North Dakota has become the seventh U.S./Canadian border state with a case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in its hog herd. The lone case so far was confirmed this week on a hog farm in the eastern part of the state, North Dakota State University said Thursday. As of Sunday, before North Dakota’s confirmation, the […] Read more
PEDv arrives in North Dakota
Juice supply deal to rescue S. Ont. tomato operations
Growers in southern Ontario’s tomato capital may soon resume plans for a 2014 crop, as Heinz’s storied processing plant in the region switches from ketchup to juice under a proposal to save the plant from closure. H.J. Heinz Co. announced Thursday it’s signed a letter of intent to sell the U.S. company’s Leamington, Ont. plant […] Read more
Rules now on books to enforce hog traceability for July 1
Hog farmers and handlers in Canada now officially have until July 1 to get their operations Pigtrace-compatible. Amendments to the federal Health of Animals Regulations were published Wednesday in the Canada Gazette to make traceability of farmed pigs mandatory effective July 1 this year. The same rules will also apply to farmed wild boars starting […] Read more
Stay calm, stick to the facts, and tell your story, says communications expert
Reading Time: < 1 minute A&W’s Better Beef campaign holds a lesson for farmers — although they might not like it, says a communications expert. The fast food chain’s ad campaign touting its switch to hormone-free beef has been “massively successful,” Shawn Brook, president of Issues Ink, told FarmTech attendees. “Their job is to sell hamburgers, and this makes them sell hamburgers,” he said. “What makes it wrong is that we haven’t been […] Read more
Agrium to dial up urea, ammonia production in Texas
The board of Canadian fertilizer and ag retail giant Agrium has greenlit plans to dial up production of urea and ammonia at its Texas nitrogen plant. Calgary-based Agrium on Tuesday announced approval for a “debottleneck” expansion at its plant at Borger, Tex., about 70 km northeast of Amarillo. Debottlenecking — that is, increasing a plant’s […] Read more
CN, CP would accept ‘reciprocal penalties’ in service agreements: Sask.
Canada’s big two railways have pledged to have “thousands” of additional cars taking grain to ports until at least December this year, and would also sign level-of-service pacts with grain shippers providing for “reciprocal penalties,” the Saskatchewan government says. The provincial government, which on Feb. 12 struck a cabinet delegation to meet with grain companies […] Read more
Quebec’s first case of PEDv confirmed
A farm in Quebec’s Monteregie was confirmed Sunday as the province’s first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in hogs. The provincial agriculture, food and fisheries department didn’t specify whether the affected farm was a farrowing and/or finishing operation or provide other details on its location or the number of mortalities, if any, when it […] Read more
‘Immediate’ penalties urged for railways on grain delays
The Alberta government is calling on federal lawmakers to impose a system of “immediate” cash penalties against railways that don’t meet obligations on grain delivery. The province’s agriculture minister Verlyn Olson is booked to meet Monday in Winnipeg with his federal counterpart, Gerry Ritz, plus representatives from the grain industry and Canadian Grain Commission. Up […] Read more
Manitoba, Quebec to declare PED reportable
Producers and veterinarians in Manitoba and labs in Quebec will soon be required by law to report porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) on hog farms. The office of Manitoba’s chief veterinary officer (CVO) announced Friday that the province “has taken the necessary steps” to add PED to its list of reportable diseases and expects the new […] Read more
Consider farmers’ viewpoint when advising on back pain
About four of every five Canadians suffer back pain at some time in their lives — but any professionals advising farmers on how to manage the problem will want to consider how farmers’ needs differ from those of other sufferers, a new study suggests. Of course, farmers’ access to health care out in rural areas […] Read more
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