North America’s largest food retailer, Walmart, unveiled its positions on animal welfare and the use of antibiotics in farm animals on Friday. Strangely enough, farm groups and animal rights organizations alike applauded the company’s animal care guidelines. While both sides are welcoming Walmart’s positions, if you dig a bit deeper, there are conflicting views on what the implications… Read More
Category: Western Canada
Grain markets pulled back from their hot start to the week with only canola finishing in the green, its July contract climbing to close the week at $463.20/metric tonne, thanks to a stronger U.S. dollar. Wheat and corn prices did have a hot start to the week because of concerns of sub-zero temperatures and a depreciating… Read More
Canada’s fight against U.S. country of origin labeling rules for meat highlights an inconsistency in the Canadian position on the treatment of foreign agricultural products, say two organizations representing American wheat growers and industry. U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers sent a letter to Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade… Read More
A feed mill in Winnipeg will be the first commercial facility in North America to use an infrared-based grain sorting technology to remove grain infected with fusarium or ergot. Standard Nutrition Canada Co. is receiving $1.1 million from the federal and Manitoba governments, and investing $1.1 million of its own, to purchase two BoMill TriQ near… Read More
Do you know how many of your canola seeds turned into viable plants? Frost damage, weeds and insect pests aren’t the only things to look for in canola fields as the plants pop out of the ground. Seed survival should also be assessed, emphasizes Angela Brackenreed, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada in this Canola… Read More
It’s a COOL (or cool)-themed farm news update — here’s “This Week on Real Ag” for the third week of May 2015: Listen to the full interviews with some of the people heard on this week’s TWORA podcast: How Will Washington React to the WTO’s Final Word on COOL? Beef Market Update: Lofty Prices, Tight… Read More
Canadian beef industry leaders have established an endowment fund to support “the sustainable advancement and legacy of the Canadian beef industry.” The Canadian Cattlemen’s Foundation will have three main focus areas within the beef sector: youth and leadership development, environmental sustainability, and research. “If we want to see our industry thrive in the future we need… Read More
It’s been a big week for the beef industry, with news that the World Trade Organization has ruled against Country of Origin Labeling for a fourth and final time and the subsequent — almost immediate — introduction and approval of a bill to repeal it by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. But, what does all of… Read More
It’s a topic that fires up debate, almost as hotly contested as issues around pesticides or antibiotics. Should farmland ownership be restricted to prevent foreign ownership or open to all investors? As of today, the consultation process on farmland ownership in Saskatchewan has started, allowing all interested parties to voice their opinions on farmland ownership rules…. Read More
When Canada’s agriculture and trade ministers — as everybody expected following the World Trade Organization’s latest ruling against U.S. country of origin labeling — promised to retaliate unless the labeling rules are repealed, virtually all Canadian livestock producer groups and provincial governments who benefit from cross-border cattle and hog trade applauded the federal government’s swift action. With one… Read More