In the a story that seems to be getting stranger and more unpredictable with every passing day, XL Foods has decided to bring back 800 of the 2,000 laid-off workers. If you are saying to yourself, “huh?” Don’t feel bad, I think everyone is. XL foods released the 2,000 workers just yesterday. In a report by… Read More
With an uncertain timeline for the re-opening of the packing plant, XL Foods had made the decision to temporarily layoff 2000 of its union workers. Up until this point XL Foods has been honoring the contract of the workers during the shut down but that has stopped immediately. This layoff does not mean that the… Read More
Here’s what I’ve been stewing about for the past few weeks. Why is it that organic farmers or producer organizations (and random celebrities, but that’s another post) vilify conventional agriculture? Ever notice that conventional-management farmers don’t do the same? Case in point: I’m sure by now you’ve heard or read about the completely de-bunked GMO/lab… Read More
Do you remember the time before the world was saturated with information? Do you remember having to wait to get it? We have so many avenues to get our information by now that our biggest issue is where we get our information from. When we look at consumer attitudes toward agriculture, good or bad, we… Read More
Assuming that CFIA will eventually allow the Lakeside plant to re-open, many producers and industry insiders are discussing some of the challenges that XL Foods faces in re-establishing sales with customers around Canada, the United States and the rest of the world. There are few that know more than Ted Haney about selling beef around… Read More
Did you know there is a cattle vaccine that “aids in the reduction of shedding of E. coli O157”? If your first thought is, “Then why do we still have E. coli contamination?” you’re not alone. The fact is, although Canadian beef producers have been instrumental in supporting work to find a solution to E…. Read More
XL Foods has broken their silence by releasing a statement today to address the E. Coli outbreak at it’s Brooks, Alberta packing plant. For many inside the industry this statement is about 7-10 days too late but nevertheless they have finally spoken. SEE MORE COVERAGE OF THE XL FOODS E. COLI OUTBREAK For some communications experts we… Read More
The XL Foods situation has left beef producers and consumers wading in unknowns and unanswered questions. The question is, who will buy this beef? Many of us are wondering what really happened at the XL Foods plant, who is more to blame between XL Foods and CFIA and when the plant will re-open. There are… Read More
I had a Twitter conversation yesterday, regarding E. coli contamination, that got me rather riled up. Because Twitter allows me to interact with so many people, it really does open my eyes to some of the major knowledge gaps the public has on food safety. As we discussed the XL Foods beef recall, some tweeted… Read More
I’ll be the first to admit that the U.S. political system with its two houses, governors and senators and congressmen sets my head spinning. I also find it fascinating, as wrangling rules and regulations for so many people just seems like an overly daunting task. It would appear that our friends to the south also… Read More
In a month where E. coli has become the number one story on the nightly news and criticism is growing for how XL Foods has kept incredibly silent on the topic, a company is showcasing how to handle public relations. McDonald’s Canada has launched a website to address consumer questions about its food. The site tagline is “Our Food,… Read More
Last week the Nexera Thank You Train made a stop in Lethbridge, Alberta. The stop is one of many across the west and is a collaboration with Dow AgroSciences and the Grey Cup 100 train and aims to thank Dow’s Nexera Canola growers across the West. This year, in a partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains… Read More
The fallout from the XL Foods meat recall continues as the latest development has the CFIA shutting down the Brooks facility until corrective actions can be taken. In the meantime, consumer confidence continues to wane as the urban sector tries to wrap it’s head around what is happening. See all of all of the RealAgriculture.com… Read More
As reported last night, CFIA has decided to suspend the license of XL Foods temporarily until the plant implements some corrective actions to mitigate the risk of E. coli. According to the CFIA Statement: The detection of E. coli in slaughter facilities is not uncommon, and plants are expected to have adequate measures in place to monitor… Read More
According to the Calgary Herald, CFIA has suspended operations at the XL Foods Lakeside Cattle Slaughter Facility in Brooks. As we reported earlier this week, this story seems to be mushrooming as the days go by. CFIA has apparently given XL foods some corrective actions to implement before the plant will be re-opened. Corrective actions… Read More