Vaquita Porpoise, African Swine Fever in the Spotlight

This week, Heartbeat Foods CEO and Co-Founder Aldo González shared the importance of foodtech and how companies are innovating to keep consumers happy. The Vaquita Porpoise protocol of protection is being implemented after US Government agencies warned of the dangers threatening the species, which could face extinction. Finally, the Mexican government took action to protect pig farms from African Swine Fever. 

Interested in more? Here are the week’s major headlines in Agribusiness & Food!

• Aldo González, CEO & Co-Founder of Heartbest Foods and an MBN Expert Contributor, discussed the importance of the foodtech industry, given unprecedented challenges in food production, demand and regulation stemming from consumer trends. As consumers get pickier about what they eat, companies are forced to innovate to keep them happy. Today’s consumers are not only looking for convenience and consistency. They seek nutritious food that can be accessed with ease, limits waste creation and aligns with their personal brands through new digital experiences. 

• The protection of the Vaquita Porpoise gained new importance for the Mexican government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) after US Government agencies warned that the new rules for fishing in the northern Gulf of California (Sea of Cortés) would lead to its extinction. SADER published in the Official Gazette of the Federation the National Agreement that addresses specific problems such as increased illegal fishing activities in the northern Gulf of California. The agreement also establishes landing sites and monitoring systems for ships and places critical level ranges according to the number of unauthorized vessels unauthorized nets recovered per day in the Zero Tolerance Area. The standards stipulated in the Agreement strive to complement and strengthen the regulatory framework to guarantee the protection of endangered species in the Upper Gulf of California.

• The Mexican government took action against the African Swine Fever (ASF) due to a recent threat warning. The government’s plan consists of reinforcing the mechanisms of prevention, detection and control to prevent the entrance of ASF into the country. Mexico’s government will implement health intelligence work, review animal health requirements and biocontainment measures. It will also strengthen inspection at ports, airports and borders. Swine fever represents a great risk for national pig production, so it is necessary to define actions and steps that maintain fluid, real-time communication that allows the timely attention of any symptom. In case of a positive diagnosis, the results from any farm should be communicated immediately so authorities can provide timely technical assessment and attention.