Japanese cows kept inside as radiation keeps leaking

Japan has asked farmers to keep cows and cattle in barns as radioactive contamination of milk spread from Fukushima prefecture, where high radiation levels and fires have hampered repairs of a crippled nuclear plant. “To prevent milk contamination, we are advising farmers that cows should be barred from grazing, kept inside barns and fed with grass harvested before the nuclear plant accident,” said Mitsuhiro Honda at the milk and dairy products division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

“We are not concerned about the safety of beef as the meat now on the market came from animals born more than two years ago.” Japan has restricted raw-milk shipments from Fukushima and neighbouring Ibaraki prefecture after tainted products were discovered through random testing. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.

Japanese feed industry making significant strides

According to the United States Grains Council the Japanese feed industry is making significant strides to regain its production capacity to near normal within the next few months.

"Assuming significant escalation of the nuclear power plant issues will not arise and in spite of the horrendous losses suffered in Japan, the Council believes the consumer demand in Japan will remain strong and will drive continued imports of US coarse grains," said Tommy Hamamoto, USGC director in Japan. "In the short-term, logistical issues will continue to be a problem, but the Japanese feed industry is working hard to recover from the damage. By April or May, the Council is hopeful Japan will recover and return to somewhat normalcy."

At least four of of Japans major importing facilities and feed mills were damaged severely during the earthquake and tsunami. These four facilities account for for approximately 3.66 million metric tons of compound feed production, that's about 15 percent of Japans total annual feed production. However some feed production has partially resumed. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.