Dear readers,
Positive evolutions from our industry:
- At the request of Germany’s Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer (CSU), specialists from China will be heading to Germany shortly to assess initiatives aimed at addressing African swine fever (ASF) .This initiative by Chinese Agriculture Minister Zhang Zhu and Customs Minister Sun Meijun is viewed as a crucial move and an essential requirement for the anticipated regionalization agreement .The objective is to confine future trade limitations solely to the regions that are genuinely impacted, grounded in scientific findings and aligned with the standards laid out by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), thereby facilitating secure supplies from areas in Germany that are free of ASF .Recently, both nations reaffirmed their dedication to achieving a prompt agreement through a declaration of intent during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trip to China .
- Extremadura Avante Inversiones is set to cement a participatory loan of €2 million for Secalto, which is the trade name used by Secadero Altos de Torrehermosa SL .This funding comes from the Extremadura Avante Financiación III FICC fund and includes a repayment period of 7 years .The transaction has received approval from the Governing Council of the Regional Government of Extremadura and will support the creation of a facility dedicated to processing and curing ham in the town of Granja de Torrehermosa, located in the Badajoz province, Spain.
- Members of the European Parliament decisively voted to enhance the rules governing alternative meat items in the grocery stores across the continent .The new law, which received approval from 85% of the lawmakers, clarifies that “meat” must come from animals and bans the usage of terms like “beef,” “pork,” “poultry,” “lamb,” and other names related to alternative protein sources, whether they are plant-based or cultivated .In addition, manufacturers of alternative meats are not allowed to advertise specific cuts like “steak,” “breast,” “bacon,” among others . The text explicitly bans lab-grown or cell-based products from using the designation “meat,” taking a decisive step towards preserving our agricultural and food heritage. However, categories such as “veggie burger,” along with “nugget” and “sausage,” remain permitted by the new regulations .
Events calendar:
- The “JFEX Summer JAPAN INT’L FOOD & BEVERAGE EXPO“, an international fair in Tokyo, is dedicated to showcasing food and beverages from around the world. The JFEX will take place on 3 days from Wednesday, 24. June to Friday, 26. June 2026.
- FOOD TAIPEI is an annual international food expo held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan. Organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, it is recognized as a significant event in the food sector that attracts exhibitors and visitors from around the world. The fair will take place on 4 days from Wednesday, 24. June to Saturday, 27. June 2026.
I Love You, Bruxelles
In the recent years the pig farmers faced periods of heavy losses. While during the Covid crisis everyone assumed the situation, now it seems to me more like an unfair practice. Today, a kilo of pig cost less than a liter of Coca Cola and we are still told to decrease our price, Retail sees that meat has to be cheaper and cheaper, pressing the slaughterhouses to decrease the price every week, the slaughterhouses push us to decrease the price of the livestock and we are with our backs to the wall, it is no one behind us to take over the pressure.
With 560 in favor, 75 against and 25 abstentions, Members of the European Parliament endorsed new rules to ensure that the final prices of food products better reflect the actual costs and have a direct impact on farmers’ incomes. The EU regulations will introduce more equitable pricing strategies for agricultural goods, enhance the negotiating power of farmers in deals with purchasers, and clarify food labeling standards .Additionally, these laws safeguard traditional meat-related terminology from being applied to non-meat alternatives .The European Parliament has greenlit a set of legislative initiatives focused on bolstering the position of farmers within the food supply chain and aiding in the stabilization of their revenue .The newly established guidelines aim to facilitate a more equitable allocation of value throughout the food chain while ensuring that end food prices more accurately represent the genuine expenses incurred by producers .A significant element of the regulations mandates that EU countries must create and publish online benchmarks that can be utilized in contracts between producers and buyers .Furthermore, the legislation greatly enhances the influence of Producer Organizations (POs) in market discussions. Specifically, these organizations will have increased opportunities to collaborate collectively with buyers concerning marketing and sales terms . I know many projects started to move in the direction of creating a national quotation in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania. Now our struggle gets legal support from the highest level. I love you, Bruxelles!
