E coli in Romaine and USMEF on USMCA

E coli in Romaine and USMEF on USMCA

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**There is no information to report following a recent E. coli outbreak that was, in the FDA’s words, “likely associated with romaine lettuce.”

According to thepacker.com, the E. coli strain, that sickened 23 people, appears to be over, however, the FDA’s Frank Yiannas still recommends beefing up review on practices and traceability to enhance food safety.

Investigators visited farms in California’s Central Coast region, but no samples turned up a match for the outbreak strain.

https://www.thepacker.com/article/fda-no-actionable-information-recent-e-coli-outbreak?mkt/

**U.S. Meat Export Federation President Dan Halstrom is encouraged by ongoing negotiations between the U.S. Trade Representative and Congress aimed at bringing the USMCA to a vote.

Halstrom says while Mexico's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork have been removed and all red meat exports to Mexico are now duty-free, ratification of USMCA would help restore confidence and certainty.

While pork exports to Mexico have rebounded, volumes are not yet back to the record-levels of 2017.

**The nation’s four largest beef packers are facing yet another lawsuit claiming antitrust violations.

The most recent lawsuit, filed by California food distributor Pacific Agri-Products alleges Tyson, JBS, Cargill and National Beef Packing as well as Marfrig Global and Swift Beef conspired to cut supplies and artificially raise beef prices.

The first suit was filed in April by R-CALF USA, which alleged the packers conspired to depress the price of fed cattle in the U.S.

https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/127086

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