Canada and Mexico have taken the issue of country of origin labelling (COOL) to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Â We are basically one year into the implementation of COOL and the financial impact is severe. Â The impact on the Canada and Mexico livestock markets has been very hurtful. The interesting thing that I found at [...]
Can the World’s Largest Government Owned Farm Survive
December 8, 2009 By 1 Comment
Based on the economic turmoil that the hog industry has been in over recent years, it is no surprise that barns have been de-populated and the industry has retrenched. One of the major events in recent months has been Big Sky Farms entering creditor protection. Big Sky is the largest hog operation in Saskatchewan and to say this is a [...]
Should Canadian Pork and Beef Be Supply Managed? – Kevin Grier
November 9, 2009 By 2 Comments
When an industry struggles financially, it becomes necessary to re-evaluate how business is done. Â The beef industry has struggled since the discovery of BSE in 2003 and the pork industry has felt the financial pain from the H1N1 pandemic. Â One solution being circulated in the coffee shops across the country is to make either of [...]
Gordon Cove – The Strategic Priorities of Alberta Livestock Meat Agency (ALMA)
November 5, 2009 By 2 Comments
I was fortunate earlier this week to meet with the President & CEO of the Alberta Livestock Meat Agency, Gordon Cove. My interview is broken into two parts and I hope that you find it interesting and look upon it objectively. Â No matter where your meat politics reside you have to admit that the Alberta [...]
Alberta Pork’s H1N1 Challenges & Responses
October 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
This was originally written by Lillian  Schaer on her blog “Food and Farming Canada” This post is a continuation from yesterday€™s H1N1 topic that explored Alberta Pork€™s experiences at the centre of the H1N1 media storm earlier this year. The information is based on a presentation I attended by Lee Funke of Torque Communications at [...]
Jeff Simmons – Food Economics and Consumer Choice
October 2, 2009 By 5 Comments
There was a time when agriculture and food were sacred topics to the public. People were either on the farm or one generation removed which instilled a connection to the source of the food that we eat. In the past five years that has definitely changed as many food activists have begun attacking the large [...]
SiemensSays.com – Jim Long President of Genesus Genetics €“ Our Observations
August 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The following article was originally from SiemensSays.com. I think it is a very insightful analysis into the recent announcements in the pork industry. Loan guarantees will help some producers. But, what is the criteria for a viable hog operation? The Canadian industry is currently losing $30 million a week. The situation is deteriorating daily. The [...]
ILC 2009: Dr. Alastair Cribb – Making Decisions Based on Science Versus Emotion
August 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
At the International Livestock Congress I talked to Dr. Alastair Cribb, Dean. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Calgary about the balance between making decisions based on science versus emotion.  Sometimes this can be a very grey area and will continue to be in the future as both scientific advancement and emotions increase.  See more [...]
ILC 2009: Dennis Laycraft VP at CCA – The Future Realities of MCOOL
July 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
At the International Livestock Congress, I spoke to Dennis Laycraft, Executive Vice President with the Canadian Cattlemans Association about the future realities of MCOOL. Many livestock producers on both sides of the border are very curious at to what will be the impact of this legislation. I have heard several Americans call MCOOL not food [...]
When "Urban Farms" Cross the Line
June 18, 2009 By 32 Comments
There is increased press and interest in the concept of “urban farms.” The preached benefits are community support, less fossil fuel use and the ever popular “its safer food.”Where I think we have crossed the line of common sense is that some cities in Ontario allow back yard chicken coops for urban egg production. People [...]
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