As corn and soybean planters roll on in Ontario, first-cut forage is nearing optimum harvest timing. The question many dairy producers will wrestle with in the days ahead is whether to continue planting corn and soys or park the planter and harvest forage. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs forage specialist Christine O’Reilly… Read More
With May long weekends quickly approaching, many are starting to have barbecuing on the brain, which of course – is good news for the beef market. We definitely have enough supply for people to “chew” through…but the price on the shelves is certainly still high enough. So where is demand? Anne Wasko, of the Gateway… Read More
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS), have announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) has passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability. African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose… Read More
Chinese-owned Canada Royal Milk (CRM), based at Kingston, Ont., says it has established long-term partnerships with Ontario Goat Dairy Cooperative (ODGC) and Producteurs de lait de chèvre du Québec (PLCQ) who represent over 120 goat dairy farms between them. When the baby formula plant was first announced in 2017 by Feihe International, the plant was originally being… Read More
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has been long-served by Bob Lowe as president, but upon his retirement from the role, Reg Schellenberg has stepped in. Heading in to the change in leadership, the cattle industry is healthy but with certain challenges ahead, including escalating input prices, severe drought, and a shrinking cow herd. Succession and… Read More
The cattle value chain has undergone significant pressure both to the upside and down since 2019. A major fire at a plant in the U.S. caused a backlog of processing. Soon after, COVID-19 hit. During 2020 and 2021, demand both at home and abroad skyrocketed. In short, for an industry that has to plan for… Read More
When we look at the cost of gain, it’s historically high. As Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchanger explains in our latest Beef Market Update, we have reached record highs for cost of gain — with the second highest year on record being last year. “We’re in this environment, the last two years, where… Read More
As of March 30, there are three confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza on commercial poultry farms in Ontario. That’s in addition to a case in a commercial turkey flock in Nova Scotia and positive findings in wild birds in six Canadian provinces. The H5N1 pathotype has also been found in commercial flocks in… Read More
As the calendar makes its way through March, Anne Wasko, of the Gateway Livestock Exchange, says we are running short on time for a surprise spring rally. On the demand side, things are looking really good. However, it’s posing a bit of a problem, as it’s not translating to the cash cattle side, do to… Read More
Originally announced in the fall 2021 budget, the $25 million Strategic Agri-Food Processing Fund Program will launch April 1, 2022. “Ontario’s food processing sector faces challenges to their ability to process more of the food that is grown in the province, including aging technology and facilities,” the government says in a press release. “Many aging food… Read More
The Saskatchewan Stockgrowers Foundation hosted a webinar on the ins, outs, why, and hows of term conservation easements on March 3. RealAgriculture hosted a live webinar on the topic, with a panel discussion to answer the top questions ranchers and industry may have about the use of these easements and the permanency of them. We’d… Read More
As the situation continues to unravel in Ukraine, many in the agricultural industry are following the markets, and trying to get a handle on the impacts. This week’s Beef Market Update is no different. Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange says we have often talked about uncertainty and volatility in the last few years… Read More
Being able to define “sustainability ” is critical when it comes to understanding the impact of livestock production, and while environmental metrics are often top of mind, the definition must also account for social and economic outcomes. Dr. Sara Place, chief sustainability officer with animal health company Elanco, joined RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney this… Read More
When it comes to biosecurity and livestock, we’re often focused on hogs or poultry. But what about cattle? Dr. Julia Herman, beef cattle specialist veterinarian at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), joined RealAg Radio to discuss why biosecurity should be more of a conversation on the ranch. When thinking about biosecurity and cattle, Dr…. Read More
The Ontario government is increasing loan limits for the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program from $500,000 to $1 million for individual co-op members, and up to $1.5 million for corporations that participate in feeder cattle co-operatives. The government says the increase applies to “experienced” individuals and corporations only. The loan guarantee is designed to help beef… Read More
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