It’s been a difficult — if not devastating — start to the year for many in the agricultural community. And just when areas of North America were finally seeing a respite, and what could possibly have been called spring-like conditions, we’re hit with another round of ice pellets, freezing rain, rain, and/or snow. For ranchers,… Read more »
Category: Livestock
AgriClear online cattle market shuts down
An online marketplace for buying and selling cattle that was launched in 2015 has closed, as of Monday, April 16. AgriClear sent a notice to participants and stakeholders last week that a decision had been made to discontinue the AgriClear platform and website. “After careful consideration of the challenges in creating a robust online livestock… Read more »
Trump revives U.S. agriculture’s CPTPP hopes, at no cost
President Donald Trump revived the U.S. agriculture industry’s hopes of participating in the trade deal now known as CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) on Thursday, but until there’s concrete action showing he’s serious, U.S. farmers and CPTPP member countries, including Canada, should not get too excited. The president is well aware that… Read more »
Kiwi milking parlours come to Canada
Look for more Canadian milk to be passing though Kiwi-made milking parlours in the years ahead. That’s according to New Zealand-based Waikato Milking Systems’ CEO Dean Bell, who brought his company to Stratford, ON, this month to exhibit for the first time at the Canadian Dairy XPO. The New Zealand dairy industry currently supplies one-third of… Read more »
Dairy price study finds Canadians don’t pay more for milk
A former senior advisor for a Canadian trade minister has published a report that will raise some eyebrows and counter a common narrative surrounding Canadian dairy and the supply management system. The study, published last week by a new Ottawa-based trade firm called Export Action Global, found Canadians don’t pay more for comparable dairy products… Read more »
Quebec cattle producers join Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
Canada’s national cattle producer organization now includes representation from Quebec’s provincial cattle producer organization. Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec (PBQ) has officially become a member of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), announced PBQ chair Claude Viel, alongside the CCA’s Dan Darling and John Masswohl, at the provincial group’s annual general assembly in Quebec City… Read more »
Nutrition claims of grass-fed milk require closer scrutiny
Recently, a dairy company out of Wisconsin rolled out its latest marketing campaign, claiming “Organic grass-fed milk is more nutritious. It’s science.” Well, there is good scientific evidence that the composition of milk from cows fed dry hay or fresh forage is higher in omega-3 fatty acids versus cows fed ensiled feed. But, does the… Read more »
Beef Market Update: Trade news and cold weather keeping folks up at night
Whether we’re talking calving or barbecuing, it’s not ideal when temperatures are 20 degrees below their seasonal normal. The delayed onset of spring is not doing ranchers any favours, with calves hitting the ground in difficult conditions this spring (if we can call it that). At the same time, with large cattle supplies hitting the… Read more »
Keep it cool: Chill milk as it leaves the robot
Milk cooler sales can tell you a lot about the state of the North American milk industry. As U.S. dairy farmers continue to struggle with low prices resulting from oversupply of fluid milk, sales of cooling systems reflect these challenging times in the marketplace. Mike Kelley, regional sales manager for Mueller Dairy Farm Equipment, says… Read more »
HyLife completes hog plant expansion, driven by Japanese demand
HyLife Foods celebrated the expansion of its hog processing plant in Neepawa, MB, this week — an expansion that has been driven by growing demand for Canadian pork in Japan and China. The La Broquerie-based company has added 100,000 square feet to the facility, including new cutting floor space, a shipping/packaging area, and more cooling… Read more »
Chicken Farmers of Ontario launch Innovation and Growth program
Have you got a great idea for the next big thing for chicken? Chicken Farmers of Ontario on Wednesday announced the Ontario Chicken Innovation and Growth Program to “accelerate consumer-facing product innovation and stimulate growth in the Ontario chicken industry.” Rob Dougans, president and CEO, Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO), says, “Our goal is simple: put… Read more »
How does Canada’s sheep traceability system measure up?
Livestock traceability requirements for sheep are about to get much more involved across Canada. While sheep producers have long been required to tag sheep ahead of movement, actual tracking of livestock movement has only needed to be recorded, not reported. That is going to change very soon, and there is concern that the existing infrastructure… Read more »
Proceed to checkout — what online shopping could mean for the beef industry
Would you buy a steak, roast, or package of hamburger online? Changes in the way consumers are purchase food ingredients may offer new opportunities, and challenges, to the beef industry. Don Close is a senior analyst of animal protein at Rabo AgriFinance, and recently completed a report entitled Food Fight! — Online and Brick and Mortar Battle… Read more »
Where could Ontario farmland prices go in 2018?
Ontario farmers continue to spend big money on farmland, especially in the southwest part of the province. According to the annual Southwestern Ontario Land Values report from Valco Consultants, the median price paid for an acre of farmland in this region of the province came in at $12,710 in 2017, an average increase of 9.7… Read more »
Saskatchewan and Alberta announce funding leading up to CAP launch on April 1
The Alberta and Saskatchewan governments have announced funding for provincial programs under the new Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The five-year federal-provincial-territorial agriculture framework is set to begin this weekend (April 1), as Growing Forward 2 comes to an end. Alberta Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay was in Calgary on Monday, where he announced $406 million… Read more »