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USDA Rule Allows Pork Imports From Mexico

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today finalized a regulation that will allow all Mexican states to export pork to the United States, a move supported by the National Pork Producers Council.
 
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is implementing a science-based risk assessment that determined Mexico is free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF), highly contagious viral disease in pigs. It was eradicated from the United States in the late 1970s. APHIS in 2016 concluded that the risk of CSF from pork imports from Mexico is negligible.
 
“The U.S. pork industry is a strong supporter of free trade and of using epidemiological science and risk analyses to determine if trade can be safely conducted between countries,” said NPPC President Ken Maschhoff, a pork producer from Carlyle, Ill. “Mexico in 2017 was our No. 2 export market, so maintaining our good relationship with that country by ensuring fair and reciprocal trade is paramount for our producers.”
 
Through November last year, the United States shipped $1.4 billion of pork to Mexico.
 
Mexico in late 2007 requested market access to the United States for pork from the eight states in its central region but later amended that request to include all Mexican states. APHIS at that time conducted multiple reviews and determined Mexico’s control program for CSF was not sufficient to classify the country as negligible risk for the disease.
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Lambs Are Taking Over The Farm!

Video: Lambs Are Taking Over The Farm!

In today's exciting episode of our daily sheep farming vlog at Ewetopia Farms, we witness the lambs taking over the lambing barn as it rapidly fills up. Join us as we embark on a thrilling day of managing lambs as we work on emptying lambing jugs to accommodate the lambs that just keep on coming!

We begin by providing updates on the events of the previous night and share the progress of all the lambs. Throughout the day, we engage in various tasks such as tagging, vaccinating, docking, and recording the lambs as they demonstrate their readiness to leave the lambing jugs and join the group pen. As lambs are moved in and out of the jugs, we ensure each pen is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with lime before welcoming the next ewe and her lambs. Along the way, we encounter and resolve a few challenges related to lambing, including unplugging a ewe's teat to facilitate milk flow for her lamb's nourishment and addressing a bleeding umbilical cord on a newborn Dorset lamb. We remain hopeful for the lamb's full recovery and will keep you updated on its progress in future videos.

To conclude the day, we take a moment to relax in the group pen, reflecting on our busy day of sheep farming and cherishing the rewards of our hard work. Join us in this well-deserved break and immerse yourself in the joys of sheep farming and caring for these adorable lambs