How has the protein supply chain changed in the last while, and how has COVID-19 changed things from March until now? What economic principles drive those price fluctuations that you might see in the grocery store? And why aren’t there more federally inspected processing plants? It’s time to talk livestock processing capacity challenges and opportunities… 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
The Canada-United Kingdom transitional trade deal announced in a virtual press conference on Saturday by Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Boris Johnson and their respective trade ministers is a “welcome stop gap measure, but it is not enough,” says the president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). The deal — which requires Parliamentary approval… Read More
The year of 2020 will be remembered for many years by the cattle industry in Canada. Following the COVID-19 plant shutdowns in spring, the industry struggled to find solutions to deal with a backlog of cattle, and ultimately looked back to 2003 and the BSE crisis to find a solution. The idea of a similar… 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
Keep your soil covered, do as little tillage as possible, maintain a living root system 365 days a year, and fit it all into an economic model that makes money: this is sustainable soil health. It’s a challenge, for sure, but it’s one Dresden, Ont., farmer Woody Van Arkel is happy to tackle. On this… Read More
As the holiday season approaches, you may be stocking up on libations, goodies, groceries, and more. Well, this year, if you live in Ontario, the cream liquor you so admire for your coffee or over ice, will have the Dairy Farmers of Canada blue cow logo. Dairy Distillery, the creators of Vodkow Superior spirits made… Read More
September beef export trade data is in, and, following a good July and August, the numbers are a bit disappointing. “We’ve been talking about trade a lot because we know both the U.S. and Canada have a pile of beef that we need to get through, and obviously export markets are an important piece of… 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
Farm Health Guardian has announced a strategic partnership with Synthesis Agri-Food Network. The announcement comes on the heels of the company launching its disease mitigation platform for pork and poultry production. For the past decade, Synthesis Agri-Food Network president Rob Hannam has specialized in the agriculture and food sector, and brings that experience and that… Read More
Can we eat our way out of climate change? If we all became vegans could we eliminate livestock and put a big dent in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Those are just some of the questions Dr. Sara Place tackles daily in her job as Elanco Animal Health’s chief sustainability officer. Earlier this week, Place joined… Read More
Every year the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) asks Canadians how they feel about the country’s agriculture and food systems. The 2020 report, Trends in Trust & The Path Forward, shows that the proportion of Canadians who feel that the food system is headed in the right direction has reached a five-year high, despite… Read More
Starting this month, the Peterborough, Ontario, fairlife* plant will begin using 100 per cent Canadian milk for its ultrafiltered milk offerings. The lower sugar, higher protein fairlife milk is offered in 1.5-litre bottles of 2% white, 2% chocolate, whole and skim milk. Consumers will now see the Canadian maple leaf and the Dairy Farmers of… Read More
A new agency has been established to promote the pork industry and fund research in Canada. The Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PRA) was announced today by Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau. Initiated by former Canadian Pork Council (CPC) chair, Jurgen Preugchas and a small group of producers, the effort to establish… 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
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