Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association has once again asked Health Canada to approve irradiation of ground beef. The association made the same request in 1998, but never received a public response from Health Canada. Although many oppose irradiation, the association has the support of the Consumers Association of Canada this time around, and is hoping growing […] Read more
Beef industry seeks approval for irradiation of ground beef
Surge in bee deaths has made colony collapse disorder a political issue
Reading Time: 2 minutes The humble honeybee has Ottawa and Washington abuzz these days thanks to some controversial dust. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has released a protection protocol for honeybee populations, the Commons agriculture committee has launched a study of threats to bees, the Green Party and Sierra Club want an immediate ban of a controversial class of […] Read more
Dairy farmers, restaurants strike a deal on mozzarella dispute
Reading Time: 2 minutes The restaurant sector was offering rare words of praise for the dairy industry following an announcement of a new milk class for mozzarella cheese to be used on fresh pizzas. “This new restaurant mozzarella cheese class responds to long-standing concerns raised by CRFA on behalf of our members and fresh pizza makers across the country,” […] Read more
Canadian meat exporters assess impact of Russian ractopamine ban
Reading Time: 2 minutes Russia plans to ban meat imports from most Canadian and Mexican suppliers from April 8 over concerns about the use of the feed additive ractopamine, Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary service (VPSS) said. But it is not yet clear what the overall impact on the Canadian meat sector will be. VPSS, Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary service, […] Read more
Ontario Medical Association calls for curbs on farm use of antibiotics
The association wants an end of antibiotics in livestock ‘simply to promote growth’ and more surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Ontario Medical Association is calling on government to impose sweeping restrictions on non-essential farm and other uses of medicines before bacterial resistance to life-saving antibiotics threatens human health. Growing resistance to antibiotics endangers “one of the most fundamental and life-saving tools in medicine,” the association warns in a report entitled ‘When Antibiotics Stop Working.’ […] Read moreOttawa plots next move as Washington ducks COOL changes
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canada is still considering what U.S. exports it might target for retaliatory tariffs if Washington fails to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling against its country-of-origin labelling law, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “We’re looking at all our options, but we don’t want to penalize our allies in the U.S. livestock and meat-processing sectors […] Read more
Rail service getting worse, shippers charge
Deteriorate Shippers say service has deteriorated since introduction of legislation giving them more leverage
Reading Time: 2 minutes Freight service improved when Ottawa was preparing legislation last year to balance the market power of shippers and the railways, but has since slipped back to unsatisfactory levels, shipper representatives say. As “recently as two weeks ago we had mills just about shut down because they couldn’t get boxcars in Western Canada, and not just […] Read moreAg Canada predicts good times will continue in farming
Optimistic The federal government expects grain and oilseed prices to stay high, input inflation to moderate and a rebound for cattle and hog producers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Strong commodity prices and healthy world demand have put Canadian farmers in an enviable position, says Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in its annual crystal ball look at the industry. Net income for most producers will be at or above record levels once all the data for 2012 is added up, thanks to better-than-forecast crop prices […] Read moreNo new deals, but trade mission to Japan deemed a success
Reading Time: 2 minutes While he had nothing new to announce at the end of his fourth trade mission to Japan, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz sounded jubilant in a news conference from Tokyo before he returned to Canada. He and a delegation of commodity groups met key Japanese politicians and business leaders. “We now have a clearer understanding of […] Read more
Pullouts hit CFA finances
Challenges Three major commodity groups have withdrawn, taking their membership dues with them
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Pork Council, along with the Canadian Wheat Board and the Canadian Horticultural Council, are no longer members of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. Not only do the departures throw a wrench into CFA’s finances, they have some observers questioning whether it can still claim to be the country’s main national farm organization. The […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
