In a surprising move, U.S. company Merck Animal Health has suspended sales of the beta-agonist Zilmax, a cattle growth promotant, according to a Reuters report. The decision comes on the heels of Tyson Foods Inc. announcing last week that the company would no longer accept slaughter cattle that had been fed the feed additive. JBS… Read More
Category: Food
Beef producers in North America, like everyone else in this day and age, have to deal with a lot of issues. Some of those are ground level and some of those are big picture, thirty-thousand foot level issues. As the world gets both bigger in population and smaller (more globally interconnected through advances in technology… Read More
Editor’s note: This is Owen Roberts’ Real Talk, Real Action column. Each week, Owen will offer his insight into how farmers and the agricultural industry can participate in the rural- and ag-related discussions going on around them. Contact Owen at [email protected] or on Twitter at @TheUrbanCowboy. Transparency – that is, being forthright, ethical and proactive… Read More
It’s always a treat to find an economist whose insights and discussions don’t bore you to tears or leave you feeling a wee bit deflated (sorry, economists!). That’s why RealAgriculture.com is always glad to cross paths with Glen Hodgson, senior vice president & chief economist with the Conference Board of Canada, as he’s not just… Read More
As Gary Larson once said, The Chickens are Restless. If you’re not on Twitter, you likely haven’t heard about a growing group of disgruntled farmers taking aim at Panera Bread Company’s cheap shot at conventional agriculture. Cheap shot is perhaps being generous — an entire ad campaign has been built around fear mongering and misinformation,… Read More
Good reasons exist to better understand what sustainability means on the farm – and a lot of them have to do with consumers. It’s vital for farmers themselves to know how to best care for the land, water and air in which they produce food. No smoke and mirrors. Unsustainable practices mean trouble in the… Read More
Forbes recently published an article asking the (rehtorical, I assume) question, “Is Organic Agriculture Affluent Narcissim?” My answer? Of course it is. I thought we all knew that. I find myself in an interesting position these days. I consider myself rather neutral — I’m happy we’re all free to choose what we put in our… Read More
For a bit of a change of pace, Shaun Haney and Anne Wasko sat down face to face for this edition of the Beef Market Update. Filmed at the International Livestock Congress held last week in Calgary, Alta., this Beef Market Update covers several good news topics in stark contrast to last year’s discussion at… Read More
So, it seems we don’t just have an issue eating our horses, but also our hens. A recent article by Sarah Boesveld of the National Post, brought my attention back to a rather interesting consideration: “the urban chicken movement.” You’ve heard of it, yes? The desire many urbanites have, to produce their own food? Well,… Read More
In what is being described as a “momentous occasion” by its chairperson, the Board of Directors of Cigi (Canadian International Grains Institute) has approved a new governance model for the institute, according to a press release. The change, approved at its annual general meeting on June 18, will see board membership expand to include representation… Read More
Pollinators, including honeybees, are essential to food production all over the world. It’s why farmers are always encouraged to chose insecticides that are as pest-specific as possible and to avoid applying them when pollinators are flying. Pollinators are not just good for bumping yields, they are necessary for some crops to even set seed. Recent… Read More
With the recent flooding that’s plagued Alberta, cattle producers understandably have other things on their mind besides new technology. But at some point, when the situation settles down, they’ll find themselves in a delicate position – that is, heading for the front lines of science, promoting irradiation for beef. Irradiation would help kill nasty E-coli… Read More
Farm Credit Canada launched a massive, industry-wide PR campaign last year not for itself but for the entire agriculture industry. Yes, agriculture — farming, food, the industry, farmers — for everyone. The Agriculture More Than Ever movement has since been joined by several partners, including RealAgriculture.com, with a goal of connecting consumers to agriculture and… Read More
Purebred cattle operations rely largely on DNA for parentage verification and identifying potential genetic defects, but where is the rest of the industry at with genomics? Is there a role for genome mapping in commercial herds? How will it help the industry as a whole? “There’s genomic tools for every sector of the value chain… Read More
For food product businesses, marketing and distribution is a major cost and time commitment, but it’s a necessary element of success. For small-scale or start-up businesses, letting the world know what you have to offer can be especially difficult. Sask Made Marketplace is working to help bridge the gap between consumers and small-scale Saskatchewan-based food… Read More