Agribusiness Update for Monday 01/05/15

In a statement released last week USDA says some countries are placing restriction on U.S. trade that are "more than necessary." Some countries have placed temporary bans on the import of all U.S. poultry products. USDA is in communication with trading partners to provide more information on the detections of avian influenza in Oregon and Washington State. USDA emphasized that poultry, poultry products and wild birds are safe to eat even if they carry the disease if they are properly handled and cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another report by USDA finds ground beef in schools contains significantly less salmonella contamination than ground beef sold to consumers. USDA's Economic Research Service examined the impact of food-safety standards imposed by the Agricultural Marketing Service on suppliers of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program. Because ground beef is a staple of school menus and has suffered a number of product recalls in recent years, AMS pays particular attention to the food safety of ground beef.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network of the West.