chicks at feeder

Chicken welfare program enhanced

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicken farmers across Canada are rolling out the latest changes to the Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program. The program will enhance environmental care and bird monitoring and handling as well as health-care practices, and emergency management and preparedness. “Our Animal Care Program is a clear demonstration of farmers’ commitment to animal care,” […] Read more


Canada’s dairy industry is facing “death by a thousand cuts” from concessions in back-to-back international trade agreements, said Alberta Milk general manager Mike Southwood.

Another blow for Canada’s dairy industry

Dairy farmers frustrated and disappointed but other farm sectors welcome the NAFTA replacement

Reading Time: 5 minutes Many Canadians breathed a collective sigh of relief when Canada, the U.S., and Mexico agreed to a new trade agreement at the end of September. But for the country’s dairy industry, this proposed deal is just another in a series of blows that is slowly but surely bleeding the industry dry. “This is definitely death […] Read more

"We cannot meet the demand for goat meat. It's astronomical." – Amy Leitch

Family of goat lovers lives off the grid

Family uses mainly solar power and a wind turbine while raising goats, free-range chickens, turkeys, geese, and hogs

Reading Time: 3 minutes Kids abound at Will O’ the Wisp Paddocks. Amy Leitch and husband Kevin have four of their own, along with numerous goat kids in their flock of 77 goats. “We chose Kiko goats which are from New Zealand. They’re bred from the best of the best and this is a breed that is known worldwide,” […] Read more


Taste-testing during a Canadian Beef Advantage Seminar in Shanghai in 2013. (Canada Beef via YouTube)

Trade pact clause seen deterring China trade deals with Canada, Mexico

Washington | Reuters — China’s hopes of negotiating a free trade pact with Canada or Mexico were dealt a sharp setback by a provision deep in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that aims to forbid such deals with “non-market” countries, trade experts said on Tuesday. The provision specifies that if one of the current North […] Read more

(Toa55/iStock/Getty Images)

Outrage, acceptance greet Son of NAFTA

Responses from Canada’s farm sectors range from acceptance to anger as concessions and market access granted under the successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) come into clearer view. Dairy: ‘Who needs an enemy?’ The new agreement, announced Sunday and dubbed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by the U.S. government, is expected to […] Read more


Give your view on livestock welfare

Give your view on livestock welfare

Survey, focus group participation open until Oct. 31

Reading Time: < 1 minute The second phase of the Livestock Welfare Engagement Project is getting underway. There has been strong participation in an online survey, said Alberta Farm Animal Care, which is facilitating the initiative requested by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. The province wants a better understanding of the “animal welfare landscape.” The second phase will involve five focus […] Read more