The federal government has promised $4.3 billion to compensate the supply-managed dairy and poultry sectors for concessions made in the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal announced this week, but for chicken farmers, a coinciding decision by Ottawa to close import loopholes for chicken is seen as more important than the compensation. Mike Dungate, executive director of Chicken Farmers of Canada,… Read More
Category: Poultry
“Canada reaches TPP trade deal, will pay out $4.3 billion to farmers” “Harper hails TPP, promises $4.3 billion to protect farmers” “Harper promises $4.3B for dairy farmers” Dairy and poultry farmers across Canada may have been disappointed to see the federal government open the border to more imports in the Trans-Pacific Partnership announcement on Monday,… Read More
North America’s largest chain restaurant has pledged to source all of the eggs for its nearly 16,000 restaurants in Canada and the U.S. from cage-free chicken farms. McDonald’s announced today that it will completely transition to cage-free or “free-run” eggs within the next 10 years. “Our guests increasingly tell us they appreciate the efforts we… Read More
Significant changes are coming to Ontario’s rules regarding small-scale chicken production. Until now, any individual could raise up to 300 birds per year under the Chicken Farmers of Ontario small flock program, a program with the intention of allowing families to raise a few chickens for themselves without requiring the purchase of production quota. Expanding… Read More
Quebec farmers rallied outside the constituency office of federal Minister of State Maxime Bernier in Sainte-Marie on Friday. They demanded the federal government maintain the status quo for supply management in negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The rally was organized by Quebec farm group Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA). Speaking on the phone after the event, the president of… Read More
Update on July 30th: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency removed the final Avian Influenza Control Zone (located in the counties of Oxford and Waterloo) after lifting the quarantine on the second Ontario farm on Wednesday, July 29th. Permits are no longer required for the movement of birds and bird products in Ontario. A three month surveillance… Read More
There’s potential for much more composting in North American farming, say researchers at the University of Manitoba. “Turning waste into gold” was the theme for the annual field day at the U of M’s Glenlea Research Farm last week. Mario Tenuta, soil ecologist at the University of Manitoba, describes the value of farm-scale composting of manure,… Read More
Canadian farmers who own dairy or poultry quota may not have to live with the stress that comes from marketing a product on a volatile open market, but their stress comes in another form: the worry that the federal government will pull the rug (or one of the three pillars) out from under the regulatory… Read More
Canada has officially notified the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) that British Columbia is now considered free of avian influenza. On June 3, B.C. successfully completed three months of surveillance following eradication of the disease. Related: Third Oxford County Farm Presumed Infected with H5 Avian Influenza; Within 2nd Quarantine Zone Avian Influenza Threat Forces… Read More
The Saskatchewan Premises Identification (PID) Database was launched as a new online resource to help improve livestock emergency prevention and response. “The benefits of the Premises Identification Database are far-reaching,” said Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart. “Knowing where our province’s livestock is located allows us to be more effective in handling everything from flooding to disease… Read More