Ag Headlines, Monday November 16, 2015

Commodity Classic Registration Opens on November 18

Commodity Classic registration and housing reservations will open up online at 10:00 a.m. central time, Wednesday, November 18. New Orleans is a first-time host for the event. The 21st Annual farmer focused and farmer-led event is scheduled for March 3-5 at the Convention Center in New Orleans. Full registration includes things like access to the largest Trade Show ever, main stage presentations at the Trade Show, a full schedule of educational sessions, and more.  Check out the website for more information at http://commodityclassic.com/home

European Organization Says Glyphosate Unlikely To Cause Cancer

According to the Hagstrom Report, the European Food Safety Authority says glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in Monsanto weed killer, likely doesn’t cause cancer in humans.  But EFSA did propose some new controls on residues in food. The ruling may mean that products containing glyphosate will have an easier time staying on the European market. The ruling comes after the International Agency for Research on Cancer said glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”  The Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food called the EFSA decision the latest setback in the campaign to mandate labeling of GMO foods.  However, the Natural Resources Defense Council said the agency acted with blinders on, relying on a draft supplied by an industry task force that included Monsanto.

Merck Animal Health To Acquire Harrisvaccines

Merck Animal Health announced an agreement that will allow it to acquire Harrisvaccines, a privately held company that develops, manufactures, and sells vaccines for food production and companion animals. Harrisvaccines offers innovative technology, with a focus on production animals, an increasingly important segment, as consumers want more protein in markets across the world. The company has a unique RNA particle technology, which represents a breakthrough in vaccine development. The system was directly responsible for producing the first conditionally licensed vaccine to help control porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, which has killed more than eight million piglets since 2013.  In September of 2015, Harrisvaccines received conditional approval for a Eurasian subtype Avian Influenza Vaccine, which they received a contract from the USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service to produce the vaccine.

NAFB News