The Ontario Agricultural College’s department of animal and poultry science has hatched a new name meant to better take in the scope of its work. The new name, the Department of Animal Biosciences, “helps describe the department’s evolution from a livestock husbandry department in the 1870s to the highly dynamic and integrated department it is […] Read more

Guelph animal science department rebrands

Tax deferral an option — but is it your best one?
Experts say you should run the numbers and get expert advice before deciding how much tax to defer
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s a classic ‘good-news, bad-news’ story. The bad news is: If you’re a producer reading this in Alberta, chances are you live in one of the vast majority of Alberta municipalities devastated by drought or other inclement weather. The good news is you may be eligible for the Federal Livestock Tax Deferral, which allows producers […] Read more

Sage grouse denied U.S. endangered species status
Commerce City, Colo. | Reuters –– A long-simmering debate in the U.S. West over an imperiled ground-dwelling bird reached a climax on Tuesday when the Obama administration announced it was denying Endangered Species Act protection to the greater sage grouse. U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell touted the decision as a success enabled by a sweeping […] Read more

Deal would let southern California buy surplus water from Nevada
Reuters — A US$45 million deal that would let southern California’s biggest water agency access a major supply of water that would normally go to southern Nevada won approval on Thursday from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The board of the Metropolitan Water District, a wholesaler that supplies public utilities in heavily populated southern California, […] Read more

JBS to expand in processed foods, eyes Europe
Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Brazil’s JBS, the world’s largest beef exporter, is looking to enlarge its processed foods operations and expand in Europe, CEO Wesley Batista said in an interview with Valor Economico published Friday. The company, which in recent months has made billion-dollar acquisitions in the U.K. and U.S., is also looking to […] Read more

Study alleges U.S. fast food still mostly raised on antibiotics
Los Angeles | Reuters –– Most large U.S. fast-food chains still serve meat from farm animals that have been routinely fed antibiotics, consumer groups said in a new report, which concluded that many companies have not yet laid out plans to curb the practice. Subway, Starbucks, KFC and Domino’s Pizza were among the industry leaders […] Read more

Yukon to help cover livestock vets’ travel costs
The Yukon government has launched a pilot program to help cover veterinarians’ travel and service expenses for farm calls. The territory government on Tuesday announced it will accept up to 30 farmers for the pilot of the Veterinary Services Program, running from now to the end of March 2016. The program will reimburse participating veterinarians […] Read more

EU to give 500M euros to farmers hit by Russia sanctions
Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission announced a 500 million-euro (C$743 million) package of measures on Monday to provide relief for farmers stung by slumping prices, triggered partly by the loss of exports to Russia due to EU sanctions against the country. The crisis has triggered a wave of protests which culminated on Monday […] Read more

Canada losing bluetongue-free status
New findings of bluetongue in cattle in Canada — outside the one area of the country where the virus previously gained a toehold — have trading partners shutting their ports to Canadian livestock genetics and animals. Three cattle from one farm in southwestern Ontario’s Chatham-Kent municipality have now tested positive for bluetongue serotype 13 — […] Read more

Federal farm politicians lining up for debate
UPDATED, Sept. 29 — Canada’s incumbent agriculture minister and three of his federal critics are so far confirmed for a pre-election debate on farming issues later this month. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, working with media partner (and operator of this website) Glacier FarmMedia, will host the national agriculture leaders’ debate on Sept. 30 in Ottawa. Western […] Read more