International News

US poultry executives indicted after 2019 immigration raid

According to reporting, 680 people were arrested at seven different poultry plants in the US state of Mississippi. The raid was one of the largest workplace immigration crackdowns in the last ten years. The four executives were not arrested on the day of the raid last year. The US Attorney for southern Mississippi explained that the executives worked as managers, supervisors or as human resources employees. The arrests drew heavy criticism last year as immigration officials separated children from their immigrant parents who were then sent to detention centres.

US farm groups need more time to apply for COVID-19 aid

28 farm groups in the United States have asked the US Department of Agriculture to extend the deadline for farmers to apply for COVID-19 assistance payments reports that the farm groups are urging the department to do more to reach growers who have been hurt by the pandemic.

The has sent a letter to the saying that the 28 August deadline may prevent farmers from participating in the $16 billion aid programme.

26 ways UK farmers are doing their bit to reach n e t z e r o c a r b o n emissions

The NFU has published 26 examples of how farmers are working towards net zero on their farms, showing how other farmers can make changes to their businesses to help achieve the NFU's 2040 net zero ambition The booklet, titled ", includes case studies from every sector and from farms across England and Wales, and cover each of the three pillars outlined in the net zero plan: productivity, carbon storage and renewables and bioenergy. The 26 case studies aim to inspire farmers to start their net zero journey ahead of the 26th meeting of the United Nations' Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will take place in Glasgow

New research sheds light on using poultry litter as fertiliser and soil health

in November next year.

While poultry manure has served as a convenient and inexpensive fertiliser source for many farmers, little is known about where those nutrients, minerals and metals go once they pass through the soil Of special interest to a group of researchers is the destination of heavy metals in the manure, including zinc, copper and lead. “The goal of our research project is to improve our understanding of how heavy metal losses occur in the subsurface flows of the agricultural landscape and what farmers can do to prevent it,” said Jasmeet Lamba, assistant professor in the College of Agriculture's Department of Biosystems Engineering.

BRF plant in Brazil reports 1,138 coronavirus cases

Reuters reports that the single BRF SA unit accounts for nearly 29 percent of COVID-19 cases in Parana state. Official data shows BRF's Toledo unit has had 1,138 confirmed COVID-19 cases while its Carambei plant had just five. Parana health authorities, which sent the numbers to Reuters upon request, confirmed a total of 3,979 COVID-19 cases at the state's slaughterhouses through 24 July. "Although most companies have submitted a contingency plan for coping with COVID-19, cases continue to grow significantly," Parana health authorities said in an accompanying statement.