07/05/13: High hopes for US grains; integrating ducks in rice farming; feed dealers charged in Taiwan

After the huge drought last year, farmers in the USA intend to intend to plant a record-high combined 174.4 million acres of corn and soybeans in 2013, according to the Prospective Plantings report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). If realised, corn will represent the highest planted acreage in the United States since 1936 (102 million planted acres) and for soybeans the fourth highest acreage on record.

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Integrating ducks in rice farming can increase yields by 20 percent while helping protect the environment, according to the FAO. Find out more about this and other interesting techniques that are improving the lives of smallholder farmers around the world. 

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Eight feed dealers and pig farmers in Taiwan have been been found guilty of selling and using feed containing illegal additives.

Investigators seized 23 kg of antipyretic and analgesic APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients), along with more than 800 kg of unlabelled additives in Pingtung County and neighbouring Kaohsiung.

An amendment to the Veterinary Drugs Control Act, which was implemented on January 23, 2103, increased the penalties for illegal production, importing or use of animal drugs.
Under the amendment, livestock farmers who use illicit drugs can be fined NT$60,000 (US$2,033) to NT$300,000, while repeat offenders can be fined between NT$500,000 and NT$2.5 million.

 

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Soybeans grow throughout Asia and North and South America. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)