Bird Flu in Sheep and Farmer Sentiment Down
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**Bird flu has been detected in a sheep in northern England, the first known case of its kind, adding to the growing list of mammals infected by the disease and fueling fears of a pandemic.
Many different mammals have died of the H5N1 bird flu virus across the globe including bears, cats, dairy cows, dogs, dolphins, seals and tigers.
There have been cases among humans, but no confirmed transmission between humans.
**Farmer sentiment dropped in March as concerns over agricultural trade and farm policy weighed on producers.
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer fell 12 points to 140, down from 152 in February.
The Future Expectations Index dropped 15 points to 144, and the Current Conditions fell five points to 132.
The drop was influenced by falling crop prices since mid-February, along with the increasing trade and policy worries.
**The U.S. Trade Representative recently held hearings on a proposal to impose million-dollar port call fees on Chinese vessels.
The U.S. Meat Export Federation joined more than 300 organizations in saying the fees would hurt U.S. exports.
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom supports the intent of the proposal to incentivize U.S. shipbuilding, but says the reality is it’s not feasible right now, adding it’s going to take time to become viable.
