Duck and other poultry from Canada may again be exported to Mexico, for the first time since 2004. Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday announced Mexico had reopened its border to fresh poultry meat including chicken, turkey and, “most significant in terms of historical trade,” duck. Mexico had […] Read more
Mexico clears Canadian poultry meat for import
Alberta Veterinary Medical Association award winners
Reading Time: < 1 minute Dr. Jennifer Willans is the recipient of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association’s Meritorious Service Award. This award is presented to an association member who has demonstrated outstanding service to the organization. Service may be over the past year or several years. Dr. Alastair Cribb is the recipient of this year’s Veterinarian of the Year Award. […] Read more
Major grocers pledge cage-free eggs by 2025
The grocery arm of the body for Canadian retailers has rolled out a 10-year plan to source the eggs its members sell from layer hens raised in “cage-free environments.” The grocer members of the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), which include Loblaw, Sobeys/Safeway, Metro and Wal-Mart Canada, said Friday they are “voluntarily committing to the […] Read more
The lowdown on tax filing for farmers
That time of year is coming around again — here are some things to bear in mind as you prepare your tax return
Reading Time: 2 minutes If you raise a few farm animals or have a plot to grow your own food, you are considered a hobby farmer, rather than a business, and you can’t deduct any expenses or losses. But if you devote the majority of your time to farming by investing in buildings, machinery, and inventories to run the […] Read more
Camelina soon to be a poultry feed option
Camelina 'cake' could be a new, attractive poultry feed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Camelina is one step closer to being a feed source for livestock species. “Camelina is not a perfect feedstuff, but it does have some advantages that could be an opportunity for layers, broilers and eventually turkeys,” provincial research scientist Eduardo Beltranena said at the recent Western Poultry Conference. The oilseed is a member of the […] Read more
Cuban export opportunities eyed for U.S. farmers
Lima | Reuters –– U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Tuesday that farm officials want to lay the groundwork so U.S. agricultural exporters can seize new opportunities in Cuba if the trade embargo on the country is lifted. The normalization of trade relations would allow U.S. farmers to use lower transportation costs to edge […] Read more
A+W ups ante on layer hen housing
Having already pledged to source eggs from hens in enriched housing and raised without use of antibiotics, burger chain A+W now plans to get all its eggs from hens in open housing. The Vancouver-based income fund said Wednesday that despite having “no open-barn housing options available” today that meet its antibiotic-free requirement, it plans to […] Read more
U.S. COOL rules formally off beef, pork
The U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has formally patched a long-sore spot in cross-border trade relations by pulling its country-of-origin labelling (COOL) regulations off beef and pork. The AMS, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published its amendments Wednesday in the U.S. Federal Register. The changes, which took effect upon publication, mean […] Read more
Maple Leaf profit beats as margins improve
Reuters — Canadian pork processor Maple Leaf Foods posted a better-than-expected fourth-quarter profit as margins in its prepared meats business improved. Adjusted operating profit in the meat products group, which includes brands such as Schneiders and the company’s namesake Maple Leaf brand, was $54.6 million, compared with a year-ago loss of $19.1 million. The Mississauga-based […] Read more
Gavilon names former ADM exec as CEO in management reshuffle
Reuters — Gavilon LLC has hired a former executive from rival Archer Daniels Midland to take the helm following a big reshuffle at Gavilon, a major U.S. grain merchant, in the latest sign that the commodities rout is upending global merchants. In a statement, the company, owned by Japanese trading house Marubeni, named Lewis Batchelder […] Read more