The Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF) will combine sheep and lamb production assurance systems under the nationally recognized Food Safe Farm Practices (FSFP) thanks to nearly $350,000 in funding under the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriMarketing Program funded by Growing Forward 2. This support will allow the Canadian Sheep Federation to integrate the National Sheep Biosecurity… Read More

The Canadian government has taken another step toward following through on its two-year-old threat to retaliate against U.S. country of origin labeling (COOL) unless the meat labeling rules are repealed. Canada’s trade and agriculture ministers — Ed Fast and Gerry Ritz — joined Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, and Enrique Martínez y Martínez, Mexico’s Secretary of… Read More

The sun is shining, the grass has turned green and the temptation to turn cattle out to pasture is strong at this time of year. Spring grazing is often the weakest link in the grazing system on cow-calf operations, says Jane Thornton, pasture and rangeland specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, noting decisions made in spring can have… Read More

Welcome to an occasional series here on Real Agriculture — where we ask three farmers or ranchers four questions about their business, production and next steps. This first column features three Ontario sheep producers (you’ll have to ask them if they want to be called shepherds): Colleen Acres, of Maple Meadow Farms at Osgoode; Chris… Read More

Adherence to testing protocols for scrapie and correct identification of an animal have been called into question during a court case involving individuals who are charged with taking and hiding quarantined heritage breed sheep destined to be destroyed as part of Canada’s scrapie eradication program. The protocols and identification in question stem from a 2009… Read More

The federal government has announced a $7.5 million investment in a new agency that will look after developing and operating a national livestock traceability database. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced the funding for the Canadian Agri-Traceabiity Services in Calgary today. CATS is a not-for-profit corporation that brings together the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) and Agri-Traçabilité… Read More

Got cows but keep running out of pasture? Or maybe you’d like to decrease your feed bill but can’t afford more land (who can these days?). Jack Kyle, grazing specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, has four great options to help you extend the grazing season. As Kyle explains in… Read More

The possible arrival of the first widespread killing frost in Western Canada this week has implications for livestock producers looking to maximize feed quality for their animals. Freezing temperatures can cause nitrates to accumulate in cereal species grown for greenfeed, which can be toxic to cattle (more info here on the SaskAg website.) However, management… Read More