Saskatoon will soon be host to a UK company that develops rapid bacteria detection tests using blood and milk samples. Announced today, PBD Biotech has chosen Saskatoon, SK, as the headquarters for its Canadian subsidiary. The company’s Actiphage technology is a “highly sensitive and specific assay” that detects live bacteria in the blood or milk of… Read More
A group of people concerned about the impact of Health Canada’s plan to revise Canada’s Food Guide and introduce new labels on food packaging have launched a campaign to raise awareness of and opposition to the government’s proposed changes. The campaign, which uses the slogan “Hands Off My Plate,” includes a website, a hashtag (#HandsOffMyPlate,… Read More
Ontario’s veterinary community is responding to the rise in goat and sheep production with new education and research initiatives. Jeff Wichtel, dean of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), says since September, his school’s curriculum has expanded teaching to include more information on small ruminants, and is conducting several new research projects to build up health… Read More
According to the dictionary, a sin tax is “a tax on items considered undesirable or harmful, such as alcohol or tobacco.” There is mounting pressure from activist groups to add animal proteins to that list of so-called “sinful” items. They argue meat creates added healthcare costs and negative impacts on the environment. It might sound… Read More
My daughter and grandson share the same birthday, August 7. They’re part of a pork-and-grain farming operation near Thamesville. At their birthday celebration on the weekend, our family barbequed pork sausage from their farm on the campfire. There was no reason to doubt the quality of the sausage. We trust the meat packers in nearby… Read More
Marketed as “the world’s first cordless fencing stapler,” the STOCKade ST400i won first place in the innovation contest at Agri-Trade in Red Deer, Alta., this fall. The cordless stapler has more power than a pneumatic fencing stapler and does not require a compressor and hoses, notes Axle Boris of Langley, BC-based FenceFast Ltd., in this video recorded at Agribition… Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has proposed changes to the rules for the transportation of animals. Discussions about changes to the transport regulations, most of which have been in place since 1977, have been ongoing for a number of years. The draft amendments were finally published in Canada Gazette on December 3 (read the entire proposal here.) The… Read More
Whether producing award-winning newscasts or producing Canada’s largest livestock show, the process behind the scenes is similar, says the new CEO of Canadian Western Agribition. Chris Lane joined Agribition in July after working as a senior news producer for CBC in Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Maritimes. “It’s really about people,” he explains, as we chatted… Read More
Proposed amendments to Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations were outlined in more detail this week, after a brief announcement by Health Canada on June 30, 2016. The potential changes look to “strengthen rules governing the importation, sale and use of antimicrobial drugs in livestock.” “Health Canada’s proposal to strengthen the rules around the use of these drugs in… Read More
Bruce Vandenberg knows all about the challenges and opportunities of milking goats. He got into the business in 1989 and over the past 25 years has built Mariposa Dairy Ltd., the second-largest processor of milk goat cheese in Canada. Speaking at the 2016 Canadian Dairy XPO, Vandenberg explained that his home farm now milks about… Read More
Today the Alberta Government released its budget and there were some casualties for agriculture. In an effort to cut costs and internalize much of the agency work that has been spun out to third-party boards, the Alberta Livestock Meat Agency had its funding cut. Other boards, commissions and agencies that will be impacted are: Alberta Grains… Read More
What did you do on your most recent vacation? Ski? Go south? Binge-watch Netflix? Not Dr. Paula Menzies. She spent her vacation writing the final chapters of a book…on udder health for dairy goats. It wasn’t especially relaxing. And it won’t end up being a best seller on Amazon or Chapters. But the book, released… Read More
Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, announced an investment of up to $255,487 to support the goat industry’s preparation for mandatory traceability. “The livestock industry is a key driver of Canada’s economy,” said Minister MacAulay. “The Government of Canada is proud to support goat farmers in their efforts to strengthen the national traceability… Read More
South Korea has lifted its temporary ban on imports of beef and veal from Canada, effective December 30, 2015. The country, which was Canada’s sixth-largest market for beef in 2014, suspended imports following the detection of BSE in an Alberta cow in February of 2015. “Resumption of access to South Korea is important for Canada’s… Read More
There’s a sense of nostalgia in the cattle barns at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina this year. 2015 marks the last year for the old barns on the Agribition grounds — buildings that are filled with memories made over the 45-year history of Canada’s largest livestock show. A total of 13 structures, including the auditorium… Read More