Meat & Poultry Ontario is looking for a few more livestock producers in the southwest region of the province to participate in a pilot project. The organization has been working diligently on assessing and evaluating livestock processing capacity, stumbling blocks, and opportunities from both the producer and processor perspective. As part of the study, the… Read More
A Conservative private member’s bill that aims to address the risks from biosecurity breaches and trespassing on farms was approved at the second reading stage in the House of Commons on Wednesday. Brought forward by Foothills MP John Barlow, Bill C-205 would amend the Health of Animals Act to “make it an offence to enter,… Read More
What would you think if your parents told you at 12 you’d be moving to another country on another continent? Well, today’s RealAg LIVE! guest embraced what that new country had to offer and ran with it. Joining our host Kara Oosterhuis, Jess Verstappen talks about what led her to a career in agriculture, the… Read More
Statistics Canada says that the cow herd and ewe flock have declined as of January 1, 2021, year-over-year, while hog numbers are up slightly. As of the first of the year, StatsCan says the hog herd increased by less than one per cent — just 0.4% year-over-year — while cattle numbers dropped one per cent… Read More
Meat and Poultry Ontario (MPO) is launching a project to identify opportunities to increase meat processing capacity in Ontario. The $127,000 project, funded through the federal/provincial Canadian Agricultural Partnership, is aimed at addressing a growing demand for abattoir services across the province, including the north. MPO has begun researching a strategy that pairs skills development with… Read More
Not only is Tom Vilsack set to return as U.S. secretary of agriculture, he’s also open to bringing back U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) for beef and pork; but only if it doesn’t lead to retaliation from trading partners, such as Canada, under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Vilsack, who was ag secretary when the Obama… Read More
There’s no way to get around putting up feed for wintering livestock, but there are several ways to minimize the amount of hay fed, the cost of feed delivery, and the cost of hauling away and spreading manure. Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching at Busby, Alta., says that planning for winter grazing and feeding… Read More
When livestock producers and ranchers think about year-round grazing, most think about winter feeding strategies — bale grazing, swath grazing and more. But Steve Kenyon, custom grazer at Busby, Alta., says winter grazing is more about how you manage pastures in the growing season. Kenyon, who runs Greener Pastures custom grazing on over 3,500 acres,… Read More
If hay has seemed in shorter supply over the last few years, it’s because it has been. In a recent webinar series exploring grazing cover crops and annual forage, Ontario forage specialist Christine O’Reilly shared a nearly 40 year trend line of both hay production and livestock numbers for the province. Since the early 90s,… Read More
After a goodwill request to meet to build trust and discuss the re-establishment of a Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF) that represents all provinces at a national level, the CSF has responded with a resounding no. Marc Carere, chair of Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF), committed to the membership an open and transparent process regarding any discussion… Read More
The Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) held its annual general meeting October 23, via Zoom, and the chair’s opening report directly addressed the ongoing issue of dissension within the membership and the Canadian sheep industry as a whole. “I am frustrated by the distrust in our industry that has led to too many acrimonious and hostile… Read More
The National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council has updated the Canadian Livestock Transport (CLT) program to reflect the latest changes to federal livestock transport regulations. The CLT program is a comprehensive training course and support service for livestock truckers, shippers, and receivers. The program offers certification that is recognized throughout Canada and United States…. Read More
The former Frey’s slaughter facility at Mount Forest, Ontario, will re-open soon as Local Harvest Ontario, with a focus on beef and lamb for the Toronto area and beyond. Brian Read, vice president and general manager of the plant, is very excited about the prospect of getting the plant up and running. Read has run… Read More
Ontario Sheep Farmers is accepting registration for its Master Shepherd’s Course until August 14, 2020. The 18-month professional development course consists of 12, 2-day modules that cover: Business planning; Flock productivity and reproduction; Ewe flock nutrition; Industry dynamics and governance; Genetics; Infrastructure and feeding systems; Effective flock health management; Lambing and lamb rearing; Predation and… Read More
Sheep farmer Sandi Brock might look a little familiar, if you’re keen on YouTube and Instagram. The Staffa, Ont. farmer was raised on a dairy farm, worked on a broiler breeder farm, and then eventually chose sheep as the livestock venture to diversify her grain enterprise. Brock learned so much in those first years of… Read More
Register for a RealAgriculture account to manage your Shortcut menu instead of the default.