Federal inspectors have confirmed a southeastern Alberta cow found with bovine tuberculosis in September was not just a one-off. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Friday reported five more cattle from the initial cow’s index herd in southeastern Alberta are confirmed to have been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria — presumed to be to be […] Read more
Bovine TB probe turns up more TB-positive cattle
Bovine TB strain of Mexican origin in Alberta probe
While new to Canada, the strain of tuberculosis bacteria which infected the Alberta cow at the centre of a bovine TB probe has been seen before in Mexico. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday reported the strain of Mycobacterium bovis found in a southeastern Alberta cow is “closely related” to a strain originating from […] Read more
Consumer concerns about meat are no fad
Animal welfare expert says livestock producers need to both ‘raise the bar’ and speak up about improvements they’re making
Reading Time: 3 minutes Global concerns about animal welfare are having an impact on meat purchasing, and the food industry needs to adapt to this new reality. “For the vast majority, price, taste and convenience have been key — but one of the issues that goes across the board now is transparency,” said Lesley Mitchell, international head of policy […] Read more
Food production in Syria reported at all-time low
Geneva | Reuters — Food production has dropped to an all-time low in Syria where millions of hungry civilians are struggling through their sixth winter in a war zone, United Nations agencies said Tuesday. Many farmers have had to abandon their land, unable to afford the soaring cost of seeds, fertilizers and tractor fuel, the […] Read more
Bovine TB quarantines push into Saskatchewan
Two farms in southwestern Saskatchewan have been added to the list of those under federal quarantine as inspectors widen their search for cattle exposed to a new-to-Canada strain of bovine tuberculosis (TB). As of Thursday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it had “approximately 33” farms in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan under quarantine. The […] Read more
Bovine TB case probed in southeastern Alberta
About 30 farms in southeastern Alberta are under federal quarantine as federal and provincial officials try to track down cattle exposed to bovine tuberculosis (TB). The investigation follows a notice in late September from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that a cow from Alberta had tested positive for bovine TB at a U.S. slaughter plant. […] Read more
Price isn’t everything at the meat counter — being Canadian counts, too
About half of consumers say they check labels to ensure they’re buying meat of Canadian origin
Reading Time: 2 minutes Good news, Canadian livestock producers — your fellow citizens are willing to pay more for your meat. “Canadians buy Canadian to support local and Canadian farmers, support the local economy, and for freshness,” Barry Davis of Leger Marketing said at the recent FutureFare conference. His firm surveyed 1,609 meat shoppers and two-thirds said they had […] Read more
ALMA reaches the end of the road
The agency’s eight-year legacy was celebrated, and future plans outlined at its last FutureFare conference
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency held a final meeting cum celebration before its dissolution at the end of October. “It’s been a heck of a ride. This is emotional,” ALMA board chair Dave Chalack said to an audience of about 260 industry partners, board directors, and staff at the agency’s last FutureFare conference. The […] Read more
N.S. communities to get clear powers on runaway livestock
Any community defined as a “municipality” in Nova Scotia will soon be able to act to deal with stray livestock and local fencing problems. The provincial government on Wednesday introduced legislative changes to its Fences and Detention of Stray Livestock Act, to make it easier for municipalities to respond when livestock go wandering. The law […] Read more
Australian bidders gatecrash deal for country’s biggest landholding
Sydney | Reuters — Four of Australia’s wealthiest outback cattle families plan to make the first entirely domestic offer to buy S.Kidman and Co, the country’s largest private landholding, paying more than a rival bid of A$365 million (C$370.1 million), two of the quartet said. Kidman has already accepted a joint offer by Australia’s richest […] Read more