I must confess — I'm icked out by the word "animal byproduct". There, I said it. That doesn't mean I don't understand what a byproduct is, nor does it mean I think byproducts shouldn't find a home in animal or pet foods — these are safe, nutrient-dense feed ingredients — but in a world of... Read More
Category: Poultry
You are probably reading a lot right now about the challenges with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Sheila Pratt with the Edmonton Journal has been focused on the issue as it applies to allegedly reducing labor costs and the mistreatment of workers. Keep in mind that that the temporary foreign worker program is accessed by... Read More
Correlation does not mean causation, but it can be a good place to start investigating a link. And, sometimes, that apparent link turns out to be valid. Earlier this week, the CFIA confirmed that PEDv DNA detected in hog feed (which contained hog plasma) was capable of causing infection. CFIA's statement, released earlier this week... Read More
When it comes to meat, poultry is continuing to see big demand across the country, largely because of our appetite for chicken. The Canadian Meat Council says that in 2010 the average Canadian ate almost 16 kilograms of poultry compared to 13 kg of beef and 12 kg of pork. Moving forward, poultry demand will... Read More
The business of food retailing is undergoing significant changes. There is significant consolidation happening, new entrants like Whole Foods, the growth of WalMart and all of this is happening while the consumer market is not growing overall. Just like farming technology is allowing food retailers to lower costs and gain more insight into its operations... Read More
Activists (some would say anarchists) seem to be routinely using the method of releasing shocking undercover videos that attempt to create the perception that all producers are using horrible practices. Whether it be the W5 Poultry video, Ohio Hog Farm Video or any other, this undercover scenario is something that not many producers would be... Read More
“There are no facts, only interpretations,” is a common quote I refer to from poet Friedrich Nietzsche. Modernizing the language, I take it as, “Facts don’t matter, only the perception.” The struggle for perception in food is at an all time high. I talked last month about A&W’s perception of what ‘Better Beef’ represents, despite... Read More
This blog post is one I was hoping not to have to write. In Canada, there was recently an “investigative report” on the commercial egg industry. It developed after an animal activist group took undercover footage and passed an edited video to a television newsmagazine. The resulting 30 minute show was a black eye to... Read More
So, it seems we don’t just have an issue eating our horses, but also our hens. A recent article by Sarah Boesveld of the National Post, brought my attention back to a rather interesting consideration: “the urban chicken movement.” You’ve heard of it, yes? The desire many urbanites have, to produce their own food? Well,... Read More
There are two things you're always going to have with livestock — deadstock and manure. Both byproducts, if you will, present their own type of challenges. And then there are rules and regulations to contend with. Unlike some other byproducts of beef production, however, manure is a truly valuable resource if handled, stored and used... Read More