Consumers not Looking to Reduce Meat Intake: Purdue Research

While consumers are spending significantly more for food than they did last year, the desire to cut back on meat intake has not increased, according to a new survey conducted by Purdue University.

The second annual Consumer Food Insight Report, released by the university’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability, found that on average, food prices have risen about 19 percent from a year ago. However, meat purchases have not fallen in kind.

“People are generally knowledgeable about the actions needed to improve health and want to pursue them,” Purdue agricultural economics professor Jayson Lusk wrote in a statement about the report. “However, they don’t necessarily want to give up on taste and indulgences. For example, eating less meat is low on the list of priorities of most Americans.”

Instead, the survey found that consumers are interested in eating more fruits and vegetables and less sugar as a means of improving health. The only idea consumers liked less than cutting back on meat was “growing your own food.”

Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S.

Philippines Bans Beef from the Netherlands, Poultry Products from Turkey

by Jordeene B. Lagare, Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily banned the importation of cattle and related products from The Netherlands and poultry products from Turkey. This is due to the reported outbreak of mad cow disease in The Netherlands and of avian influenza in Turkey.

The ban covers live animals, meat and meat by-products derived from cattle, as well as domestic and wild birds and their products from the countries covered.

“This order shall take effect immediately and shall remain enforced unless revoked in writing. All orders inconsistent herewith are deemed revoked,” the orders issued separately read.

With the ban in place, the DA immediately suspended the processing, evaluation of applications and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import clearance for the said products.

All meat shipments coming from The Netherlands that are in transit/loaded/accepted unto port prior to the issuance of this order will be allowed, provided the products were slaughtered or produced on or before January 1.

In the case of poultry products coming from Turkey, those in transit/loaded/accepted unto port before the imposition of the ban will be allowed entry into the country as long as these were slaugh- tered or produced on or before January 17.

The DA will carry out a more rigorous inspection on all arrivals of meat and meat by-products, as well as domestic and wild birds and their products in all major ports of entry.

Earlier, The Netherlands’ chief veterinary officer reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) an outbreak of mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) affecting domestic cattle last February.

Also, authorities from Turkey informed the WOAH there was an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 in Asagihilal, Afyon which hit domestic birds.

“The recent cases of BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, in The Netherlands as reported to the WOAH may pose a risk to consumers due to BSE’s assumed link with the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans,” the DA said. “There is a need to prevent the entry of HPAI virus to protect the health of the local poultry population,” it added. ▫