Brazil
Outbreak backlash. Brazil-based JBS was court-ordered to pay $3.62 million in damages related to inadequate worker protections throughout the COVID-19 pandemic at its São Miguel do Guaporé beef facility. Cases sprung up at 23 JBS facilities across the country over the past year.
France
Back on the poultry track. After culling nearly 3 million birds, France is allowing poultry farms to resume production and restart breeding programs in areas previously battered by the H5N8 bird flu virus. New cases of the strain plummeted from 130 in the first week of January to five in the first week of March.
Germany
The hunt is on. The country’s agriculture ministry plans to promote increased hunting of wild boars to battle African Swine Fever [ASF]. The 845 ASF cases found along the Polish border have all been in the wild, with no cases in farm animals. With a goal to fast-track resuming export to Asian countries, Germany hopes the extra hunting will help stabilize its falling pig prices.
Taiwan
Prayin’ for rain. The island nation is bearing its most intense drought in half a century as typical typhoon rainy seasons were absent this year. Known for their rice, mango, and pineapple crops, nearly 3,000 farmers held a three-hour prayer event for the first time in 58 years to summon the much-needed rains.