The title of livestock sustainability specialist could infer that there’s a finite amount of time that the role is relevant. After all, shouldn’t we, at some point, reach being sustainable, and move on? The trouble is, there isn’t a universally agreed upon measurement of sustainability. As Christoph Wand, livestock sustainability specialist for Ontario Ministry of… Read More
A Quebec-based company that sells a digital platform for controlling environmental conditions in barns and automating tasks is set to be acquired by Ingersoll Rand. The owners of Maximus have entered an agreement to be bought by the global industrial company in an all-cash deal worth $135.4 million. Headquartered in Montreal, with around 100 employees,… Read More
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) has announced its plan and commitment to sustainability goals by 2030. Focused on three areas — climate, land use, and animal health and welfare — the plan outlines the roundtable’s “commitments to advance and improve the sustainability of the global beef value chain.” Specifically, GRSB aims to globally reduce by… Read More
The state of Colorado is similar to Alberta in many ways: beautiful vistas and mountains, and a rich history in the cattle business. Colorado also holds a significant portion of the cattle market in the U.S., much like Alberta prides itself on being Canada’s beef capital. While Colorado Governor Jared Polis isn’t advocating for a… Read More
It’s unsurprising that animal rights extremist groups are challenging Ontario’s Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, passed in 2020. The challenge, levelled by Animal Justice, alleges that the regulation violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ guarantee of freedom of expression. The province says its bill was crafted “in a manner to protect the… Read More
Thingsfactory, an internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence product development company out of Montreal, Que., is launching the TF-400F, a rugged, weatherproof, portable body temperature sensor suitable for livestock. The TF-400F can detect, analyze, and classify body temperatures of pig, cow, and horse populations in crowded, queued, or individual situations, in real-time. The new… Read More
Goat producers, or those involved in the goat industry, are invited to offer comments on the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Goats, from now until February 22, 2021. Compiled by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and the Canadian National Goat Federation (CNGF), the new codes for the care… Read More
The federal government and provincial government of Alberta have committed over $3 million in critical animal health diagnostics funding for the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. An agreement for $3.44 million was finalized this past March to help the faculty launch a pilot project to expand its diagnostic service unit, for animal disease… Read More
Canadian Beef Advisors (CBA) — a cooperative community made up of the national organizations representing the entire beef production chain — rolled out its national beef strategy 2030 goals at the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef annual general meeting recently. Tyler Bjornson, chair of the CBA, says the vision around the national beef strategy is… Read More
Later this week, it will be an offence under Ontario law to “stop, obstruct, hinder or otherwise interfere with a motor vehicle transporting farm animals.” Ontario’s government has proclaimed Section 6(1) and three other related sections of Bill 156, the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020. These proclamations will ensure the safety… Read More
I know I’m not alone when I say the recent decision by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) surprised me. I’m also likely not alone when I say the decision made me incredibly angry. And angry for a few reasons, I might add. Angry, because I assumed (wrongly) that my name… Read More
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Put another way, if you can’t take care of you, you can’t take care of others, including livestock. The connection between farmers’ own mental wellness and livestock care is a direct link; in many cases of animal welfare complaints, the root cause is a stressed and/or mentally ill… Read More
An unidentified individual has asked the Ontario government to supply a full list of farmers and farm businesses by name and Farm Business Registration (FBR) number. The formal request, filed under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, asks the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to provide the following information:… Read More
Canada’s equine industry is asking the federal government to help protect the health and welfare of thousands of “working horses” as their owners struggle to cope with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this week the federal government pledged $252 million in various funding and credit programs aimed at agriculture. The announcement was met… Read More
While there is plenty of attention on the growing beef processing crisis in Western Canada, beef producers in Eastern Canada are also struggling with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has published a video request of the federal government, which includes several voices from the beef industry’s eastern producers… Read More