It’s been nearly six years since Canada ratified a major trade agreement with its second largest trading partner, the European Union. While the deal has been hailed as an overall success, it has yet to live up to its potential when it comes to agricultural exports from Canada. At the time in 2017, it was… Read More
Category: Pork
Canada’s meat industry is sorting out what the United States Department of Agriculture’s proposed “Product of USA” label changes could mean for marketing cattle and hogs to Canada’s largest trading partner. While the proposed language change is in reference to a voluntary label, the jury is still out on whether or not the proposal contravenes… Read More
North American pork supply is predicted to be tight in the first quarter of 2023, with uncertainty around consumption levels, but there is hope for increased trade opportunities. Cost pressure is increasing across the board from feed, to labour, to fuel. The value chain is feeling this inflationary pressure, says Christine McCracken, senior analyst of… Read More
A ramp designed by pork company HyLife for vaccinating weanlings has potential to improve animal care across the industry, the company says. The ramp was created by HyLife’s Continuous Improvement Team (CI), and has received approval from renowned animal behaviouralist, Dr. Temple Grandin. Grandin was brought in by HyLife to tour its farms and processing… Read More
Plans have been unveiled for another major soybean crush plant to be built in North Dakota. Epitome Energy LLC has announced the construction of a US$400 million facility on the north side of Grand Forks, North Dakota — approximately 120 km (75 miles) south of Emerson, Manitoba. It marks the third — and most northerly… Read More
Following a work reduction in early July, Quebec pork and poultry processor Olymel has now announced the permanent closure of its St. Hyacinthe plant. The facility will be shuttered February 10, 2023. The plant employs just over 100 people, all of whom will be given the option of jobs at other facilities in the region…. Read More
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has opened applications for projects that help organizations prepare for and prevent African swine fever (ASF) in Canada. Up to $23 million will be available under the Government of Canada’s African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program (ASFIPP). ASF is an economically significant disease, and a single case of ASF in… Read More
Update, as of Nov. 9: Maple Leaf Foods says it is implementing workarounds to maintain operations at its plants while a team of cybersecurity experts continues to work on resolving the “comprehensive” outage caused by a cyberattack. CEO Michael McCain told investors in a quarterly earnings call on Nov. 8 that all the company’s plants… Read More
When looking at the overall picture, protein markets have battled the last while, amid rising costs, plant closures and export hiccups. But retail prices have also climbed, with consumer demand keeping pace here at home. For the hog industry, the result has meant a return to decent margins, but trouble could be brewing on the… Read More
The federal government has committed up to $45.3 million in further efforts to prevent African swine fever (ASF) from entering Canada and to prepare for a potential outbreak that would result in the immediate closure of Canada’s border to pork and hog exports. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced the funding in Quebec City on Friday…. Read More
This column was submitted to RealAgriculture by Cam Dahl, of the Manitoba Pork Council. What is a farmer’s relationship with environmental and animal welfare certification programs? Would it be right to say that it’s complicated? On one hand, farmers feel targeted by those in the activist community who reject the realities of modern agriculture. No… Read More
The recent collaboration between organizations, producers, and consumers to stop the intended front of package (FOP) labelling of ground meat proved just how effective organized lobbying can be. Reg Schellenberg, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), says it has been smiles across the board after the federal government announced that ground meat, including beef,… Read More
The international organization that tracks global animal disease outbreaks and works to improve animal health has rebranded itself with an acronym that aligns with its full name in English. The World Organisation for Animal Health has been commonly known as the OIE dating back to its founding in 1924 as the Office International des Épizooties. As… Read More
Canada has once again been approved to export not only live cattle, but also beef products, to Brazil, who shut the doors on Canadian beef exports after Canada confirmed a case of BSE in 2003. Based on Canada’s BSE controlled risk status, live cattle have been approved for export to Brazil since July 2018, however,… Read More
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS), have announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) has passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability. African swine fever is a highly contagious, viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose… Read More