The private member’s bill that aims to reduce the risk of biosecurity breaches from trespassers on farms has received final approval in the House of Commons. Bill C-275, brought forward by Conservative shadow minister for agriculture John Barlow, would update the Health of Animals Act to make it an offence to enter a place where… Read More
Category: Pork
Olymel is closing two processing plants: a pork plant in Quebec and a poultry plant in Ontario. The Paris, Ont., poultry further processing plant will close and all production will be moved to another Olymel plant at Oakville, around 75 kilometres north-east of Paris. The closure impacts 93 employees, with their final day of work… Read More
National cattle and meat industry organizations find themselves in a strange predicament, calling on the Canadian government to delay its approval for a trade deal. The Canadian Cattle Association, Canadian Meat Council, and National Cattle Feeders’ Association — normally in favour of new trade agreements — launched a campaign called “Say No to A Bad… Read More
The U.K. received the okay from Canada to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Saturday and typically pro-trade industry groups are voicing their deep disappointment in Canada’s decision to allow it. The Canadian Meat Council (CMC), Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), and the CanadianPork Council (CPC) released a joint statement following… Read More
A biosecurity and animal disease prevention company based at Guelph, Ontario has announced it’s merging with a U.S.-based company that has developed a facial recognition entry system for barns. Farm Health Guardian Ltd. and NoveTechnologies, LLC (NoveTech) say they have combined forces as of June 5, 2023, and will operate under the Farm Health Guardian… Read More
Olymel says it has “made the difficult decision” to reduce its hog operations in Western Canada due to continued financial losses and uncertainty in pork markets. Approximately 80 employees at five sow facilities in Alberta (Smoky Sow/Dev, Pinnacle 1, Pinnacle 2, Dynacrest 1 and Dynacrest 2) and one farm in Saskatchewan (Kelsey) have been given… Read More
The road back to profitability for the pork sector is likely long and difficult as Canadian producers continue to face a troublesome combination of declining domestic demand, fewer opportunities in export markets, and the spectre of tougher U.S. animal welfare regulations that could drive prices lower. It all adds up to tough times for pork… Read More
With California on an aggressive timeline to implement the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative — more commonly known as Prop 12 — requirements by July 1, 2023 the United States pork industry is still reeling with questions regarding the details of verification, logistics, and supply. Last week, we heard from the Canadian Pork Council on concerns… Read More
The Canadian pork industry continues to face roadblocks in rebuilding pork demand and prices, highlighted by the closure of the Olymel processing plant in Vallée-Jonction, Quebec and a HyLife plant in Minnesota. Stephen Heckbert, executive director of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC), says the closures don’t necessarily need to be in Canada to impact the… Read More
Can the production rules of one state wag the (curly) tail of pork trade for an entire country? If the state is California, the answer is: it’s possible. Prop 12, first passed in the state in 2018 and then upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court this week, sets out space requirements for livestock in production… Read More