It’s been an eventful start for the new president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), as Bob Lowe, a rancher from southern Alberta, was elected to lead the national cattle producer group earlier this month. Lowe, who takes over from David Haywood-Farmer, joined us on RealAg Radio on Rural Radio 147 last week to discuss… Read More
The Harmony Beef slaughter plant at Balzac, Alta. halted processing on Friday after an employee who works at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. According to Harmony spokesperson Crosbie Cotton, the company was informed by Alberta Health Services on Thursday that an employee who had not been at work for several days had tested positive…. Read More
Just two short weeks ago, no one was really sure what was ahead for the COVID-19 virus lockdown and social distancing — but now cities are ghost towns, and grocery store shelves and coolers are suspiciously absent of some key items; beef, pork, and chicken among them. A flurry of retail buying may have emptied… Read More
Some of Canada’s largest meat processing companies are publicly announcing their COVID-19 response measures in an effort to offer reassurance and transparency to the public and others in the food supply chain. While minimizing the human health risk associated with having a large number of employees working at a single facility is the primary concern,… Read More
The last three years in agriculture have been trying times from a profitability perspective, and through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) American producers have received financial assistance in the form of a direct payment for the past two years. Many policy followers suggested that with 2020 being an election year and the Phase One deal… Read More
Zoetis is introducing long-acting implants to the Canadian market, with options for both finishing and grass cattle. Synovex LA-F and Synovex LA-G are identical to the company’s Synovex Choice and Synovex Plus, but with patented coating technology for an up to 200-day effective duration. And while they may be new to Canada, they aren’t new… Read More
Both provincial and federal governments have been working diligently on a daily basis to keep Canadians abreast of any changes to recommended protocols. For livestock auction markets across Canada, the restriction on the number of people allowed to attend due to social distancing practices is a challenge, but not defeat. Although governments have not laid… Read More
What has a bigger impact on the environment: a car or a cow? That was just one of the 20 questions professional home economist Mairlyn Smith asked people on the streets of Toronto last fall, in a film project called “Beef on the Street.” The project, initiated by the Alberta Beef Producers and Alberta Cattle… Read More
What a week. Frankly, the last week and even two weeks has been wild enough — let alone the last 24 hours — as the impact of COVID-19 makes its way into North American travel bans, the stock market, oil prices, the Canadian dollar and more. The volatility has been extreme. Anne Wasko, of the… Read More
With coronavirus cases on the rise, the federal and provincial governments have increased risk mitigation measures to slow down the spread of the virus. Farmers and ranchers are a relatively independent and often secluded, so the impact of any quarantine would be limited on daily operations during planting or calving. The business risk to agriculture… Read More
The Canadian meat industry has made a $50,000 donation to the Red Cross to support the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in China. “We see daily what an impact this virus has had on our customers in China and are aware of all the efforts made on the part of the Chinese to… Read More
Fast-food chain A&W has announced a commitment to sourcing 100% Canadian beef — with the added twist that the beef must be grass-finished and raised without the use of growth promotants. A&W says the move marks their commitment to regenerative agriculture and protection of Canada’s grasslands. The Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association says that it’s glad… Read More
Reduced slaughter capacity, tanked prices, and capped risk management programs have beef farmers in Ontario going public asking the federal and provincial governments to do more to #HelpBeefFarmers. Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) says producers are at a “tipping point” and facing economic crisis. The group says market and trade disruptions have caused average weekly… Read More
For Andrea Stroeve-Sawa, the principles of regenerative agriculture are nothing new. She jokes that at six months old, she learned them through osmosis when her dad took one of the first courses Allan Savory offered in the States in the early 80s. Stroeve-Sawa manages Shipwheel Cattle Feeders in Southern Alberta, an operation that incorporates a… Read More
If you’re looking for good news, you may not find it in the cattle markets this week. Mounting concerns over the spread of coronavirus and the global economy are starting to play a significant role. Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange is considering this a black swan event akin to the fire in Kansas… Read More