Latest news with #AvianFlu
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Urgent call to reopen poultry imports amid supply crisis
The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has urged the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to immediately resume poultry imports from countries that have declared themselves free of Avian Influenza, in line with World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has urged the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to immediately resume poultry imports from countries that have declared themselves free of Avian Influenza, in line with World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines. These countries include France (February 4, 2025), Sweden (March 31, 2025), and both Denmark and Belgium (May 23, 2025). The last recorded imports from Denmark were in 2020, when South Africa imported an average of 1 384 metric tons of poultry products per month, including both poultry cuts and mechanically deboned meat (MDM). AMIE on Wednesday also welcomed the Department of Agriculture's commitment to make a determination on a partial lifting of the Brazilian import suspension by the end of this week. This would be based on the fact that the Avian Flu outbreak is contained to the Rio Grande do Sol province in Brazil. Brazilian imports are currently halted due to the Avian Influenza outbreak in Rio Grande do Sol, which produces between 10% to 15% of all poultry in that country. Since local producers are unable to meet total demand, particularly for poultry offal and MDM, which South Africa does not produce at scale, it is critical to diversify supply sources to ensure continued affordability, availability, and market stability, it said. Imameleng Mothebe, the CEO of AMIE, said: 'Opening access to each additional AI-free market will help alleviate some of the current poultry supply gap and reduce the growing economic and food security risks created by the current overall suspension of imports from Brazil. Even with a partial lifting of the suspension of imports from Brazil, there will still be a shortfall that will need to be filled in order to maintain consumption demand in our country. Opening additional markets not only fills this gap, but also future proofs South Africa against AI-related supply shortages.' South African Meat Processors Association urged the government to implement zoning (regionalisation) with all haste. "One of our members, Sky Country Meats, has already been forced to lay off almost 100 employees, with more retrenchments to follow next week if imports of MDM are not restored as a matter of absolute urgency," it said.
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Leyden Labs Lands €20 Million EIB Investment Facilitated by HERA to Advance Pandemic Preparedness Activities
LUXEMBOURG & LEIDEN, the Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Dutch clinical-stage biotechnology company Leyden Laboratories B.V. have signed a €20 million financing deal to advance development of the Company's broadly-protective antibodies to defend against seasonal and pandemic viral infections. Leyden Labs' lead program is a pan-influenza nasal spray currently in clinical development (PanFlu), which has the potential to provide first-in-class influenza protection and meaningfully reduce the burden of influenza infection, including in infection from Avian Flu (H5). The venture debt financing agreement is supported under the European Commission's InvestEU programme and specifically falls under 'HERA Invest.' This €110 million initiative from the European Health Union is meant to address biodefence, pandemic readiness and antimicrobial resistance in Europe, as a top-up to the European Union's InvestEU initiative, funded by the EU4Health programme. 'The COVID-19 pandemic taught us multiple lessons, including that we should strengthen the EU's preparedness and autonomy in key areas like bio sciences,' stated EIB Vice President Robert de Groot. 'With the support of the European Commission, the EIB backs highly innovative EU companies like Leyden Labs with venture debt, enabling them to grow and thrive in Europe. Technological innovations from companies like Leyden Labs are key for European competitiveness and the well-being of our society.' Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, added: 'Respiratory viruses are common and affect us all, especially the most medically vulnerable. Today's agreement reaffirms our commitment to invest in innovation to strengthen preparedness and protection against respiratory viruses. HERA Invest is a prime example of Europe at the forefront of medical advancements in response to serious threats to health.' 'We are thrilled with this endorsement of our approach and support from HERA and the European Investment Bank. This will accelerate our efforts to provide broad, universal protection against current and future viral outbreaks. We are grateful that HERA and the EIB understand the urgency and significance of investing in initiatives to ensure Europe is prepared for pandemic viruses. This concern is greater than ever given the increasing threat of an avian influenza outbreak,' said Koenraad Wiedhaup, co-founder and CEO of Leyden Labs. Leyden Labs' product candidates are nasal sprays that administer broadly protective antibodies directly to the respiratory mucosa. Leyden Lab's solutions are designed to work at the earliest moment, before the virus even reaches systemic circulation. Systemically administered vaccines primarily generate systemic protection against viruses, however, this may be a limitation that contributes to suboptimal efficacy. Airborne viruses, including influenza, do not directly enter systemic circulation, but rather, they enter the body through the nose and mouth. The Company's antibodies aim to protect against full viral families, so they keep working even when a virus mutates and evolves. This intranasal strategy also has the potential to benefit people with weakened immune systems because it does not rely on the person to be able to mount an immune response in order to be protective. The Company's novel approach has the potential to transform the way the healthcare ecosystem thinks about viral prophylaxis, while also providing an innovative solution for use both in times of seasonal outbreaks as well as pandemic emergencies. HERA's responsibility is to ensure that the EU and Member States are ready to act in the face of cross-border health threats. The €20 million proceeds of this financing will support further development of Leyden Labs' novel, non-vaccine approach to fighting respiratory viruses to contribute to European pandemic preparedness efforts. Background Information: Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA). The European Commission's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) supports projects that strengthen preparedness and response capacities in the field of health. HERA was established as a direct consequence of the lessons learned from the initial management of the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure a solid Union response to serious-cross border health threats and secure ready availability and accessibility of medical countermeasures. HERA's responsibility is to ensure that the EU and Member States are ready to act in the face of cross-border health threats, and its mandate covers both the strengthening of preparedness in advance of future emergencies and the implementation of a swift and efficient response once crisis hits. HERA Invest is a €110 million top-up to the InvestEU programme, funded by the EU4Health programme. It is implemented by the EIB and supports projects that focus on pathogens with pandemic potential, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear threats, and antimicrobial resistance. Together with HERA, the EIB assesses whether an operation meets HERA Invest's criteria. The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments previously available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is deployed through implementing partners who will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The Netherlands owns a 5,2% share of the EIB. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals and national priorities. More than 90% of its activity is in Europe. Over the last ten years, the EIB has made available more than €27 billion in financing for Dutch projects in various sectors, including research & development, sustainable mobility, drinking water, healthcare and SMEs. In 2024 the EIB Group, which also includes the EIB's subsidiary, the European Investment Fund (EIF), made available more than €3 billion for Dutch projects. Leyden Laboratories B.V. (Leyden Labs), founded in 2020, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in the Netherlands. Leyden Labs is working to free people from the threat of respiratory viruses, by leveraging its Mucosal Protection Platform to develop a portfolio of candidates aimed at providing protection against influenza, coronaviruses, and other respiratory viruses through a new class of broadly protective nasal sprays. Leyden Labs is supported by a strong syndicate of investors and ambassadors; VC investors include GV (formerly Google Ventures), Casdin Capital, F-Prime Capital, ClavystBio (a life sciences venture investor established by Temasek), Polaris Partners, Qiming Venture Partners, Invus, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Byers Capital / Brook Byers and Bluebird Ventures. To learn more, visit CR9114, Leyden Labs' lead product candidate for the PanFlu program, is a human monoclonal antibody that protects against influenza in preclinical models. Leyden Labs holds an exclusive license from Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to develop and commercialize CR9114.
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Nature charities call for proposed offshore windfarm to be refused
RSPB Scotland has joined forces with the Marine Conservation Society, National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Seabird Centre and Scottish Wildlife Trust to urge Scottish ministers to refuse Berwick Bank "to protect wildlife and progress less damaging offshore projects". The charities say new offshore wind developments are currently being held back due to their combined impacts with Berwick Bank on Scotland's globally important seabird populations. It comes as seabirds already face serious challenges, from Avian Flu to unsustainable fishing practices. Around 70% of seabird species are in decline in Scotland, including much-loved Puffins which face national and global extinction, according to RSPB Scotland. READ MORE: Scottish Seabird Centre objects to 'highly damaging' Berwick Bank plan Community anger as bid for 'groundbreaking' windfarm project rejected Work to start at major new Scottish wind farm as key contractors hired Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, said: 'Offshore wind has a key role in tackling the climate and nature emergency. We fully support well-sited wind farms which work with nature. But they are being held back by a major spanner in the works. 'Berwick Bank would be catastrophic for Scotland's globally important seabirds. Its impacts are so damaging it is blocking plans for new, less-harmful windfarms. 'As the First Minister said earlier this year: nature should be at the heart of climate action. Our message to the Scottish Government is clear. Refuse Berwick Bank to unlock the full potential of offshore wind while protecting our outstanding wildlife.' Diarmid Hearns, interim director of conservation and policy at The National Trust for Scotland, said: 'The National Trust for Scotland cares for St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve, which is home to approximately 45,000 seabirds during breeding season, including protected Kittiwake, Guillemot, Razorbill and Shag species. 'Climate change is one of the biggest threats to seabirds and offshore wind development is important to meet Scotland's climate ambitions, therefore we are fully supportive of it. However, installations must be located with sensitivity to the very habitats we're trying to protect from climate impacts- the proposed site for Berwick Bank is likely to cause high levels of ecological damage and severely impact the seabird colonies at St Abb's Head. Bass Rock is home to the world's largest colony of Northern gannets. 'We urge Ministers to reject the proposal for Berwick Bank and instead focus on advancing proposals in more appropriate locations.' Harry Huyton, CEO at Scottish Seabird Centre, said: 'The Firth of Forth is home to globally important seabird populations, including the world's largest colony of Gannets on Bass Rock. 'Most of Scotland's seabird species are already in decline, and Berwick Bank threatens to undermine attempts to restore populations by killing and displacing tens of thousands of seabirds. It is simply the wrong place for an offshore wind farm. 'We want to see a strong and vibrant offshore wind industry in Scotland, which avoids developing sensitive sites for wildlife and actively contributes to nature conservation. Ministers must urgently act for nature and the future of offshore wind by refusing consent to Berwick Bank.' Jo Pike, chief executive at Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "Renewable energy developments will be a key component in tackling the climate emergency, but this must be done in a way that also protects nature. 'Scotland's seas are facing the twin nature and climate crises and developments must therefore be strategically placed to avoid damaging already vulnerable species and habitats. 'Refusing consent to Berwick Bank in favour of developments in less sensitive areas would allow for progress towards Net Zero commitments at pace, whilst mitigating the impacts to nature.'
Irish Examiner
23-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
March milk prices confirmed
Dairygold, Carbery, Tirlán, and Lakeland Dairies have all announced their March milk prices. Dairygold announced they will be maintaining their quoted milk price of 50cpl based on standard constituents of 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein, inclusive of sustainability and quality payments and VAT. Dairygold milk suppliers will receive, on average, a farm gate milk price of 55.3cpl based on average milk solids achieved for March 2025. A Company spokesperson commented that 'Dairy markets have remained generally stable, despite the ongoing, significant geopolitical risks. Global milk production remains relatively stable, but buyers remain cautious in advance of the EU peak milk supply, as well as the threat of tariffs.' For the first time in 2025, Carbery reduced its base milk price by 1cpl. With this reduction, if it is applied across all four West Cork co-ops; Bandon, Barryroe, Drinagh and Lisvard, this will result in an average milk price of 52.12cpl, inclusive of VAT, and a 0.5cpl somatic cell count (SCC) bonus and FutureProof sustainability bonus, excluding VAT. A spokesperson for Carbery said: "Our milk price has been strong since the beginning of the year. Our adjustment this month is bringing milk price more in line with actual market performance.' Farmers supplying Tirlán will receive a total of 50.08cpl, including VAT, for March at 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein. This price is made up of a base milk of 49.58cpl (including VAT), a reduction also of 1cpl from February and a Sustainability Action Payment of 0.5cpl (including VAT) to all qualifying suppliers. The actual average price paid by Tirlán for March creamery milk, based on delivered constituents, will be 55.24cpl (including VAT). Tirlán Chairperson John Murphy said: 'While dairy markets are relatively stable, our milk price required a realignment to reflect market returns. Overall, supply and demand are generally in balance. Global milk supply growth is weak, with Bluetongue, Avian Flu and Foot and Mouth negatively impacting milk production in some regions. There is considerable uncertainty about the potential impact of tariffs in the coming months. The Board will continue to monitor developments on a monthly basis.' Lakeland Dairies has decided to keep its February milk price for March. A base price of 48.75cpl (3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein) will be paid for March milk in Ireland, which is inclusive of the 0.5cpl Sustainability Incentive Payment. The Chairperson of ICMSA's Dairy Committee, Noel Murphy, has called for a reversal of cuts made to the February milk price. 'The 'Trump drama' is a medium-to-long-term concern but has no impact on current pricing and must not be used as an excuse to reduce milk price for March. There's a long way to go before we see the true implications of the US imposition of swingeing tariffs, and it's not wise or prudent to anticipate or even guess what's going to happen in the coming months. "The global milk market is in a good position, and with the weather doing its best to drive production across the country, those setting the price should be looking to sunnier days too. There's an unanswerable case to reverse the cuts to February milk price and deliver market returns in excess of 50cpl base price', he said. Mr Murphy said the justification for milk price cuts appears to be based on reductions of 'spot' prices. These February 'spot' prices have not only reversed, but prices have also improved for butter, skimmed milk powder (SMP), and whole milk powder (WMP) during March. The latest Dutch dairy quotations, published on April 16, show that fresh butter price has reduced by €50, resulting in €7,250/t net ex-works, WMP down by €80, resulting in €4300/t, and SMP down by €40, resulting in €2,390/t. As of April 15, Global Dairy Trade (GDT) has reported an overall increase of 1.6% in the GDT Price Index, resulting in an average price of €3,854/t. GDT Price Index also reports an increase of 1.5% in butter, making the weighted average price €6,750/t and an increase of 2.8% for WMP, resulting in a weighted average price of €3,666/t. SMP has seen a reduction of 2.3% on the GDT Price Index, bringing its weighted average price to €2,457.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Governor Shapiro sues Trump administration for canceling $500M in health funding
(WHTM) — Governor Josh Shapiro is joining a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration, saying $500 million in health funding for Pennsylvania was canceled. The Shapiro administration says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified the Commonwealth that the CDC was abruptly terminating funding for health grants. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The Shapiro administration says the grant money is owed to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), Human Services (DHS), Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), and programs that work to prevent the spread of Avian Flu and measles. Funding was also designated for mental health and substance abuse services, long-term care, and ensuring access to immunizations. 'The federal government broke its half-billion-dollar contract with the Commonwealth and as a result of this unlawful action, is undermining our ability to protect the health of Pennsylvania's children and families,' said Governor Josh Shapiro. 'It is my job to defend the taxpayers of this Commonwealth, and this is funding owed to the people of Pennsylvania. But the Trump Administration abruptly canceled congressionally appropriated federal funding that supports critical Pennsylvania-based initiatives like infectious disease prevention, long-term care for our seniors, and immunizations for children. When I sign a legally binding agreement, I follow through with it – and with today's action, I'm just asking our federal government to do the same.' The lawsuit alleges $11 billion 'of critical public health funding' was terminated across the country. The lawsuit is co-led by Colorado, Rhode Island, California, Minnesota, and Washington and joined by Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin. The Shapiro administration sued the Trump administration in February over the freezing of $1.2 billion. Last month, Shapiro and State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding filed an appeal with the USDA over the termination of the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
