultivated meat, announced today it has appointed Nicole Johnson-Hoffman as Chief Executive Officer. Johnson-Hoffman brings more than 25 years of experience across the agriculture, food manufacturing, food service, and meat production industries. She assumes day-to-day leadership of the company and will also join Future Meat's Board of Directors.

"It's an honor to serve as the CEO of Future Meat Technologies," said Johnson-Hoffman. "Not only has the company made meaningful..."

Meat Institute, FMI Announce 2022 Leaders of Tomorrow Program Winners

The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) and FMI – The Food Industry Association announced 10 winners for the 2022 Leaders of Tomorrow Program.

The winners are: Britt Johnson, Tyson Foods, Inc.; Camila Paez, Kayem Foods, Inc.; Devin Kulla, Strauss Brands, LLC; Edward Moore, Sealed Air; Elizabeth Hill, Cargill; Griffin Jobe, Teys USA; Katie Smith, Seaboard Foods; Mark Saylor, Farmer Focus (Shenandoah Valley Organic); Rebecca Scholes, Clemens Food Group; and Sarah Havala, Cleveland Research Company.

“These 10 Leaders of Tomorrow represent some of the best and brightest this industry has to..."

USMEF Conference Focuses on Booming Demand, Supply-Side Challenges

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Strategic Planning Conference and Board of Directors Meeting got underway Nov. 10 in Carlsbad, Calif. USMEF Chair Pat Binger, who heads international sales for Cargill Protein North America, welcomed members from across the nation – including farmers, ranchers, processors, exporters and traders – to the organization’s first in-person meeting since 2019.

Binger previewed the conference agenda by noting that attendees will learn exciting details about booming demand for U.S. red meat in both established and emerging markets, but cautioned that the U.S. industry faces significant production...

ANALYSIS: Weekly Chicken Production Stats Exhibit Uncommon YoY Decline

Reflecting back over the past year, chicken production has been anything but uniform...

Tyson Foods Reports Third Quarter 2021 Results

Tyson Foods, Inc., one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein with leading brands including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp and State Fair, reported the following results:

First Nine Months Highlights

- GAAP EPS of $4.63, up 20% from prior year; Adjusted EPS of $5.98, up 61% from prior year
- GAAP operating income of $2,487 million, up...

House of Representatives Delegation Pushes USDA to Support Small Meat, Poultry Processors

A delegation of 30 members of the House of Representatives issued a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pushing for increased support for small meat and poultry processors across the nation.

The House Members put together a letter addressed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), commending them on their announcement of a $500 million investment for small and regional processors, but also...

Tyson Foods to Require COVID-19 Vaccinations for Its U.S. Workforce

To protect team members, their families and their communities, Tyson Foods, is requiring its team members at U.S. office locations to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021. All other team members are required to be fully vaccinated by November 1, 2021, subject to ongoing discussions with locations represented by unions.

This action makes Tyson Foods the largest U.S. food company to require COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce. Almost half of Tyson Foods’ U.S. workforce has been vaccinated and coronavirus infection rates among team members...

Tyson Fresh Meats Leader Testifies About Beef Industry at Senate Hearing

Shane Miller, group president of Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork unit of Tyson Foods, testified about the beef industry during a hearing held today by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Below is Miller’s written testimony:

Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Grassley, members of the Judiciary Committee, thank you for inviting me here today.

I proudly represent Tyson Foods, a company based in Springdale, Arkansas, and founded nearly a century ago by John W. Tyson, who started this business trucking chickens to markets across the Midwest...

Tyson Foods Joins McDonald’s in Mutual Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Tyson Foods announced that it has joined the McDonald’s Mutual Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (MCDEI). Tyson’s employee base is enormously diverse, with more than 50 languages spoken by team members across the company’s U.S. business. Today’s announcement follows the company’s longstanding and publicly stated commitment to diversity, also a part of its core values.

As an early adopter of the MCDEI, Tyson Foods will continue to advance diversity, equity and inclusion by committing to actions like setting representation goals, conducting education and training, increasing...

NCBA Thanks President Biden, Secretary Vilsack for Taking Steps to Strengthen Beef Supply Chain

President Biden signed an Executive Order which initiates several federal rulemakings and commits $500 million to expanding processing capacity in the beef industry. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) thanked President Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack for acting rapidly to address key concerns impacting cattle and beef producers.

NCBA welcomed the announcement of rulemakings to improve the accuracy of the "Product of the USA" beef label and implement...

USDA Announces $500 Million for Expanded Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity

The USDA announced it intends to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing to make agricultural markets more accessible, fair, competitive, and resilient for American farmers and ranchers. This is one of several key steps that USDA will take to increase competition in agricultural markets, pursuant to President Biden’s Executive Order on promoting competition and as part of USDA efforts to build a more resilient supply chain and better food system. Together, USDA’s actions will help farmers, ranchers, farmworkers and consumers all get a fair shake.

Specifically, USDA announced its intent to invest $500 million in American Rescue Plan funds to expand meat and poultry processing capacity so that farmers, ranchers, and...

Maple Leaf Foods Releases 2020 Sustainability Report

Maple Leaf Foods, a leading North American producer of high-quality, sustainable meat and plant-based proteins, announced the release of its 2020 Sustainability Report, highlighting the company's key initiatives, milestones and accomplishments in 2020 on its journey to become the most sustainable protein company on earth.

Throughout the challenges of 2020, Maple Leaf Foods remained committed to leading in sustainability, born out of a recognition of the enormous and essential role that the protein industry plays in nourishing billions of people, and the resources required to create nutrient-dense foods. While prioritizing the health and safety of its employees and the stability of its food supply, the company championed a more...

Broad-Based Growth Drives U.S. Beef and Pork Exports to New Heights

Fueled by impressive growth in a wide range of destinations, U.S. beef and pork export value shattered previous records in May, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef exports also reached a new volume high in May, while pork export volume was the third largest on record.

“The outstanding May performance is especially gratifying when you consider where red meat exports stood a year ago,” noted USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “The industry faced unprecedented, COVID-related obstacles at all levels of the supply chain, and...

Future Meat Technologies Launches Industrial Cultured Meat Production Facility
Future Meat Technologies, an industry-leading company developing innovative technology to produce cultured meat, has opened the world's first industrial cultured meat facility. With the capability to produce 500 kilograms of cultured products a day, equivalent to 5,000 hamburgers, this facility makes scalable cell-based meat production a reality.

"This facility opening marks a huge step in Future Meat Technologies' path to market, serving as a critical enabler to bring our products to shelves by 2022," says Rom Kshuk, CEO of Future Meat Technologies. "Having a running industrial line accelerates...

USDA Invests to Increase Capacity and Expand Access in Meat and Poultry Inspection Operations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $55.2 million in competitive grant funding available through the new Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The new program is funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

“We are building capacity and increasing economic opportunity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors and producers across the country.” Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Through MPIRG, meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities can cover the costs for necessary improvements to...

What Does Prop 12 Mean for Egg, Veal, and Pork Producers in 2022?

Set to begin on January 1, 2022, there has been much pushback and controversy surrounding the State of California’s Proposition 12: The Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, which California residents first voted to pass in 2018.

Under the new rule, veal calf producers are required to provide their animals with at least 43 square feet of usable floor space per calf. Sows must have a minimum of 24 square feet of usable space per animal and laying hens are required to be cage-free. Prop 12 prohibits the sale in California of meat, poultry, and eggs not raised in compliance with these regulations. Many industry participants and producers have voiced concerns that Prop 12 could...

Wholestone Farms to Build Pork Processing Facility in South Dakota

Wholestone Farms, a farmer-owned pork processor, has secured property in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, located near the intersection of I-229 and Benson Road within an appropriately zoned industrial park. Wholestone Farms plans to develop the purchased land into a new, state-of-the-art pork harvest and processing facility. The project value is estimated at over $500 million and will initially employ over 1,100 people.

"Wholestone Farms and its farmer-owners have a strong culture of corporate citizenship and with many of our members currently living and doing business in the area, we look forward to...

USDA to Begin Work to Strengthen Enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin work on three proposed rules to support enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act, the 100-year old law that was originally designed to protect poultry and hog farmers and cattle ranchers from unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive practices in the meat markets. USDA’s pending action was noted in the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions released by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

USDA intends to take three actions related to rulemaking in the months ahead. First, USDA intends to propose a new rule that will provide greater clarity to strengthen enforcement of unfair and deceptive practices, undue preferences, and unjust prejudices. Second, USDA will propose a new...

Strong Momentum Continues for U.S. Beef and Pork Exports

Following a record-breaking March performance, exports of U.S. beef and pork continued to build momentum in April, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

April exports of U.S. beef set another new value record at $808.3 million, up 35% from a year ago, with export volume reaching 121,050 metric tons (mt) – up 23% year-over-year and the fifth largest on record. For beef muscle cuts, exports were the third largest ever at 94,656 mt (up 21%), valued at a record $726.7 million (up 36%). For January through April, beef exports moved 5% ahead of last year’s pace at 454,398 mt, with value up...

Lawmakers Urge Administration to Challenge Damaging Court Ruling

Congressional lawmakers are spearheading two letters to the administration, urgently requesting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) appeal a recent federal district court ruling that, left unchallenged, will cause tremendous financial harm to American hog farmers starting at the end of this month.

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is urging USDA and the DOJ to quickly appeal the court ruling that, unless halted, will result in a 2.5 percent loss in pork packing plant capacity nationwide, and more than...

FBI Attributes JBS Cyberattack to Russia-Linked Cyber Criminal REvil

JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, is returning to normalized operations following a cyberattack over the weekend that affected its North American and Australian servers. 

On Tuesday evening, JBS released a press statement saying it had made “significant progress” in resolving the cyberattack and expected the “vast majority” of its plants to be operating on Wednesday. 

JBS is also a majority shareholder of Pilgrim’s Pride, a leading chicken producer. Pilgrim’s has operations in 14 U.S. states and can process...

Smithfield Foods Expands Sustainability Program in New Report

In addition to its industry-leading greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitment to become carbon negative in all U.S. company-owned operations by 2030, Smithfield Foods, Inc. today announced it will reduce GHG emissions across its entire domestic supply chain 30 percent by 2030. This new goal builds on the company's prior pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its domestic supply chain 25 percent by 2025. Smithfield also announced that it will obtain 50 percent of its electricity from...

Statement from the USDA on JBS USA Ransomware Attack

As noted earlier by the White House, USDA is aware of the ransomware attack against JBS, which is affecting the company’s operations, including its facilities in the United States. USDA continues to work closely with the White House, Department of Homeland Security, JBS USA and others to monitor this situation closely and offer help and assistance to mitigate any potential supply or price issues. As part of that effort, USDA has reached out to several major meat processors in the United States to ensure they are aware of the situation, encouraging them to...

JBS Informs White House that Cyberattack is Likely from Russia

JBS informed the White House that the cyberattack on the company that impacted its cattle and hog plants in the United States yesterday likely originated from Russia. 

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the FBI is investigating the attack and has contacted Russia’s government. Jean-Pierre explained, "the White House has offered assistance to JBS and our team at the Department of Agriculture have spoken to...

Update: Some U.S. JBS Operations U.S. Affected by Cyberattack Today

JBS announced that they experienced a cyberattack over the weekend, forcing some shifts at its U.S. locations to be reduced or canceled altogether today. Industry sources report that JBS will not be operating any of its U.S. cattle plants today. This is expected to trim the day’s cattle slaughter by around 28,000 head from normal. 

On the hog side, three of JBS’s U.S. hog plants are said to be down today, while two are operating at reduced capacity. While it is difficult to gauge what today’s hog slaughter could be, the common consensus is in the area of 400,000 head or potentially less. Analysts note that this Saturday’s cattle and hog slaughter could be very large to make up for the downtime...

The duration and extent of processing plant disruptions at JBS's facilities due to the cyberattack is not yet known and will be monitored day-to-day. Adequate processing capacity for the current level of supply is already an issue for the livestock industry, especially on the cattle side.

Major Cyber Attack Impacts JBS' Global Operations

On Sunday, May 30, JBS USA announced that it was the target of a cyberattack. According to a media statement, “the company took immediate action, suspending all affected systems, notifying authorities and activating the company's global network of IT professionals and third-party experts to resolve the situation. The company’s backup servers were not affected, and it is actively working with an Incident Response firm to restore its systems as soon as possible.”

JBS media contact Nikki Richardson explained that a solution will take time and that transactions with customers and suppliers could be delayed. 

JBS Foods is the world’s largest beef and poultry producer and the second-largest global pork producer. The company has locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, Europe, and New Zealand...

ANALYSIS: Strong Demand Keeps Frozen Pork and Beef Inventories Tight 

According to the latest USDA monthly cold storage report, released Monday afternoon, frozen beef and pork stocks at the end of April remain...

ANALYSIS: Chicken Boneless Breasts and the Jumbo/Medium Spread

Since their inception to the Urner Barry price sheet back in late 2009, medium-sized boneless breast quotations have...